Dogs get the blues too

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Tuesday 26th October 2010: We may be a nation of pet lovers but most UK dog owners say their pooches suffer in tandem when they’re in a mood with 77 per cent believing that ‘man’s best friend’ is completely in touch with their feelings and emotions – and mimics them. (1).

Dogs exhibit symptoms of depression, sadness and despair on days when their owners are feeling down with four in 10 people (40 per cent) believing their dog actually gets depressed as evidenced by them losing interest in play time, going off their food and retreating to another room.

The figures, which emerged in a study of 3,000 dog owners by esure pet insurance, show that as well as imitating their owner’s mood swings, 60 per cent of dogs are also likely to fall into a foul mood if they don’t get enough exercise. Furthermore, two thirds of pooches get unhappy if their owners go away without them for any period of time, and 28 per cent are even affected by changes in the weather.

Nikki Sellers, Head of Pet Insurance at esure, said: “Incredibly, the mood of our dogs seems to rely greatly on how we as owners are feeling. So if we wake up feeling jolly, happy and bursting with energy, our dog will be bounding around the house wagging his tail.

“But on the flip side, if we’re feeling blue, our pooch is likely to be hiding under the table or in another room, looking at us with sad eyes and showing little interest in his toys. It seems dogs are highly sensitive creatures, able to detect a full range of emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, anxiety and grief.”

The research also revealed that 62 per cent of owners think their pooch can tell how they are feeling by their body language, while nearly half (45 per cent) believe their tone of voice changes depending on whether they are happy or sad. Seven in 10 (70 per cent) dog owners claim their pets are a huge comfort for them whenever they are feeling down.

Four in 10 (40 per cent) dogs will put their heads in their owner’s laps in an attempt to provide reassurance, while 39 per cent refuse to leave their side until they cheer up. A quarter of dogs will side next to their owner with a paw on them, and 16 per cent will frequently lick their owner’s face.

Interestingly, over half (57 per cent) of owners believe their dog has the ability to heal them with their love and affection, while 58 per cent think their dog has more empathy than some humans.

And 59 per cent say the comfort and solace they receive from their pet when they are feeling ill or depressed can often be better than any sort of medication.

But while 73 per cent of people reckon their dogs are great stress relievers, they worry that they may be guilty of taking their mood out on them.

Nearly half of those polled claim their dog will sulk whenever their owner is depressed or unhappy, and nearly a fifth (18 per cent) will push their face into the window when they are in a mood.

Nikki Sellers further commented: “It’s hard to hide our emotions from our dogs but it’s important to remember that a happy and healthier dog may lead to fewer costly trips to the vet too but for any advice on looking after a dog properly, owners should seek professional help. esure pet insurance customers can call its 24-hour ‘Health and Wellbeing’ line where veterinary professionals are available to offer advice and tips on all aspects of pets’ health.” Other symptoms of a depressed doggie include ignoring the owner’s calls (21 per cent), being sick (11 per cent) and slow movements (24 per cent).

 

HOW TO SPOT A DEPRESSED DOG:

1. Sad eyes

2. No desire to play

3. Stops eating their food

4. Retreats to another room

5. Loses interest in toys

6. Hides under the table

7. Slow movements

8. Ignores calls

9. Restlessness

10. Being sick

 

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esure’s press contacts:
Asia Yasir, Public Relations Officer: 01737 641305 Adrian Webb, Head of Corporate Communications: 01737 641000
Email: pr@esure.com
Website: www.esure.com

Notes to Editors:
(1) SWNS conducted an online research survey via Onepoll which interviewed a random sample of 3000 adults aged 18+ who own a dog between 11th and 16th October 2010.