Signs your dog needs a friend

He’s always following you around the house

Lonely pets tend to follow their humans around the house to get that companionship they so desperately crave. A pet that stalks you from room to room or whines when they can’t see you is a sign of loneliness or separation anxiety.

She’s not as playful as she was before

Loneliness might be to blame if your formerly energetic pet now looks listless and lazy. A lack of interest in playtime is one of the biggest indicators of loneliness.

Your dog has developed a lick granuloma

In some cases, a lonely pet might start licking or biting at its own fur, which leads to hair loss or damage. Lick granulomas are common manifestations in anxious and bored dogs and show up as small circular sores, often found on the dog’s carpus (wrists). These might start off small but can easily develop into major lesions that require medical intervention and even surgery.

They’re sleeping much more than usual during the day

The fact that your pet struggles to settle down at night or sleeps more during the day could be an indicator of loneliness or boredom. Of course, your pet needs more sleep than you do, but animals are flexible sleepers, and lonely pets tend to get their 12-hour sleep quota during the day and then have issues sleeping at night.

Is appetite has decreased

A change in appetite can definitely be an indicator that your dog needs a friend. Lonely pets may start eating or drinking less than they used to, and this can be linked to stress and anxiety, with loneliness being the possible cause.

She’s destructive or howls when she is left alone

If endless barking or whining at the door is a regular thing whenever you leave the house, your dog might be in desperate need of some company. The same goes for excessive howling. In really bad cases, your pet might be petrified of being left alone, so much so that it claws the furniture or rips up carpeting when you’re not there. Your pet is likely suffering from separation anxiety, instead of simple loneliness, if this is the case in your home.

The post How to tell if your dog needs a friend appeared first on Petz.

Basset Hound

Bassets probably got their names because they’re low on the ground, and their history dates back to 6^th century France. It is widely believed that bassets are descended from the St. Hubert hounds that used to live around monasteries. Basset is a name that derives from the French word “bas”, which means “low” in English.

Bulldog

This is one of the dog breeds that have ties to a history of a violent form of entertainment. According to historians, Bulldogs were trained and bred to fight bulls or bullbaiting in Great Britain centuries ago. This violent sport was later outlawed, but the breed still kept its name.

Beagle

Beagles were named after their unique howl. America’s Pet Registry says that these British scent hounds got their name from multiple sources. One of the most common speculations is that their name comes from the French word “beugler”, which translates to “to bellow” since these dogs are known for their frequent howling and very distinctive voice.

Dobermann Pinscher

Before the days of e-filing, tax collectors would show up at your doorstep to collect your tax. One of those men was a guy named Louis Doberman, who was a dog breeder when he wasn’t collecting taxes. Doberman, according to the American Kennel Club, wanted to breed an authoritative companion that could accompany him to work so that taxpayers would be less resistant with a canine by his side. Hence, the Dobermann Pinscher is still known as a working dog and is a breed that’s commonly deployed in K-9 police units around the world.

Poodle

Although the debate is still out on whether these elegant dogs originated from France or Germany, the breed’s name likely derives from the German word “pudel.” The word translates to “one that plays with water”, and correlates with the breed’s habits. Poodles were originally trained to be water retrievers, making the name quite appropriate.

The post Where these dog breeds got their names from appeared first on Petz.