We've all experienced moods. We know that sometimes we totally get why we're in a good mood or a bad one. At other times, we haven't got a clue. They just seem to happen and to stick around.
I'll attach a couple of links for you to read about humans and moods. I couldn't find a lot for dogs.
"Mood refers to a pervasive emotional state that can last for an extended period of time..." https://sciencebeta.com/mood-vs-affect/
Moods can be affected by internal and external circumstances.
Examples of these include:
Hormones - not just sex hormones. Hormones will be involved in many of the categories below e.g. stress hormones.
Enough food and water of adequate quality for the dog to enjoy and stay healthy.
General health and well being. 'Not obviously suffering' is not a reflection of good health and well being. It's just an indication of lack of obvious bad stuff.
Could there be pain or discomfort? Is it external or internal? Allergies? Teeth? Coat care? Nail care? Injuries? Wear and tear e.g arthritis? Excess weight or too thin?
Sleep quality and quantity - affected by comfortable sleeping materials, enough quiet, enough safety, enough time to rest, temperatures (not too hot or cold), pain or discomfort etc.
Exercise - are brain and body being adequately exercised for that particular dog?
Enrichment - walks, play, training, brain work. Are these adequate for that particular dog?
Emotional regulation - affected by genetics, environment (who the dog lives with, where they live, what's happening in their lives etc) learning (the impact of experiences on what the dog will do in future.)
Social interactions - with people, other dogs etc. Are these a source of pleasure or distress?
Think about whether your dog generally seems to be cheerful and upbeat, experiencing mainly positive emotions (in a 'positive' mood state) or generally lethargic, disinterested or perhaps concerned and uptight (in a 'negative' mood state.)
What might be the cause?
What could you adjust to help them out?
Many behaviour problems disappear when we make changes to a dog's lifestyle to adjust their mood state.
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