Dogs and people have the same mental issues

In many ways, dogs our very similar to human beings. Dogs can suffer from mental issues just like we do. Some people suffer from depression, anger and aggression, social anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations, unexplained fear, lack of confidence and more. Many dogs suffer from the exact same conditions. Some dogs will learn this behavior from their environment, while others suffer from these conditions from birth. In this article I will list some mental issues that dogs share with humans.

Aggression issues-Some dogs will become overly aggressive when they feel threatened. This behavior would be considered acceptable for humans and dogs in certain situations of imminent threat. Dogs and people that are overly aggressive are usually trying to establish dominance, protect their territory and ensure that you do not take any of their toys.

Depression-Dogs and humans can sometimes get depressed when they feel that they are not part of the pack. Although depression is complex, one thing that helps counter depression is to feel like you belong to the group and are valued.

Social Anxiety-One of the most common reasons for social anxiety may be lack of socialization at an early age. If puppies and children are not allowed to play with their peers at an early age, they may have problems relating. This can lead to social anxiety issues as an adult.

Lack of confidence-Normally dogs and humans suffer from a lack of confidence especially if they are facing the unfamiliar. If your dog lacks confidence all the time, they may need to experience repeated success in order to gain confidence. You can build your dog up by offering praise for even the smallest accomplishments. This works the same way for people as well.

A recent incident made me realize how sensitive and complex my dog really is. I broke my foot and therefore am unable to walk up my stairs. I have to sit on each step and lift myself up one step at a time in order to get upstairs. My dog has been watching me, and now refuses to walk up them as well. Beforehand he had no problem running up the stairs. Now the stairs make him nervous and he does not have confidence to run up them. Luckily he is a little lap dog. Now when we need to go up the stairs, he sits on my lap as we slowly go up one step at a time. Hopefully when my foot heals he will realize that the stairs are a safe place again.

We all suffer from mental issues to one extent or another, it is only a matter of degree.