Does your pet dog look depressed? About time you start treating it better

That a dog is a man's best friend is a cliché that's become a bromide. But the attachment may be much closer. For one, mood swings are as familiar in canines as they are in humans; Vicky the terrier may be as miserable and as listless as her owner.

Depression is a condition that can afflict any one of us. Turns out that dogs, too, can be overcome by it. A lack of outdoor exercise, not enough bonding and inadequate mental stimulus can affect pets' well-being.

Richa Maheshwari runs Café Canine in Gurgaon, a space for dogs to socialize and play (and a place for grooming and parties!) She explains why dogs may go into depression. "They've either been left alone for long hours. Or they've been separated; a parent may have passed away ." In such scenarios, she says, dogs tend to become silent and wear a leaveme-alone demeanour. "They will be insecure and anxious, and maybe also be clinging, and even aggressive.

"At such times, it is important to distract them, and to change their environment."

Still, Maheshwari feels dog owners are more aware now, and more receptive to the smallest change in their pet's behaviour. And they are able to pick up on any trauma that their dog might be going through. "They are sensitive to a change in a dog's mood. If they're not eating, their owners will get worried."



Too much time cooped up in apartments can end up making Bruno a sad boy , so owners have a responsibility in helping their pooch shake off the blues. "Physical exercise is important if the dog is not receiving any emotional or mental stimulation."

Nadir Khan, a Gurgaon resident, is a samaritan who helps stray dogs in Gurgaon (he also does his bit to help abandoned pedigree breeds find a home). Khan doesn't believe depression is common in dogs, but he does understand why a dog might be feeling depressed: "Inactivity, boredom and lack of enough exercise.

"Dogs like Labradors, German Shepherds and retrievers are intelligent animals who regularly seek activity," says Khan. "These, after all, are working dogs that were originally used on hunting trips, to retrieve objects or kills.

"But they're treated as eye candy and left locked up in apartments where there are no gardens." Nadir feels that more than giving an unhappy dog a home and food, keeping them active is essential. "Take them out for long walks, brisk walks, and make sure that they get strenuous exercise."

Iti Tyagi has two dogs, a Labrador and a mixed breed.She accepts that dogs are as liable to suffer from depres sion as humans. "Generally , dogs are very playful, but if they're abandoned, abused, or not getting any attention, they can withdraw into a shell," acknowledges this Gurgaon resident. "They need care, attention, exercise and regular walks."

Tyagi feels most owners are guilty of not keeping their pets properly . "Owners won't take them out, they'll keep them tied up at home. A closed environment is not a natural environment for dogs. You should let them roam about, and let them have their own space."

In fact, a dog--or any pet, for that matter--should be treated as if he or she is one's own child. "They require love and care, just like kids.

"When they don't get love and care, that's when they become depressed." Medicines may work, Tyagi adds, but they are not the right treatment for melancholia. "You have to get involved with your pet and interact with them."

The happiest dogs, then, are those that are embraced as family . So a bit of pampering and affection can go a long way .