Do dogs suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

Rosie

Is your dog SAD?

My friend Marjean and I were talking the other day and she said that she thought her pooch Rosie was seemingly a bit depressed. Lately Rosie was not so quick to give up her spot on the recliner or otherwise play until she was brought outside at which time she acted not like a 12 year old dog, but like a puppy again.



So she asked me… well let’s be honest here… Marjean’s retired from all things work related so in a round about way, she suggested I look into Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) as it pertains to dogs. Humans suffer from this in the winter months (aka winter blues), so there was some curiosity after our discussion if dogs did as well.


In people, Seasonal Affective Disorder is thought to bring on crying, fatigue, lethargy, anxiety and an insatiable appetite for Reese’s. Okay, okay, I added the whole Reese’s part, but there is a desire for sweets.


So I went in search for an answer because after all, what are friends for? (Beside taking your money, food, alcohol, and borrowing your car.) Delightfully that brings us here!



I found sites that both agreed and disagreed with the theory that dogs suffer from this during the winter months or even during other extended bad weather intervals. Seasonal Affective Disorder is thought to come from the lack of sunlight that affects a hormonal balance in humans.



In reading different articles according to one that I read on Dr. Jon’s pet place, Dr Nick Dodman, professor and director at the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine says your dog is more likely mirroring your feelings and not suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder.
On the other hand, in this same article it is stated that dogs can become depressed or grieve at the loss of a loved one. Is it depression or grief or are we putting our own ‘human emotional’ title to it?



To me it would stand to reason that if you are locked in your house due to gray skies or cold weather, your blues (or lack of energy) may indeed be put upon the dog. Most of us are not likely to go out and play fetch in -15 degree weather unless we are Eskimos, nor would your dog be entertained inside by viewing a great movie or TV show as we would during this period!
So what’s a dog to do? 
I have heard the story of the dog of Greyfriars Bobby, the Skye Terrier whose owner passed and was buried in the churchyard. Supposedly the dog went and lay on the grave of the owner for the next 14 or 15 years until he too eventually passed away.

But theoretically we know that dogs have a keen sense of smell so could the dog have distinguished the odor of owner’s clothing upon burial and so thought it was there he should sit and wait for him? Did the dog suffer from separation anxiety so badly that he stayed by the grave site because it was the last place he detected the owner to be?


These are my thoughts and questions viewed with a little common sense minus the human emotion. Deciphering which is correct is the hard part! Who knows, maybe human emotion and common sense can go together.


Hey, my late Cocker Spaniel Cody suffered with what humans have labeled as separation anxiety and it was first noted when I had to go out to a job related in-service training in the evening hours. The weather started turning gray and stormy. Peter tried to call Cody inside to get him out of the pouring rain but the dog would not move from that gate, which was the last place he saw me. Cody stood in the downpour staring at the gate until I came home three hours later.

So what emotion would we put on that? Sorrow, blues, loss, depression, absence, anxiety, or the fear that if left in Peter’s hands the dog would not be made to feel quite as loved?


To date I have a house full of Newfoundlands and one Golden Retriever. They all sleep 80 percent of the day. So are they mirroring my mood as I sit in my room working with blinds halfway closed as Dr Dodman stated? Are they in need of more sunshine to make them peppier? Or, are they perfectly fine just lying around? Like me, they are older so maybe they enjoy the rest and relaxation. I doubt a puppy would get such pleasure out of this routine, but we’re all practically retired in this house and we’ve earned the rest!



But please don’t underestimate the possibility of your dog’s health being in jeopardy either. If your dog is acting depressed don’t just assume it is the winter blues, have the dog examined for other illnesses. Your vet can take a blood test and rule out serious illnesses that might be the cause of your dog’s sluggishness.

A look at 2 chemicals in the body affected by direct sunlight that may give us a clue to SAD in Dogs

From what I have found, darkness and light (not artificial light) can reduce or improve two chemicals of the brain which can lead to a tired, lack luster kind of feeling or one that will lift the spirit and energy level. Either of the two can lead to behavior changes in both people and dogs.


