As days are getting shorter and colder, people can often find themselves feeling sad or lacking the motivation to do anything. One possible reason for those feelings is seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is common during the cold months.
Pay close attention to your dog’s behaviour.
Analyzing your dog’s behaviour will help you get a better understanding of whether they may be feeling sad.
Even when you’re inside, make sure to spend time playing or training your dog. Try to come up with new games that require you to interact with your dog. This is a great way to get your pet excited and boost their mood, and yours, too.
Provide them with as much sunlight as possible.
As with humans, the lack of sunlight during the winter can cause lower mood levels, so it is very important for your dog to get as much sunlight exposure as possible.
Ensure your dogs get exercise during the day.
The winter months are colder and darker, and it might be inviting to skip an exercise or a walk outside, but much like humans, this can have a significant effect on your dog’s mood.
| A．Spend time interacting with your dog. |
| B．Calm your dog down with relaxing activities. |
| C．Whenever possible, take your dog outside for a walk. |
| D．Observe their behaviour for a while and speak to a vet if needed. |
| E．While we know people can suffer from SAD, can dogs get SAD too? |
| F．Changes in routine or environment can cause your dog to feel unwell. |
| G．Even a short walk can help improve your dog’s mood and also your own. |
