Depression: The blues busters
Silence. Nobody to greet you at the door. The rattle of the leash goes unnoticed. Even a steak bone fails to generate any excitement. It’s not uncommon for dogs (and cats) to get the blues. Causes include illness, loneliness, lack of exercise or even winter darkness.Depression can make dogs lethargic, mopey and sad. To raise your dog’s spirits, here’s our bucket list of things to do.
– Make every day a play day. Throwing yourself into some wholehearted playing with your dog is perhaps the best way to take their mind off their troubles.
– Reflect some fun. Putting up a mirror, where your dog can see their own reflection will give them a sense that they are not alone.
– Walk away your dog’s problems. Exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, chemicals in the body that heighten good feelings.
– Prepare a dog for your baby. Don’t drop the “bomb” on them suddenly. If you’re pregnant, start using baby powder and baby lotion, so that your buddy gets used to the smells. You can also play the sound of a baby crying, so that your dog gets used to this“strange” noise.
– Include your dog in the fun. Once you have a baby, most likely you will spend most of the time taking care of them. Put a lattice-type gate across the door of the nursery. This will keep your dog outside, while still allowing them to keep tabs on what’s going on.
– Hide surprises. For dogs, home is where the good smells (and tastes) are. You can place toys or tasty homemade treats, which they can discover. Instead of being depressing, a moving day will become an adventure day.
– Cook with your dog. Nothing strengthens the bond more than preparing and eating food together. EQUALS can provide tailor-made balanced recipes you can cook for your pooch at home (www.equals.dog).
– Call home, leaving your voice on the answering machine. Hearing your voice can do wonders.
– Music to a dog’s ears. Rather than playing human music for your dog, why not play some dog music? Music tracks which feature dog sounds…
– Give your dog a new friend. Many dogs will feel better when they have another furry companion to play with.
