Why is my dog suddenly clingy after a breakup? Is she depressed?

Poor Littlebit! Is there a scary or traumatic even that could have happened a few months ago that could have changed his behavior? Or a change in the household (new people, kids now crawling/walking, new pets, construction, etc) or household routines (you're home more or less than normal, change in work schedule, etc)? All of these things could cause a little anxiety or neediness. You could try to give her some Benadryl to see if this calms her. You could also do a pheromone calming collar like adaptil. If this does not help, I would talk to your vet about looking at her to ensure nothing else is going on and possbily starting her on an anti-anxiety medicine. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better really soon.!

Dogs have anxiety and stress just like we do. Give her time, lots of attention, and she should adjust just fine. In severe cases of anxiety I use anti-anxiety medications off-label like Lorazepam that you can get from your veterinarian.

Hello, sorry to hear about Bella. Dogs may indeed sense a change in people which can than indirectly affect their behaviors. However, I would recommend having Bella evaluated as she may herself be undergoing a false pregnancy. This could cause behavioral changes in her as well. Other health issues that may cause her to have behavioral changes but are less likely may include cushings disease. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The humping part is easy - that is because she is listed as not yet spayed. (Even if she is newly spayed, it may be a learned behavior at this point.) The "clinginess" is to be expected after everything in her life has completely changed in the last month. I expect with time and patience it will improve. You can always refuse to pick her up but cuddling and giving attention will help her feel more secure. Consider crate training- but do it slowly if she has never been in one before - many little dogs actually have less anxiety with a crate. If she is still having trouble adjusting in a few weeks, talk to your vet about anti-anxiety medications. There are many great ones for occasional or long-term use with few side effects. They can help tremendously and I prescribe them frequently myself. Best of luck to you and Bella!

If this is new, try to think of anything in your normal household routine that may have changed. Chances are that Tinkerbell is reacting to something she finds upsetting or threatening. The other possibility is that she is sick, so I would have her checked by a vet just to rule out that factor. If she is healthy, then the cause is behavioral. You can click on the prompt to initiate a consult so we can discuss this in more depth and get to the bottom of it and what to do about it.

I am so sorry for all that you guys are going through! Such stress is hard on everyone, regardless of 2 legs or 4. However, the difference is, you KNOW why you're stressed and why you're moving and why everything is in upheaval, and all Matel knows is that every thing changed and her people seem upset. The most important thing is to make sure that her needs continue to be reliably met-- food offered at the same time, water always available, maybe a routine daily walk stays intact. Additionally, make time to do things she likes to do... play with her and her toys, try to get her playing, etc. This is good stress relief for everyone; if she sees you and your wife having fun and trying to engage her, that will reassure her that, "oh, its going to be ok. They are ok!" As things settle down, she will likely come around to her old self. There are medications that can be helpful for dogs, though usually dogs don't develop clinical depression the way that people do. These drugs in dogs tend to be more helpful for anxiety. However, if she's not coming around, talk to your vet about trying medication. Massage can also be helpful, soothing, and can promote good feelings and bonding. Here's a great video about canine massage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tghk42R0QHU&t=9s I'm so glad you guys are safe. Best wishes to you all! Thank you for asking PetCoach!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Bella! Panting and being clingy can be a sign of fear or anxiety. If being left in the crate is unusual then it could be from being crated. If there were thunderstorms or other loud things that happened while you were gone then that could explain her behavior as well. I wouldn't say it is "normal" to act like this but it isn't uncommon to have anxiety from certain things. I would try to work on crate training and desensitizing her towards the crate or loud noises. If she is an older dog and the panting persists or she had effort even when asleep I would have her seen today by a Vet. Good luck!