What do you think why does a German shepherd look depressed or sad? Do let us know your ideas & if you don’t know, stick with us till the end as it’s going to be a very interesting and informative write-up by all means.
You will get to know:
- Depression symptoms of German shepherds
- Causes of German shepherd’s emotional behaviors
- What can you do to make your German shepherd happy?
(Dogs are a sensitive creature of God, be very careful handling your pet dog, and though they can’t say anything feels everything)
Are you wondering, why is my German shepherd sad? You are in right place now – the precise information will certainly enlighten you with many causes why does my dog looks sad all of a sudden and how to make a German shepherd happy.
Have you heard about the term Canine depression? It describes the fact that your furry pet can get sad or depressed. To be specific, German shepherds are sure sensitive to emotions like
- Depression,
- Happiness,
- Anger, and jealousy.
The possible reasons for them being sad can be clinical depression, illness, unwanted diet, bereavement, and change of place, or lack of attention.
While you cannot deny the fact, dogs have a habit of mimic their owners when you are sad for whatever reason, your dog seems sad when it’s actually not. So, you need to pay attention to every behavior and move of your pet in order to figure out whether it is depressed or not.
Here the question will surely pop up in your mind that what are the potential symptoms of a German shepherd being sad? The brief answer is right here:
- Changes in sleeping habits
- Signs of compulsive behaviors
- Ignoring & hiding
- Change in diet/loss of appetite
- Uninterested in activities and more
In case you are seeking an answer that why do German shepherds always look sad? Well, it is not true that the German shepherd always looks sad, it may look upset to some but truly, it is not. This dog breed is playful, active, and emotional so it might happen they look sad due to some reason for a short time frame.
Although with other dog breeds and cross breed it may possible that they get the physical trait of a sad face. If we consider Basset Hound, the low set head along with long ears and wrinkled skin and its deep-sad-eyes look like drowning, it’s a breed trait. Speaking of the French bulldog that has wide and big eyes with short nose make him look like an always depressed puppy.
Now that we briefly highlight the topic, let’s get into the topic of discussion right away:
Contents
Depression symptoms of German shepherds
How to figure out whether your German shepherd is sad? It is possible that your pet looks sad when it is not. So let’s dig into the German shepherd’s depression symptoms, pet shows certain signs when it is depressed.
Changes in daily routine
The daily routine of a German shepherd is comprised of exercise, walk, proper sleep, playtime, diet, etc. You may notice prominent changes in the regular routine of your dog when it is sad.
- Appetite loss: The first sign can be less eating or loss of appetite, if there are no signs of illness you should understand its depression. Although you need to figure it out well because this sign can also be the side-effect of hot weather or avoiding training or exercise.
- Change in sleeping habits: Another prominent sign of depression in German shepherds is that they sleep more often than usual. They do not feel like waking up or off the bed. They look lethargic when they feel down
- Uninterested in activities: dogs do not show interest in activities and almost in everything when they are pretty much sad. In case your pet does not show interest in training or walking or exercising there may be some emotional issue with it. However, it also points toward some sort of illness so going to the vet is a good option.
They don’t show the same lively response, which they used to show on their favorite toys or songs or any other specific playful thing.
Hiding & Ignoring
It is the most important indicator of canine depression. Usually, dogs turned to their private area for hiding and ignoring being in a rush area of the house. Also, it may be possible for your dog to try to avoid any specific one or everyone in the house, it’s common. If your German shepherd keeps on ignoring or hiding in the lonely place of home, so it can be a trigger symptom of depression.
Don’t misjudge and mistreat and show your aggression on your German shepherd as its depression can get worse if you do so.
Unnecessary Licking their paws and itself
Other than the symptom of any illness like yeast infections and others, this can be the potential sign of depression in dogs. According to experts this act of paw licking and licking itself is the way canines comfort themselves.
Causes of German shepherd’s Emotional Behaviors
Sometimes, like humans, a change in a dog’s lifestyle can also lead to stress or depression. Let us explore the reasons that make dogs sad or depressed.
Lack of Exercise or Activity
It is the breed meant to be working dogs therefore daily exercise is as basic as a diet for this dog breed. The inherent trait of work ethics is which they complete the task by the owner to get the feeling of self-achievement. Without enough exercise and activity, they feel down and dissatisfied.
Regular exercise for GSD and activities make them happy, energetic, and lively.
Addition/loss of the family member
Like humans, dogs also feel grieved by the loss of their family members or owners’ family members. The German shepherd can easily understand the pain and grief of their owners so when you are sad with any of your loss or for whatever reason your pet will likely get depressed like you, however, it gets better with time and you.
Similarly, the sudden addition of any family member can make your German shepherd insecure and uncomfortable. They feel concerned over the stranger and it is not at all easy for them to mingle with a new family member as soon as possible.
- Illness
Maybe some sort of illness-causing them to be depressed, on a prior basis take your dog to the vet to get a thorough check-up.
- Lack of Attention
German shepherd loves their fair attention and they can get easily upset when they are not getting the fair amount of attention from the owner. German shepherds want specific recognition and attention from its owner so you have to give your dog plenty of time when you feel it is not happy.
- Clinical depression
Like humans dogs can suffer from clinical depression, caused by a chemical imbalance within the brain, however, it is curable using some medication.
- Mistreatment
Are you worried about your sad German shepherd puppy which you recently adopted? In this case, it is common that your little friend is sad as it will take some time to adapt to changes. Make sure you treat it well, feed it properly, train it properly, and giving it attention.
- Change of place
As mentioned about a big lifestyle change can also be the reason for canine depression. German shepherd dogs have a natural emotional instinct in terms of the environment, house in which they have lived for a long time. Dogs get confused and anxious that why they have to venture off of the house.
Moving to a new house can easily trigger their unpredicted emotional reaction sometimes they take less time to adjust but sometimes it gets worse like feeling unsafe and insecure.
- Poor diet
If you recently change the diet of your dog and you figure out the difference in emotional behaviors then a change of diet can be the reason. If you are not sure of what to feed your German shepherd then you should try dog food specially designed for German shepherds.
What can you do to make your German shepherd happy?
You will have to find the exact reason for depression in order to do the best thing for your German shepherd. You can do a number of things to get your pet out of the depression, so without further ado, let’s begin:
- Early Morning Long Walk can do something Good:
Morning breeze can do magic not only for humans but for dogs as well. Fresh air with delicate sunlight will certainly help it change the mood. Start your day with an early morning walk with your cute but sad friend and boost its mood with positive energy and a cool vibe throughout the day.
Let your dog interact with nature and the environment during a walk, give them enough space to explore and socialize as much as they want.
Do not forget to try indoor activities with the most possible family members at home.
- More Attention More Quality Time
As an owner, your attention can make big difference in curing your German shepherd’s sadness. Try everything your dog used to do, from playing, training to exercise, spend more quality time with them it will help to put them in a calm state.
German shepherds love to be responsible for their owners, they just love to protect and work, provide the opportunity to protect you, loving you, and working for/with you.
- Proper Diet, Treat & Reward
Good food make my mood great, is it the same with you?
I think it’s the same with all living beings, try feeding good food/diet to your dog also treat them often with their favorite food.
Especially treat them, as a reward for being happy and playful.
In several studies, it is stated that the German shepherd is the dog’s breed with strong mental capacity. However, at the time, they are not at their strong emotional peak, same as humans, so take your time understanding them, your pet dog loves you the mosts.
With proper love, care, and attention you can cure your German shepherd’s depression, they need your love and care, JUST.