Serotonin: a serum that gives tone. Serotonin is found throughout the body, but only a small portion is in the brain. In the brain it affects appetite, mood, and sleep. So the lack of it in the brain can possibly have an affect on the mood in animals. Sunlight is necessary for production of serotonin which is the ‘feel good’ substance in the brain and which is also contained in sweets, so that may be why people tend to eat more sweets in a darkened/ inside atmosphere.

Hmm, will opening my blinds and positioning my desk toward the window help me to stay away from Reese’s? Food for thought!




Melatonin : A hormone produced in the pineal gland which plays a role in regulating sleep and reproductive cycles. In many animals, melatonin also regulates the physical effects that occur in response to seasonal changes, such as the growth of a thicker coat for winter months. The pineal gland responds to low light conditions so as the sun goes down the gland begins to produce melatonin. Melatonin, in turn, causes a person to relax and get sleepy. Melatonin levels are affected by light exposure to the eyes which rise during the day and fall at night to help regulate the body’s sleep patterns.



So with the above brain chemicals taken into account for mood, boost the Serotonin levels by increasing sunlight. Open all your blinds and bring some of that natural sunlight into the home. Get yer Long Johns, snow pants, and boots on and drag your pooch out in the sun for a while during these winter months, or realize that the dog may be a bit more moodier than normal if stuck inside the house with artificial light.



In closing, I would like to thank my friend who talked me into doing this blog article because with this expanded information, I have now diagnosed myself as a pathetic, manic depressive, quite possibly with a  twist of by-polar tendencies! Great! No wonder I’m eating my way into oblivion!


Untill next time, eat two Reese's and call me in the morning! 

Steeler



how to stop your dog from going berserk in the car



Hurricane, one lucky pup
 owned by Jen Hoffman



Steeler



If you don’t stop now, I’ll  pull this car OVER!

How many times did you hear that as a kid? Did it work? Well, if your dad said it, maybe it worked for a short time!

The problem:

Ah, those wonderful car rides that send your dog into a tizzy jumping back and forth barking like a lunatic when you are passing another car, motorcycle, person, or animal! What’s a human to do?

Sometimes taking the dog along for a ride can be a real delight especially if the dog is social and enjoys meeting people. But what if your Fido gets set off by other cars, bikes, animals, etc. thereby making the drive unpleasant, the end result seemingly not worth it, and possibly causing a bit of danger? Then you may want to rethink taking him.

(By the way do you know why Fido is used so often when people refer to a dog? The answer is at the bottom of the blog. )

This type of behavior might be seen more in herding breeds which have the desire to herd anything that moves, however any neurotic dog can be bothered by things while riding in a car. I once had a person tell me that his dog goes berserk if the blinker or the wipers are turned on. Keep in mind that the noise from your blinker or wipers may become a trigger/cue for the dog if they were in use while the dog was already in this excited state of mental craziness.

These series of events may begin small, a few barks here and there or some subtle body movement that you may or may not notice, but over time with the noise or movement of the passing traffic you’ll start to notice the dog getting more and more aggressive as vehicles pass and then continue to get worse over time until you are screaming at the top of your lungs for the dog to… …SSSTOOOPPP ITTT!

Why does this happen?

Believe it or not the dog is being rewarded in some way and that can come from your words, a touch on the dog’s body, or a treat while the dog is acting out. The most likely scenario though is that he believes  his crazy actions at that very moment are making that car (or other object) go away. He does not know that car is going to pass you anyway (or that the wipers will stop if you turn them off), what he does know is that by behaving the way he did, he got that damn car to move away from you! Remember dogs always do what works for them.

What’s a dog to do? Who knew that riding in a car could be so exhausting?

Can you imagine the stress that the dog must be feeling to think that only his actions will move these undesirable objects away from you?

Wow, a City dog must get really stressed going for a two block ride with its owner!

Once this whole whacky wonder ride begins and you continuously take him for a ride in the car, you are putting him in the throws of something that you know will stimulate him to that crazy point. This is something I would stop doing immediately while driving because this is dangerous to you and others around you, (specifically me!) should the actions of the dog make you lose control of the car.

