Can Dogs Get Depressed?

In this article:

• Can dogs get depressed?
• How do you know if a dog is depressed?
• How do you help a dog who’s depressed?

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Greyfriars Bobby was a Skye terrier who lived in 19th-century Edinburgh, Scotland with his owner, John Gray—until Gray died in 1858. According to local lore, this ever-loyal dog then spent the next 14 years sitting by Gray’s grave.

“For 12 hours every day, the dog would lie on the grave and sulk,” said Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, DVA, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, and of Veterinary Behavior, professor emeritus of behavioral medicine at Tufts University, and CEO and co-founder of the Center for Canine Behavior Studies. “He missed him so badly.”

There’s some debate over why Bobby behaved this way, but many people believe he was grieving the loss of his owner. Dr. Dodman also sees him as a case of depression—because his sadness caused him to forgo activities he’d normally enjoy.

The question of whether dogs experience depression—especially in the way that humans understand it—is nuanced. Here’s what to know about it, and how to help a dog who’s feeling down.

Can dogs suffer from depression?

The experts we spoke to agreed that dogs can experience something similar to what depressed humans feel.

“Dogs can show signs of being depressed. These are often symptoms of some underlying diagnosis,” said Katherine Pankratz, DVM, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, a veterinary behaviorist at the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, Oregon. But, she continued, “depression is not a recognized clinical diagnosis in veterinary medicine.” 

In people, depression is a complex mood disorder characterized by particular behaviors and feelings—which human patients can verbally report to their doctors. These specific signs help mental health professionals diagnose people with depression as a psychiatric condition, which is classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

Since dogs can’t tell us what they’re feeling, we must pay close attention to how they act. And a dog who lacks energy and is not interested in things that they normally enjoy, like food and play, could be experiencing something like depression.

As you seek to determine whether a dog’s behavior is caused by their emotional state or something else, context is important. In dogs, Dr. Dodman said, depression may follow the loss of a loved one. Dogs in this state, he said, “have no interest in almost anything or anybody because the one they were attached to is now gone,” he said. “It is as if their world has gone gray.” 

Many experts say that dogs grieve the loss of loved ones. One study published in 2022 evaluated questionnaires completed by 426 dog owners who reported their reaction as well as their dog’s following the loss of another dog. The owners most commonly reported the surviving dog showing increased attention-seeking behavior, playing less, eating less, and sleeping more.

In addition to the loss of a loved one, experts have cited other adverse experiences that may spur dogs to behave as if they’re depressed, such as moving, changes in routine, people moving out of the house or being around less often, or even the addition of a new pet.

What are the signs of depression in dogs?

Here are the most common behaviors to watch for in a dog who may be depressed:

• Low energy
• Decreased appetite
• Altered sleep
• Lack of interest in playing

Less-common behaviors can include:

• Irritability
• Increased aggression
• Anxious behaviors

Any abrupt change in behavior, energy level, or appetite could also be signs of illness, including degenerative, autoimmune, metabolic, and nutritional diseases. The list of conditions whose signs match depressive behaviors “is incredibly broad and long,” Dr. Pankratz said. For this reason, she suggested that concerned owners bring their dog to the veterinarian, who will start the investigation process. They will likely start by excluding other potential medical causes rather than assuming the issue is behavioral. A dog’s medical history and physical examination help inform a vet as they begin the process of narrowing down the possibilities.

Dr. Dodman noted that a telltale sign of depression is if these signs crop up following some kind of loss—like the death of a fellow pet, or if one of their owners leaves a household.

How do you help a dog who’s depressed?

The good news, per Dr. Dodman, is that dogs tend to pull through depressive episodes over time with love and care from their people. Indeed, 60% of respondents in the 2022 study said that their dogs’ behavior returned to normal after six months. And about 13% saw no behavioral changes at all, so there’s no guarantee that a loss will cause a dog to exhibit depression-like signs.

Give your dog novelty.

If your dog is grieving a loss, you can try shaking up their routine through environmental modification. Walk them in new places, give them plenty of opportunities to socialize, buy them a new toy, or try a new kind of food. “It helps them as a push [to] get them through that difficult period,” Dr. Dodman said. In general, many dogs appreciate novelty.

However, if you know your dog loves routine or you notice new activities are invoking more fear than excitement, keeping things predictable  can create a sense of safety that helps them slowly adapt to their new life. As in many cases, the key here is watching your dog closely and giving them what they need.

Try the “jolly routine.”

You could also attempt what Dr. Dodman called the “jolly routine.” The jolly routine is “where people in the house act all happy, and it’s supposed to transfer to the dog.” 

Indeed, dogs take many cues from humans, including emotional ones; so if our dogs see us acting cheerful, they may pick up on it. This cuts both ways—dogs may act happy if they see us acting happy, but they may also grow stressed if we seem stressed. The authors of the 2022 study wrote that “stress seems contagious between dogs and owners,” indicating that dogs may feel stress following a loss if their humans do, too.

Try the jolly routine and environmental modification for a week or two. Dr. Dodman said that if severe depressive behaviors persist, then you may want to consult your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist for expert input.

Offer appropriate enrichment.

“When physical limitations like arthritis or injury prevent your dog from enjoying their usual activities, they can experience a sense of loss,” said Christina Marino, DVM, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal), a veterinarian and owner of Small Animal Veterinary Specialists and Small Animal Veterinary Care. Instead of simply removing an activity, find something enriching that your dog can still enjoy. Quiet bonding, grooming, and brain games can go a long way.

Talk to your vet.

If a dog’s depression doesn’t respond to the above methods for a long time, an owner might consider antidepressant medication. However, these medications aren’t usually prescribed for depressive behavior in dogs. “We more often use these medications for a variety of other behavioral concerns such as fear, anxiety, compulsivity, cognitive dysfunction and impulsivity,” said Dr. Pankratz. Your veterinarian can advise you about which, if any, medications might be right for your dog. 

We know dogs love hard, and we love this about them. But this means that major changes—a loss, a move, a new routine—can hit them hard, too. Should your dog ever seem to sink into a depression, the most important way you can help them is to offer them the same love and support they always give you.

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