Image: Kibble Facts
Dogs don't sit around talking about their feelings. But they show them — and knowing what a healthy dog's emotional expression looks like is the baseline you need. The 8 ways dogs show love that most people miss covers those signals in detail.
A 2022 poll by Guide Dogs UK found that 74% of dog owners reported signs of mental health issues in their dogs — depression and anxiety being the most common. Only 36% of owners could actually identify the signs.
Here's what to look for.
1. Loss of interest in things they used to love.
A dog that stopped chasing the ball, won't play tug, goes on walks but seems disengaged — anhedonia is one of the core markers of depression-like states in dogs. It also overlaps significantly with anxiety and understimulation, which is why the 10 best dogs for stress relief article is useful for understanding what temperamentally normal engagement looks like for different breeds.
A 2019 shelter study in the journal Animals found that dogs spending more time "awake but motionless" showed reduced interest in food rewards — a behavioral signal worth paying attention to.
2. Changes in appetite.
Eating significantly less or significantly more than normal, without a change in routine.
3. Sleep changes.
Sleeping more than usual, or restless sleep with no obvious physical cause.
The dog that used to meet you at the door now stays in another room. Avoids interaction with family members.
5. Excessive licking or chewing.
Particularly paws or their own skin. Repetitive self-soothing behaviors that don't have a dermatological explanation.
6. Clingy behavior.
Paradoxically, depression in dogs can look like excessive attachment — following you everywhere, unable to settle independently.
7. Low-level aggression or irritability.
Snapping at handling they previously tolerated. Grumpiness that's out of character.
What causes it.
Major life changes top the list — a move, a loss, a new baby, the death of a companion animal. Chronic pain and underlying illness are major drivers. So is lack of stimulation.
One study found dogs mirror their owners' stress levels — a depressed owner can be a contributing factor in a depressed dog. Diet affects stress regulation through the gut-brain axis too, which is why pet gut microbiome and diet quality belong in any conversation about chronic mood changes in dogs.
What to do.
Rule out medical causes first. Depression symptoms overlap significantly with hypothyroidism, chronic pain, and other treatable conditions. Once medical causes are cleared, behavioral intervention, increased structured activity, and in some cases veterinary medication are options.
Sources: Guide Dogs UK (2022); Animals journal PMC 2019; GoodRx — dog depression clinical summary
