3 Ways to Help Your Dog Stay Mentally Balanced

If you’re feeling socially anxious and cranky lately, you’re not alone. Researchers are seeing a worldwide uptick in mental health problems—and even your dog could be feeling it.

For humans and dogs alike, many mental health challenges trace back to the COVID pandemic. Not only did we lose loved ones and incomes, lockdown periods and quarantines deprived us of opportunities to connect personally and enjoy in-person relationships and activities. We got out of the habit of interacting in real life and young children missed out on play dates, school, and other important social practice during critical developmental periods.

In a trickle-down effect, puppies and dogs also faced new stresses due to COVID:

• When the world was largely “closed,” many puppies missed out on socialization opportunities that would have exposed them to new experiences and given them social confidence, plus many were in close quarters with stressed humans. A survey of veterinarians in Italy compared the behavior and personalities of puppies raised during lockdown to those raised afterward and found that puppies raised during lockdown restrictions showed significantly more fear and aggression.
• Dogs experienced extra stress and strain in their home environment during the COVID era because of more direct contact with their human companions. One Japanese study noted that increased human-dog contact corresponded with higher levels of dogs aggressing toward their owners. What’s more, as people in the household turned to their pets for emotional comfort—touching and stroking them more—that increased physical contact actually caused the pets more stress.
• In addition, many people sought the antidote to loneliness and uncertainty by getting pet dogs, even though their living situation or lifestyle did not adequately meet the needs or best interest of the animal. This in turn led to poor welfare for these companion dogs.

So how can we help our puppies and dogs stay mentally balanced? Here are three ideas:

1. Give them something to chew

Anyone under stress can benefit from a pressure release valve. Have you ever done something as simple as tapping a foot, chewing a pencil, or squeezing a rubbery stress ball? For dogs, chewing is innately rewarding and relaxing. One small study considered the emotional state of dogs in social isolation when given four different distractions. They compared a hollow rubbery toy filled with kibble, a device that dropped kibble at intervals, the same device accompanied by a recording of a friendly-sounding person talking, and a long-lasting chew toy. The dogs preferred the long-lasting chew toy, staying calmer and engaging with it longer. It’s easy to improve our dog’s mental health just by giving them a long, satisfying chew.

2. Look for signs of discomfort or a hidden medical issue

All of us get cranky when we’re not feeling well, and dogs have limited ways to clue us in when they’re feeling uncomfortable and in pain. A dog can’t tap us on the shoulder and whisper that they’re struggling because of too much attention, a belly ache, or a sprained hip. But they might pull away, urinate, destroy objects, growl, snap, or even hump to communicate. We can help by paying close attention, because anywhere from around 30% to 80% of behavioral problems are linked to medical problems. If a dog is acting up, consult the vet and ask for a careful exam. Thyroid imbalances and arthritis, for example, can lead to aggression. Sometimes, medication itself may be the hidden cause. For example, corticosteroids contribute to mental imbalances and aggressive behavior in both people and dogs.

3. Offer more choice

Pets have so little control over their daily routine—we tell them where to go, what to do, what to eat, and when to relieve themselves—that we can ease a significant amount of their stress and anxiety by giving them more choices. For example, a dog could choose where to sniff while outside on a walk, or whether they want to sit right next to you or a little further away. Rather than insist on petting them when and how you want, watch what the dog requests through their body language. Are they turning their head away when you reach out your hand to them? This suggests they are declining. Are they leaning toward you or nosing your hand for petting? This means they are eager for contact. If you can let them come to you and be flexible about how long they are willing to be touched or play, you will improve their mental health.