If you’re a dog owner for a while, you’ve surely come across times in which your dog didn’t want to lay down and kept pacing, and depending on your knowledge of how dogs behave, this might or might not be a reason for concern for you. Although stress-related issues and anxiety are among the most common causes of this particular behavior, there are other reasons you should consider as well. It’s very important to get to the root of the problem, to make sure you fix the issue so that the dog can finally relax and lay down to rest.
Something is causing the pet to be anxious
Anxiety is often the cause for dogs not laying down and pacing all around, but anxiety isn’t something that pops up all by itself and is usually just a symptom of deeper issues. When dealing with anxiety, the dog will look for a way in which he can release all of the negative energy and nervousness, and the easiest way to do so is by pacing around. This anxiety can be caused by you ignoring your dog or leaving him alone for a longer period of time, or even from a storm that is coming and making noise outside.
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In fact, there are quite a few different things that might make your dog experience anxiety but out of them, separation anxiety is the most common one. As long as you figure out the exact reason behind your dog’s anxiety, you can take the necessary steps to calm him down.
The lack of exercise is stressing your dog out
Your dog can also start to pace around and refuse to lay down if he’s getting frustrated by the lack of exercise. Having a dog means being available at least 30 minutes to an hour a day, in which you can play with your dog and put him through physical exercise. This exercise can be anything from making your pet chase a ball in your yard or taking him to the dog park for socialization and playtime. You’ll notice that as long as your dog is exercising and playing enough, he will be content and tired to the point where he would just lay down and rest.
Physical distress, pain, or discomfort
Your dog might refuse to lay down due to physical distress, discomfort, or even pain. Although physical distress could be due to your pet being injured, eating something wrong might also cause him to feel unwell. If you have a dog of a bigger breed and especially if the pet is older, then pacing might be due to the pet trying to get over the pains caused by arthritis. If arthritis is to blame, then you should know that there are some over-the-counter options to make your dog feel better. A comfortable bed in which the pet can sleep might also help.
When it comes to the physical distress caused by the pet ingesting something wrong should usually disappear by itself and you shouldn’t have to do anything about it. What you can do to help with his recovery, is to avoid giving him any food for a little while. YOu should also keep your dog under observation and look for symptoms like intestinal blockage, or other signals that the dog is facing a more severe medical problem. Call a veterinarian if you also notice symptoms like irregular bowel movements, a lack of appetite, and lethargy.
Things you can actually do when the dog is restless
Before anything else, try talking with your vet and find out if your pet is dealing with some kind of medical problem that would be causing the pacing and restlessness. Keep your dog under observation and also look for other symptoms of a more severe medical issue, like loss of appetite, lethargy, whimpering, or vomiting.
Considering that most of the time, restlessness is caused by a lack of mental and physical challenge, make sure your dog is getting enough of both. Physical exercises shouldn’t be all that complex. Actually, you should let your dog do any type of playing that involves running, for the best results. YOu should aim for a full 30-minute workout, but if this is too much for you, make sure you give your dog as much running as possible.
