> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # It’s the most wonderful time of the year, unless you’re a dog. - URL: https://www.smdp.com/final-weeks-of-the-year-when-the-home-environment-is-altered-with-large-christmas-trees-blinking-lights-and-an-keep-your-muzzle-up-buddy-for-canines-i/ - Published: 2006-12-02T16:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T23:12:42.000Z - Author: Melody Hanatani - Tags: Environment, Santa Monica, #archive-import *Depressed dogs have tell signs* CITYWIDE — It’s the most wonderful time of the year, unless you’re a dog. The furry canines, man’s best friend, have been known to howl the holiday blues this time of year. Call it depression or call it anxiety, but a dog’s mood can change in the influx of relatives coming into the house, and conversely, attention on the dog going out, according to animal behaviorists. “Certainly, with the holidays, people are concerned with family and friends, and the attention is focused on them rather than on the dog,” said Dr. Richard Polsky, a certified applied animal behaviorist at Animal Behavior Counseling Services in Los Angeles. “The lack of attention may make them feel withdrawn and may cause the dog to be left out and feel neglected.” It’s hard to confirm if a dog is feeling depressed because animals cannot verbalize their feelings, but an owner can gauge if their hound is down from their behavior. The symptoms that depressed dogs exhibit are similar to humans feeling less than happy, Polsky said on Friday. Examples include a lack of spontaneity, lethargy and a nonchalance for activities in which the dog was previously interested. One of the main causes behind holiday depression for dogs could be due to the extreme change in scenery, with Christmas trees and presents and other decorations appearing, and with the commotion from holiday guests, which could trigger fear and anxiety in dogs, according to Dr. Karen Sueda, a veterinarian specializing in behavior at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital. “We can’t really know if a dog is depressed,”Sueda said on Friday.“If you look at \[human\] behavioral sciences — withdrawal, decreased activity level, not eating — you can see a lot of dogs showing those types of signs, whether it’s depression... or fear.” It hasn’t been scientifically proven that animals do get depressed, according to Dr. Melissa Bain, a professor in Clinical Animal Behavior Services at the University of California, Davis. > “We all sleep more in the wintertime,” — Bain said on Friday Certain symptoms around the holidays, however, might not be good indicators that a dog is depressed. For example, excessive sleep — a common sign that a human is depressed — around the holidays may not necessarily mean a dog is feeling sad, especially considering winter days are shorter. There is nothing special about Christmas, dogs can be depressed all year round, said Candance Labane-Godfrey, the incoming president of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, a non-profit organization that promotes in-home professional pet care. Labane-Godfrey, the owner of a Precious Pets In-Home Services in Sacramento, said the feelings of sadness are usually aroused from a change in routine, when families go out of town and leave their pets home alone. When pets are left on their own, they notice the 24 hours of quiet and lack of activity. “It’s the non-activity when they are used to the activity \[that causes depression\],” said Labane-Godfrey. There are preventive steps pet owners can take to make sure their beloved dogs don’t hit rock bottom around the holidays. The most important tip is to pay attention to the dog, said Polsky. For dogs, the experience of visiting relatives is similar to when a new baby come homes. If the dog is attended to for years, and one day all that attention is gone because of the addition of a new family member, the dog can grow to be resentful and jealous. “Over the holidays, try to keep the dog as integrated in the family structure as much as possible and try to do normal things to give the dog attention,” Polsky said. “You cannot neglect the social needs of dogs.” Sueda suggests preoccupying dogs with other activities when guests are over and maybe even giving the pet a present. If the owner knows that a dog is prone to so-called depression and anxiety,board the animal until the holidays are over, Sueda added. “When certain people come over, the best thing is avoidance,” she said. “We all enjoy having people around the holidays. For some people, as well as dogs, having too many people around can be overwhelming. Give them a winter break.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/120206-02_01.jpg) (Photo: Special to the Daily Press) *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 2, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/120206.pdf?ref=smdp.com)