Unfortunately, it is very common to see cases of animal abuse around us. We can find different types of abuse: negligence, punishment, torture… However, all of them leave their mark on the behavior and even on the genetics of our dogs. A continuous situation of fear and stress can affect an animal excessively, thus modifying its genetic code [1][2] and also affecting their offspring predisposing them to suffer from stress, anxiety and fear.
In this article on our site we will talk about the 5 most common signs of abused dogs. If you have an adopted dog, it can help you understand many things about his personality and behavior. Keep reading…
1. It is very easily inhibited
Dogs that have been mistreated and frequently punished have a tendency to inhibit their behavior in certain situations, especially those that arestressful or uncomfortable for him. This implies that, although they are curious about their environment and about people, they sometimes do not show the will to interact for fear of possible consequences.
To improve this aspect it is advisable to strive to maintain a good mental stimulation of the dog, either through intelligence games or the learning new commands and tricks. It is also important to highlight that a progressive routine that increases gradually should always be followed, never stressing the animal with excessive stimulation.
We must start with very simple activities that we will repeat frequently until he is comfortable enough to start other more complex ones. Seeding, for example, is a good starter exercise that encourages sniffing and searching.
two. We observe certain fear behaviors
Many people have a tendency to say that a dog has been mistreated when they observe behaviors related to fear in him. However, if a dog is afraid of people does not necessarily mean that he has been mistreated, it may also be due to problems related to socialization, a bad experience past or confinement.
However, when we observe that the dog is afraid when we interact with brooms and newspapers or when we raise our hand towards him, yes we can suspect that he has been a victim of animal abuse.
3. Traumas, wounds and lack of care in general
In the case of interacting with a dog that is currently being mistreated, we could observe traumas, pain and woundson the skin of him when examining him. However, as we mentioned in the introduction, there are other forms of abuse, such as negligence.
People with Noah's syndrome, for example, generally keep their animals in poor living conditions, in which we can observe various diseases, poor body condition and the presence of parasites in their mantle. Those who suffer from Noah's syndrome are not aware that they are carrying out a situation of animal abuse, due to the disease they suffer from, an obsessive-compulsive disorder.
4. Depression and sadness
Occasionally, dogs that have been victims of abuse can suffer from depression. In these cases it is common to observe few play behaviors, apathy and lack of activity It is very important to know the 5 freedoms of animal welfare in order to provide our companion with a new comfortable and adequate lifestyle.
5. Lack of attachment to people
Dogs are animals that live in a symbiosisrelationship with humans, that is, both benefit from this relationship. They maintain a affiliative behavior with people due to their social needs, apart from those they may require with other dogs and animals.
When we observe that a bond is not formed between an owner and his dog, we should ask ourselves if, due to a case of abuse, attachment has been affectedAlthough it is more common for abused dogs to have a tendency to be fearful, aggressiveness can also be an indication.
Is it possible to know for sure if an adopted dog has been abused?
Even if a dog shows these 5 signs, you can never be sure with absolute certainty that a dog has been a victim of animal abuse, since that as we have mentioned, socialization or a case of sensory deprivation syndrome could have caused some of the behaviors mentioned.
In any case, if you suspect that a dog has been abused, it is always advisable to go to a professional so that Help us manage the different behavioral problems that the animal may suffer and improve its well-being and its relationship with people.
