3) Boredom and Lack of Stimulation
If a canine doesn’t know what to do with themselves, they’ll wander up and down, back and forth. A dog cannot read a book or watch TV, so they’ll look for other entertainment.
It’s vital that your dog receives adequate mental stimulation during the day. Walks and trips to the dog park are essential. Taking a dog for a stroll isn’t just exercising their body. They are completely mindful, taking in everything around them.
Don’t drag your dog along in a hurry. Let them stop and sniff whenever they please. This fires up your pet’s brain as they process the different smells. In turn, it tires them out.
Playtime is also a great way to give your dog’s brain a workout. Canines love problem-solving. Just working out how to carry a large stick home or chasing after a ball will be enough.
If your dog didn’t get outside enough, and hasn’t exercised their mind, they’ll grow restless. Don’t allow this to happen. A bored dog will rarely settle for pacing. Eventually, they’ll become destructive.
How to help your pacing dog
Pinpointing the cause of your dog’s pacing is important to helping your pet. If your dog is carrying excess energy or suffering from boredom, Gagnon says it’s an easy fix.
“This is easily fixed by adding exercise and mental stimulation to the dog’s daily routine,” Gagnon explains.
Or if your dog is pacing as a way to patrol their yard, Gagnon recommends limiting their yard time.
“Some dogs, particularly dogs who spend their day in a yard, develop a habit of pacing as a way of patrolling the boundary of their yard,” Gagnon adds. “This behavior is best prevented by limiting the amount of time the dog spends along in the yard without their humans.”
For dogs who pace because of stress and anxiety, Gagnon recommends training classes.
“Stress and anxiety often require the assistance of a professional trainer to remedy,” she says.
Other remedies for treating stress-induced pacing include showing your dog that everything’s okay.
“If your dog is pacing because they are waiting for someone to come home, helping calm them or letting them out to play will help with the pacing at home. If it is due to aging, there are supplements that you can give your dog to help with the anxiety,” says Dr. Ochoa. “At the vet clinic, you can give your pet treats and help show them that it is an okay place to be.”
In all cases though, Dr. Ochoa says knowing your dog’s pacing triggers is the biggest way to help. “If you know what causes your pet to pace, you can avoid the situations. Sometimes you cannot avoid these situations, or the pacing is due to your dog getting older. There are supplements that you can give your dog to help with anxiety and stress.”
Because so many different factors can influence pacing in dogs, Papile-Kranjc says the best advice is knowing your dog’s normal behavior. Anything unusual might warrant a visit to the veterinarian’s office.
“Pacing can also be a symptom of a health issue due to a disorder, advanced age or illness,” Papile-Kranjc explains. “Know your dog. Be familiar with your dog’s behavior and also keep current with his veterinary care. Anything sudden or out of the ordinary to his regular behavior that is not alleviated by training or behavior modification techniques should be addressed by a veterinarian.”
How do you address dog pacing with your pets? Let us know in the comments below!
Top photograph: Vincent Scherer/Getty s
Your Dog is Anxious About Something
Dogs pacing around and not laying down is often caused by anxiety, which could be due to a number of different issues. A dog with anxiety will have nervous energy, and one way to release this nervousness is to begin pacing around. The anxiety could be coming from the fact there are storms coming or it could be due to you leaving your dog for a while.
Separation anxiety is one of the more common reasons, but the anxiety could be due to a number of other issues. It’s important to figure out what’s causing the anxiety and do what you can to calm your dog down.
My Dog is Panting Pacing and Won’t Lie Down
Owners often find that dogs are restless and pace about when they want your urgent attention. If your dog is unsettled and won’t lie down, then you’ll know better than anyone if this is completely out of character for your pet. So, is constant pacing ‘normal’ behavior for your dog?
Why is your dog unsettled and pacing? Your dog could be excited, stressed, bored, hungry or have lost their favorite toy. Dogs can also detect pests in the walls of your home, such as bed bugs and rodents. They may be alerting you. But when a dog won’t settle down, it’s more likely to be due to a physical or mental health problem such as arthritis, cognitive dysfunction, Cushing’s disease, liver disease, or sight loss.
A restless dog is not healthy, relaxed, or contented with life. So, if your dog won’t settle down, they’ll be in discomfort or concerned that something is wrong. The reasons for this behavior are wide-ranging, and there could be more than one explanation for why your dog won’t lie down.