How do you fix it?

If you have a dog struggling with this behavior, until you can get it under control it is best to use a crate or a doggie seat belt rather than allow him to be loose in the car. You may also want to invest in some ear plugs for yourself as well because you may be in for a long haul!

There are a few commands that every dog should know and listen to very well for a car ride if they are of the crazy excitable type. These commands are, ‘Leave it, sit ~stay or down~ stay, speak & quiet’ as any of these should have your dog remain in a calmer mode. If the dog already has these commands down 100% then use them in the car.

People often tell me “I took my dog to puppy class and the dog is trained and listens to every command I give to him inside the house.”

Sorry, news flash! If he does not listen in the car then he is not fully trained but is trained only when it suits him and that means you have more work ahead of you.’

Why train Speak and Quiet?

In order for the dog to know what quiet means you must first teach him speak, then teach him quiet. When he knows what the quiet command means you can use it at the first sound of anxiousness. The ‘leave it’ command should mean to the dog, “leave everything and anything alone that you want and put your attention back on me!” This means stop looking at the car, stop barking and getting excited and give all of your attention back to the owner. It’s kind of like helping a child focus on something else rather than that toy at the counter that they really want!

Start training the above commands in the house, and gradually take the dog to more distracting places. Go to the yard and teach the commands there, then take him to the driveway and teach them there, then take the dog into a parked car without the engine turned on and work on the commands there.

Gradually take the dog inside the car to sit but do not turn the car on right away, just sit and reward good behavior. Then start the car and wait a bit until you know he is calm then start the wipers, turn them on and off manually so you have control. Praise the dog for sitting nicely then do the same with the blinkers if these are stimuli that bother the dog.

Keep these sessions very brief to start, and gradually increase the time the dog stays in the car. Praise and reward all good behavior. By doing this you are showing the dog how you expect him to act when in the car.

When the above things no longer drive him nuts then you want to take the car to the end of the driveway and park it there letting other cars pass by. Again this should be brief to start and gradually built up over time. Give your command ‘leave it’ as your dog sees a car coming up the street.

If you live in a rural area where cars only pass when a herd of cows come through, well then you’ll need to enlist the help of a friend for a day to drive back and forth in front of you. Obviously a friend who will do this for you would be very deserving of a nice dinner afterward!

If you practice the exercise with a friend you will have more control as to when a car passes which may give you the time you need to settle the dog before the next passing. You can also have the friend stop their car right in front of your car and wait for you to give a signal for them to move. I would not give a move signal until the dog is calm because you want him to think that your actions made the car move, not his crazy behavior.

Have a signal for your friend to stop immediately as needed because sure as I’m sittin’ here typing this, you can count on poor behavior for the first couple of tries once the other car starts moving! You’ll use a stop signal if the dog starts acting up so the dog does not think its actions caused the other car to leave. The more you can do this throughout the day the faster the dog will learn.

Keep in mind that dogs do not always carry over what they have learned from one place to another, this is why it is important to always work on commands anywhere you go.

At the time you start training this new behavior you may want to use a seat belt made for dogs so the dog learns that this new apparatus brings with it new rules. If he is left loose to roam the car then old behaviors may creep back in.

Some people have unfortunately resorted to shock collars to try and curb this behavior but shock collars are not going to retrain the dog and the dog will always know when that collar is not on. As well, what the dog perceives when he gets a shock for barking at a passing car is that the car is hurting him in some way so he may get much worse over the long run which of course makes it harder to train later.

So if your life looks like the video below, it cant be a peaceful ride for you. Start your training now! Heck even the owner that is filming from outside the car can’t stand the noise of the dog!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcNaeFdzzlQ

And how safe do you think this would be while driving? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eThId_-IjxI&NR=1

By the way, the answer to the Fido question above: ( I bet you forgot about it didn’t you?) Fido was the name of President Lincoln’s beloved dog and it became a popular name as names go. Fido is Latin meaning ‘I am faithful’ and so it goes that a dog is faithful to its owner.

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