10 Signs Your Dog Is Lonely

Being highly gregarious pack animals, dogs prefer to spend little time alone. Unfortunately, a lot of us spend the majority of the day away from home in order to pay for our pets and support our families.  These are 10 indications that your dog is lonely.

 1.Damaging behavior- Do you ever worry about the messes your dog is creating while you're gone? Your dog is trying to tell you something if you frequently return home to find food stolen from counter tops, shoes and clothing chewed up, and trash scattered about the house. Dogs utilize disruptive actions to express to you their loneliness and boredom because they lack the ability to speak. One of the obvious indications that your dog is lonely is this.

2. A lot of barking or howling- You probably already know that your dog is shouting out for attention, which is another telltale indication of loneliness, if you've ever returned home to an angry message from a neighbor or received a call from the manager of your apartment complex citing noise from your dog.

3. Mishaps that occur inside the home- Has your trained dog been leaving you "gifts" around the house? While this can indicate a health problem, it is also a typical sign of stress. Your dog is sending a very obvious message that he doesn't want you to leave him at home alone while you go to work if he specifically waits until you're in the shower to defecate in the living room — but only on the days your alarm goes off.

 4. A decrease in energy or appetite- It's obvious that something is amiss if your dog is eating or playing much less than usual. After any medical conditions have been ruled out, it's important to consider your dog's stressors. If he feels lonely every time you go for work, he may be depressed.

 5. Combativeness or hostility- It's critical to identify the root of your dog's behavior shift if your usually affectionate dog becomes irritable overnight. It can be a sign of loneliness or a hidden medical condition. Try spending more time with your dog while you are home and work with a trainer to treat the likely underlying separation anxiety before giving up on your dog.

 6.Following owners around- Dogs that are incredibly attached to their owners and wail when that person leaves the room. Or, although it's possible that they are just overly attached, those who wait outside the restroom for their owner to come back may be acting lonely. They get upset when left alone, hence they are afraid of it.

 7.Constant licking- Some dogs may repeatedly lick at certain places of their skin when they're agitated, bored, or lonely, even to the point of inflicting self-traumatic painful patches. Dogs who appear unhappy, sleep a lot, or show other signs of stress to their owners may be lonely or under other types of stress.

 8.Excessive sleeping- Similar to human behavior, many lonely or depressed dogs may turn to sleep as a type of diversion. If your dog starts sleeping more than usual, it may be an indication that they are lonely.

9. Pacing- As you get ready to leave the house, if your dog paces or exhibits other symptoms of pre-departure agitation, this could be an indication of isolation distress or separation anxiety.

 

10.Changes in General Behavior- Other than the fact that they merely seem different from the way they often act, it might be difficult to pinpoint the precise changes in a dog feeling loneliness.