Basic Emotional Care Sheet for Dogs

Dog Emotional Care Sheet

Place for Paws presents a quick read on how to care for the basic emotional needs of your dog.

Emotions

Dogs feel similar emotions to humans, such as:

  • Fear
  • Happiness
  • Love
  • Sadness
  • Anger
  • Excitement

Dogs are not able to feel:

  • Guilt
  • Shame
  • Pride
  • Disrespect

TOP TIP

A ‘naughty’ dog is probably bored or lonely. If you keep you dog happy and busy, he will calm down and relax.

NOTE

Dogs are not capable of being ‘naughty’, ‘selfish’, or ‘guilty’. What looks like shame or guilt is actually fear of your actions, voice, or behaviour in response to something you think they have done wrong. 

HELPFUL HINT

*A scared dog may bite out of fear. Love your dog so that he trusts you*

HELPFUL HINT

*Please don’t hit your dog. A dog doesn’t understand what hitting means and it will only make your dog scared of you*

What dogs need

Dogs need the following from their humans:

  • Love and affection
  • Daily enrichment to stop them from getting bored or desturctive
  • Daily interaction
  • Fresh water, quality food, sufficient shelter from weather
  • Vet care if they are unwell
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Overarousal and excitement in dogs

Highly excited dogs that jump, mouth, or bark are often bored or lonely. Help your bored dog by doing the following:

  1. Treasure hunt: once a day, throw a few handfuls of kibble or your dog’s favourite treats in your garden or around your house and let your dog use their incredible sense of smell to search for them.
  2. Love your dog like family: a dog is an emotional and sentient being that needs to feel part of the family. Set aside a few moments every day where you spend quality time with your dog, doing what they enjoy the most. Maybe this is sitting quietly together, playing tug games, or going for a lovely long walk.
  3. Groom your dog: a great way to bond with your dog is to brush them every day. Make sure your dog enjoys getting brushed and stop if he seems uncomfortable at any time.
  4. Toys and games: dogs love playing so get a range of toys for your dog. These may be tug ropes, balls, hanging tyres, or flirt poles.
  5. Chews: get a selection of suitable chews for your dog, such as tracheas, pizzle sticks, dried pig ears, or raw large marrow bones. Always supervise your dog when they are enjoying treats.

Remember, your dog can get bored, lonely and sad if they have nothing to do or no-one to play with. Even a guard dog will be a happier dog with some human love and interaction. This will not stop them from guarding your house, but will make them happy and healthy enough to be the best dog they can be!

If you need help or advice on looking after your dog, please get in touch with us. We have email, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and a website.