Restless dog: causes and what to do

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 20 February 2021
Update Date: 6 November 2024
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My dog is VERY RESTLESS, What Do I Do? 🐶 5 Ways to Reduce STRESS
Video: My dog is VERY RESTLESS, What Do I Do? 🐶 5 Ways to Reduce STRESS

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On a daily basis, it is common for our furry ones to show a lot of energy to play, walk and perform other activities, but also enjoy their moments of rest and relaxation. However, some tutors are concerned when they recognize signs of anxiety or hyperactivity in their peers. In this context, common questions arise, such as: why is my dog ​​so agitated and doesn't stop moving?” or “What can I do to calm my dog?

If you live with a restless dog, we invite you to continue reading this PeritoAnimal article, in which we will explain the main causes of these problems and provide some tips to ensure that your best friend has a more stable behavior.


Why is my dog ​​restless and doesn't stop moving?

Unfortunately, we cannot give you a specific answer to this question, since the behavior of dogs can be influenced by several environmental factors and inherent to their own organism. If you live with a restless dog that keeps moving, you will need to pay attention to its behavior, lifestyle and environment to try to identify the cause of this problem.

To help you through this process, let's summarize below the most common reasons why dogs get restless and tend to move around the house. Also, remember that seek professional help from a veterinarian it is always the best alternative when your best friend has any symptoms of pain or illness. The following are possible causes for having a restless dog:


1. Pain

Pain can cause dogs to behave unusually or even significantly alter their personality. Some of the most obvious symptoms of pain in dogs are the energy reduction and interest in performing their daily activities (playing, walking, etc.) and the tendency to hide or move away so as not to be touched, as this increases their discomfort. If you notice that your furry is having these behaviors, do not hesitate to take him immediately to the vet so that he can receive the necessary care.

Pain in dogs can occur as a result of trauma (a fall, a bump, or an accident), but it is also a common symptom of chronic or degenerative diseases such as hip and elbow dysplasia. In addition, aging makes our best friends more vulnerable to pain, which is often associated with common illnesses in older dogs, such as osteoarthritis and arthrosis.


In the last phase of their lives, our furry friends also lose their sensory abilities and become more susceptible to neurodegenerative conditions such as cognitive dysfunction syndrome, better known as Alzheimer's or senile dementia in dogs, whose main symptoms are manifested through changes in behavior usual hairy. In these cases, dogs can show strange behavior, become more restless or nervous, or even react in an exaggerated or negative way to stimuli from their environment.

If you have an elderly dog, be sure to visit our comprehensive elderly dog ​​care guide, where you'll find the best tips for relieving pain, strengthening your immune system, and preventing behavioral problems.

For all these reasons, pain is usually the most common cause for having a restless dog, very nervous and crying, whether an adult or elderly.

2. Neurological disorders

In addition to ailments that cause pain, there are some neurological disorders that can cause changes in your furry's behavior and thus find the puppy restless. For example, canine vestibular syndrome has a direct impact on the ability of spatial orientation and balance in dogs, causing them to appear disoriented, have dizziness or vertigo and perform certain unusual behaviors, such as walk in circles or walk with your head bowed.

There are also some congenital problems, such as malformations and hydrocephalus in dogs, which can make your dog restless and not stop moving by hunting.

Again, in all these cases, the best thing you can do is seek veterinarian care as soon as possible to assess possible neurological disorders and start the most beneficial treatment based on your needs.

3. Parasites

If you notice that your dog is restless and scratches a lot or cries, you should also consider the possibility that he has internal or external parasites (fleas, ticks or mites). The latter are usually easier to identify, as their bites often leave tracks on the animal's skin or cause redness and other signs of dermal inflammation.

Precisely these bites are what usually cause the dog itching or discomfort, causing it to have want to scratch constantly and get more agitated than usual. To confirm or rule out the presence of external parasites in your dog, we advise that you examine the entire body, not forgetting those more "hidden" regions, such as the inner part of the ears and the lower part of the legs and the region between the toes .

On the other hand, intestinal parasites can silently advance through the dog's body, making it restless and causing symptoms that are only noticeable in later stages. In this case, you should pay attention to the following symptoms:

  • Changes in evacuations, such as diarrhea, color changes or presence of foreign bodies, blood or white spots between the stools.
  • vomiting.
  • loss of appetite.
  • Weight loss (It can happen even when the dog eats a good amount of food).
  • abdominal inflammation, which may be accompanied by pain (your dog will have a swollen belly and will show symptoms of pain when touched in the abdominal region).
  • Pallor associated with anemia (usually appear in more advanced infestations).

Especially puppies that have not yet been dewormed often suffer from intestinal parasite infestations. In addition to abdominal swelling, it is quite common to observe that the puppy gets very restless due to discomfort. Therefore, it is essential to go to the vet.

Whether it's internal or external parasites, the best strategy is always to prevention. To prevent your furry's health and well-being from being compromised, deworm it with the most suitable products for its age and characteristics and with the proper frequency.

4. Stress and/or anxiety

If you notice your dog restless and restless or panting and you've ruled out any illness, neurological disorder or parasite infestation, you should look into your routine and lifestyle. It is not by chance that these behaviors that denote hyperactivity or nervousness appear very often in sedentary dogs or dogs that live in small apartments and do not have an enriched environment.

O sedentary lifestyle and the lack of physical and metal stimulation are some of the most common causes of stress and anxiety in dogs. A stressed or anxious dog tends to perform a series of undesirable or dangerous behaviors to alleviate the tension that builds up in his body due to the lack of an adequate routine of exercises, games and activities that allow him to expend energy and express himself in a way positive.

