Dogs are highly sociable companion animals, in addition to being highly intelligent, which is why it is important to emphasize the fact that they need a great deal of attention, affection and positive stimulation.
A dog can get bored for various reasons, it is possible that he spends a lot of time alone at home, that he does not feel part of the family or that he needs greater physical and mental challenges, which can be harmful to our pet and the environment we share with it. How to know if your dog is in this situation? In this AnimalWised article we show you 5 symptoms of a bored dog
1. Compulsive behaviors
When a dog is bored it cannot enjoy full mental well-being, so it may show some changes in behavior in order to stimulate itself to keep its mind distracted.
Compulsive behavior, known as stereotypy, consists of repetitive movements with no apparent purpose, although the dog actually does them to relax.
Although the best known compulsive behavior is constant tail chasing, there are other stereotypes that can also affect the bored dog, such as excessive licking. If your dog is bored for much of the day, stereotypy may be the ultimate sign of boredom and lack of mental stimulation or environmental enrichment. It would be highly recommended to see a specialist.
two. Destructive behaviors
Dogs need to be stimulated mentally and physically, otherwise boredom can also lead them to want to bite all household objects and this tends to occur especially in those dogs that have a lot of energy and therefore also require a lot of physical exercise.
If your dog spends a lot of time alone at home and also does not have all the physical exercise he needs to feel good, it is very possible that when you return you will find numerous pieces of damage. Of course, we must learn to differentiate destructiveness from disorders related to separation, which are those that occur when the dog is alone.
3. Excessive Barking
A dog lacking in stimuli and motivation can show many behaviors that we may not have observed before on any occasion. If your dog is bored, it can manifest itself with excessive barking, which would consist of a demand for attention.
Although the truth is that any change in the habitual behavior of our pet should alert us, since after it there may not only be boredom, but also any other situation that must be treated urgently. Do not forget that if the dog barks when he is alone, it may also be a disorder related to separation
4. Disobedience
This is a trait that can easily occur when a Siberian husky is bored, although it usually occurs in all those breeds of independent character and high intelligencein the face of repetitive training or lack of mental stimulation they become bored. They demonstrate it with absolute disobedience.
Remember that challenges are importantto your dog and that you should always train him according to his individual characteristics and his own limitations. Try to offer him varied games and new activities that help him enrich his day to day.
5. Depression
Boredom can cause depression in some dogs, which manifests as lethargy, sadness, tiredness and changes in appetite, among other symptoms.
Whenever a dog is down it is important to find out what the causes of this state are, it is possible that boredom is one of the them, remember that your dog needs your time and for responsible ownership it is essential to take this into account.
