A Guide to Your Dog's Mental Health | Bully Sticks Can Help!

Understanding Your Dog's Mental Health

Many dog owners do not know this, but anxiety in dogs is more common than you may think. In fact, mental health concerns such as separation anxiety, depression, and trauma are all very common ailments in animals.

That being said, all breeds of dogs can be affected and all dogs will handle their condition differently. If left untreated or ignored, these mental health concerns can lead to further health and behavioral problems. It is important to consider your dog's mental health and, as a pet owner, do what it takes to prevent them from suffering. Whether it's resorting to anti-anxiety treats, such as bully sticks (the best healthy dog treats), or seeking professional help from a vet, you have to take action.

All dogs can suffer from anxiety, whether they are adult dogs or just puppies. Therefore keeping some homemade dog treats close by, or better yet, a healthy dog treat from Bully Sticks Direct, is a great idea.

Maybe you're wondering, "Which dog treats are good for my dog's mental health?" Well, if you are looking for dog treats that are healthy, the safest treats for dogs are from Bully Sticks Direct. Bully Sticks Direct large selection of bully sticks help to provide mental stimulation and ease the anxiety in your dog.

What Are The Signs of Anxiety in Dogs?

Yes, dogs can experience anxiety just like humans do, so this is something you have to look out for as responsible pet owners. Studies have shown that both large dogs and small dogs can exhibit signs of separation anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, stress, trauma (especially adopted or rescued dogs), PTSD, and depression.

How can you tell if your dog's health (mental health) is at risk? Look out for the following signs:

Change in Appetite

Change in appetite is a sure sign of change in your dog's mental health. If your dog simply will not eat, even after you have tried the best dog food, you may have a problem on your hands. Try enticing them with a healthy treat that you know they love. If they ignore you completely, it may be a sign of stress, anxiety, or some other physical discomfort.

Unusual Behavior

Every dog parent knows the peculiar traits and behaviors that make their pooch so unique and lovable. If you come home from work and your dog no longer rushes to greet you like they always have, do not brush it off. Changes in your dog's behavior towards you, members of your family, or strangers could be a silent (or loud) cry for help. Get a healthy treat and see if your dog responds. If even dog treats and training treats are no longer enough to get your dog excited, seek help immediately.

Unusual Sleep Patterns

Depending on your dog's breed, he or she may either sleep a lot or maintain a high activity level throughout the day. As your dog gets older, it is normal for them to be found resting more often than usual. If you know your dog well, their sleeping patterns should be familiar to you.

However, if a formerly active dog is now spending a lot of time sleeping, or you notice your dog is pacing and restless all through the night, it may be a sign of anxiety.

Whining and Body Language

Your dog uses their body language to talk to you more than any other form of communication. At times, just one look will tell you whether your dog is happy or depressed. Abnormal body language to look out for includes:

• A stiff body
• Fur raised
• Growling
• Lips curled back and teeth showing
• Excessive itching
• Excessive panting and drooling
• Ears laid back
• Skittish behavior

If this kind of body language is accompanied by consistent whining, even when nothing is physically wrong with your pet, they may be suffering from stress, trauma, anxiety, or fear.

Bathroom Accidents

Does your dog seem to have suddenly forgotten all its house training and is regularly messing up the floor? Bathroom accidents in dogs are usually caused by fear or severe stress, and if this seems to be happening even in normal situations, there might be something you are missing.

Stress and anxiety can also lead to sensitive stomachs which means your dog may be unable to control its bowel movement and end up going inside the house.

Weight Gain/Loss

Sometimes, overweight dogs are not caused by overfeeding. Even the healthiest dog treats without any artificial flavors or too many calories can cause a traumatized dog to gain lots of weight.

Not eating, even when the best bully sticks for dogs are right in front of them, will cause your dog to lose weight rapidly, which is an immediate cause for concern because it can lead to health problems.

What Can Trigger Changes to Your Dogs' Mental Health?

You may be trying all you can to improve your dog's mental health, even giving them all-natural treats and chews from Bully Sticks Direct, but if you do not address the root cause of the problem your dog will not get better.

The following are some of the main causes of anxiety in most dogs:

• Losing another pet in the family
• Moving to a new place. This can be scary because your dog will need to get used to the new sounds and smells
• Being adopted and adjusting to a new home is a difficult experience, especially for adult dogs that have lived their whole lives with one family
• If there is a new baby in the house, your dog will be quick to notice the reduced attention you give them, and unless it is a very independent breed, it will get anxious
• When an owner passes away, some dogs can take it very hard and refuse to eat or interact with anyone else
• Take care when bringing a new pet into the house because dogs are often very sensitive to being replaced
• Sometimes a change in their health can make your dog act differently and exhibit signs of stress
• Older dogs will start to lose their sense of hearing, smell, and sight, which may lead to anxiety as they feel more and more cut off from their environment

How Pet Parents Can Help Their Anxious Animals

As pet parents, keeping your dog healthy is one of the most important things. If you see your dog suffering and looking depressed, take action quickly and try the following:

Ease Their Anxiety With a Bully Sticks Direct Dog Treat!

Boost your dog's mood by giving it the best dog treats from Bully Sticks Direct. These treats are made from the highest quality all-natural, hormone-free ingredients.

These are the best treats for dogs because:

• Bully stick treats are made from 100% humanely-raised protein sources
• They are all-natural dog treats and the safest dog treats on the market
• These hormone-free dog treats are good for your dog's skin and coat
• Have a wide range of products, such as bully sticks collagen and hypoallergenic treats

Regular Exercise and Attention

Sometimes your pet just wants to spend more time with you. If you have a busy schedule, this may be difficult, but try to play with your dog and take it out for some exercise as much as you can.

While playing with your dog, keep a bully stick or any of our other all-natural treats and chews close by to reward their good behavior and keep your dog's spirits up, but take care not to give your dog too many treats.

Other Stress Relieving Solutions

Some other solutions that you can try include:

• Speaking with your vet
• Monitoring their food intake
• Making note of accidents around the house
• Monitoring behavior
• Making note of behavior issues

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