In this situation, those responsible are usually alarmed when they see that their dogs have altered behavior, and they can get very nervous, walking around the house thousands of times or even becoming destructive, breaking furniture and other household objects. If you notice that your dog is fidgeting and panting or licking himself, he is more likely to be stressed for any of the reasons mentioned, since, we insist, any possibility of a health problem has already been ruled out.

But the negative effects of stress on dogs can be even more serious, especially when exposure to stressors becomes continuous or permanent. Then, we would be facing a case of chronic stress that usually seriously affects the dog's physical and mental health, which can lead to very complex behavior problems, as aggressiveness, or even the appearance of stereotypies. The latter consist of movements or actions performed repeatedly and without a specific purpose, such as walking in circles (on its own axis), biting the tail, barking incessantly or excessively licking.

Be sure to check out the following video where we talk about 10 things that make dogs stressed:

What to do in front of a restless dog?

The first thing you should do if you notice that you're in front of a restless dog that keeps moving is to identify the cause. If this behavior is the result of a health problem or parasites, you should follow the veterinarian's instructions. Now, if it's stress or anxiety, whether it's a puppy, an adult dog or an elderly person, pay attention to the following factors:

  • Socialization: it is an essential process in the education of all puppies, which allows them to learn to live in a positive way with other individuals and the stimuli of their environment. If you want to have an obedient, calm, and confident best friend, you should start socializing him while you're still a puppy. Likewise, if you haven't had this opportunity and/or adopted a furry adult, in this article you'll find some advice on how to properly socialize him.
  • Daily physical activity: In general, it is recommended that a dog take at least 2 or 3 walks of 20 to 40 minutes a day. Likewise, some furries are naturally more energetic and may require a higher level of physical activity. In that case, it's a good idea to consider playing canine sports such as agility.
  • Environmental enrichment: even if your dog takes daily walks, it is also important that he is able to have fun and exercise his body and intelligence indoors, especially when he is alone. If your dog lives in an environment enriched with games, toys, and other sensory stimuli, he will likely have more stable behavior and will be much less susceptible to stress and other behavioral problems. Take a look at our environmental enrichment tips for dogs!
  • Training: is the most complete exercise you can present to your best friend! By training your dog you allow it to spend energy and work its intelligence, in addition to promoting a balanced and safe behavior for the dog and for other individuals with whom he lives, either permanently or occasionally. Here at PeritoAnimal, we'll tell you everything you need to know to properly train a dog.
  • Seek professional help: If you've put these basic guidelines into practice and you're still facing a restless dog, don't hesitate to seek help from a dog trainer. On the other hand, if you identify signs of aggression or stereotypies in your best friend, it is best to consult a veterinarian who specializes in canine ethology.

Why is my dog ​​restless and not sleeping?

Like us, dogs can suffer from insomnia and sleep disturbances. In all species, sleep fulfills vital functions, allowing the entire body, including the brain, to recover from the wear and tear and stress of each day. But it's not just about getting a certain number of hours of sleep, it's also about getting restful sleep, that is, the quality of sleep is as important as the number of hours you sleep. Therefore, one of the causes that can justify this behavior, in addition to those already mentioned in the previous sections, is the lack of rest. Likewise, a newly adopted dog being restless and not sleeping is totally normal due to the change. The same can happen after moving house.

lack of rest

O bad sleep it has a significant impact on physical and mental health and can cause mood swings, fatigue, weakness and nervousness or irritability, in addition to making it difficult to control healthy weight and weaken the immune system, increasing the risk of developing various health problems, such as diabetes , infections, cardiovascular disease, depression and anxiety. Again, this is true for us humans as well as for our furry and other animals.

So if your dog doesn't sleep properly, you'll quickly notice the repercussions on his behavior and health. In this context, symptoms of stress, anxiety and behavior problems, such as destructiveness or even aggression, may appear or intensify. Now the key question is: what can you do to make your dog sleep better?

For starters, it's important to be aware of your environment: does your dog have an environment that favors a good rest and a good night's sleep? In that sense, you must evaluate the house's internal and external factors, such as:

  • Does your dog have comfortable sleeping elements? A bed, pillow, pillow, blanket that provides the necessary comfort?
  • Is your rest area well sanitized with the proper products? Remember that irritating products or products with very strong odors can damage your dog's mucous membranes and cause allergies and dermatitis, among other illnesses.
  • Is it too cold or too hot in your dog's rest area? Don't let him sleep outdoors and avoid his resting space being exposed directly to the sun, wind, snow and other weather adversities.
  • Are there many stimuli in the environment where your dog sleeps? Strong noises and smells, as well as excessive light, affect your furry's sleep quality.

Change

On the other hand, if you've recently moved in, your dog may still be getting used to his new home and rest space. remember that adaptation is a process and each furry takes its own time to successfully transition it. Likewise, for a newly adopted dog, regardless of whether it is a puppy or an adult, many changes are experienced in a short amount of time, so your nervousness and trouble falling asleep may be due to this.

Finally, we reinforce once again the importance of verifying that your puppy is healthy, free from pain, parasites and any other disease that may influence your health status, behavior and your sleep quality. The ideal is to make at least one preventive visit to the veterinarian each year and take the necessary tests to check your health, in addition to always keeping the vaccination and deworming calendar up to date.

Finally, we invite you to watch the following video on how to give dogs a relaxing massage:

If you want to read more articles similar to Restless dog: causes and what to do, we recommend that you enter our Behavior Problems section.