If your dog is always very calm you might be wondering why and what you should do about it.
This post will show you a number of reasons why your dog might be so calm and what you can do about it.
So, why is my dog calm? Possible reasons why your dog is calm are that it is naturally that way, it is getting older, you trained it to be that way, diet, heat, illness or not getting enough exercise.
There are actually a number of nuances to consider when trying to figure out why your dog is so calm. Depending on the cause there are also a number of things that you can do about it.
Why is my dog calm?
Each of the different reasons why your dog is calm will likely come with a number of clues.
Below, I will mention a number of reasons why it might be calm and what would make them more likely.
It is naturally calm
It could be the case that your dog is naturally calm. This would be more likely if it has always been calm even as a puppy and if it is a calmer breed such as a Golden Retriever.
In this case, it would help to be thankful that it is calm rather than destructive. However, if you want it to be less calm you could play games such as tug of war with it or teach it to play fetch. It would also help to make sure that the things mentioned below are also not to blame.
Related: why does my dog nibble my cat?
It is getting older
The reason that it is calmer now compared to how it was in the past could be that it is getting older. As dogs get older it becomes more difficult for them to be highly active and moving about requires more effort.
This would be more likely to be the reason if it started becoming calmer gradually and not suddenly.
Related: Why does my dog go between my legs?
You trained it to be calm
It might be the case that you inadvertently trained it to be calm. This would be more likely if you tend to give it things that it wants when it acts calm and you do not reward it when it becomes more energetic.
If you want it to be less calm then you would reward it more when it becomes energetic and reward it less when it is calm. However, be careful not to reward the energy too much otherwise you could have the opposite problem where it has too much energy.
Diet
It might be the case that its diet is causing it to feel fatigued. This would be more likely if it becomes calmer shortly after eating or if it has suddenly become calmer after changing its diet. You can look here to see what you should and should not be feeding your dog.
Heat
If it has become hot lately then it could be the reason why it has been calmer. This would be more likely if it suddenly became calmer when the weather got hotter.
If this does seem to be the reason then it would help to make sure that it has access to shade, water and cool areas when it gets hot.
Illness
It could be the case that it is ill. This would be more likely if it became calm suddenly, it has been acting unusually in other ways and if it has been showing other signs of being ill.
If illness does seem to be the case, the most appropriate thing to do would be to take it to a vet.
Not enough exercise
Dogs will usually require a lot of exercise on a daily basis. When they don’t get much exercise it can cause them to develop behavioral issues. If your dog is not getting much exercise on a daily basis then it could be that the calmness is actually due to boredom or even being unhealthy.
If it is not getting much exercise then it would help to find out how much exercise the breed of your dog should be getting and to make sure that it gets it.
Things to consider
Below, I will mention some particularly helpful things to consider when trying to figure out why your dog has been being so calm. Once you have a better idea of the cause it will become much easier to get it to figure out the appropriate steps to take.
When your dog became calm
It would help to consider when your dog first started being calm.
If it was not always calm and it became calm suddenly then it is likely that there was a cause for it such as:
- A change in its diet
- It became ill
- The weather got hotter
If it has always been calm then it could be that it is naturally calm. However, it could still be that its diet is not right, you trained it to be that way or that it’s not getting the right amount of exercise.
When your dog becomes calm
The timing of when it becomes calm would also be helpful to consider. If it seems to become calm at a certain time then it would be likely that there is a reason for it.
For example, if it becomes calm shortly after eating then it could be that there is an issue with its diet. Whereas, if it becomes calmer at around midday then it could be due to the hot weather.
The age of your dog
It is also important to consider the age of your dog. If your dog is old and has gradually become calmer as it has gotten older, it would be more likely to be because dogs usually become less energetic as they age. Whereas, if your dog is still young and has become calm suddenly, it would be more likely to be due to things such as illness and would be worth checking up on with a vet.
If your dog has always been calm and the vet has never found issues, it would be more likely that your dog is just naturally calm.
What to do about your dog being calm
There are a number of things that you can do about your dog going being so calm. The best option for your dog will largely depend on the cause.
Below, I will mention a number of things that you can do about your dog being so calm.
Take it to a vet
Since illness could be the reason that it is acting calm it would help to take your dog to the vet. This would be especially important if it has become calm suddenly and it has been acting differently. It would also help to discuss whether or not its current diet is appropriate for it when at the vet.
Make sure its diet is right
As mentioned above it could be the case that a poor diet is the cause of it being too calm. You can read here to see what you should and should not be feeding it. Talking to your vet about it would also be helpful.
Give it exercise
It is important to make sure that your dog is getting enough exercise on a daily basis. Depending on the breed, dogs will require as much as an hour of exercise per day.
If your dog is not getting much exercise then it would help to make sure that it gets it. You might find that just walking it isn’t enough. In that case, it would help to wear it out even more by doing things such as playing fetch with it.
Give it toys to play with
Another thing that you can do is to give your dog some toys to play with if there is not much for it to do where it spends most of its time.
There are puzzle games that you can get and toys that you can find online that are specially designed for dogs to play with.
Why is my dog calm when around me?
If your dog calms down when you are around, it would be likely to be due to separation anxiety. This would be more likely if your dog starts showing signs of becoming anxious when you are leaving by doing things such as pacing or crying.
The cause might also be that your dog has learned that it should be well behaved when you are around since you are the one that feeds it.
Why is my dog calm after the groomers?
The groomers can be stressful for dogs and cause them to use up a lot of energy. If your dog is calm after the groomers, it would be likely to be because your dog is tired.
Why is my dog suddenly calm?
If your dog has suddenly become calm, it could be due to illness, a change in its diet, or something causing your dog to become sad. It would help to consider if anything else happened that could have affected your dog recently. In this case, the best option would likely be to take your dog for a checkup with the vet.
Why is my dog calm and sleepy?
If your dog is calm and sleepy, it could be due to things such as being tired after exercise or naturally needing to sleep a lot if it is a puppy or older dog. If your dog seems to be tired all the time, it could be due to health issues or diet issues and it would be best to take your dog to a vet.
Why is my dog calm and not eating?
If your dog is calm and not eating, it would be likely to be due to an illness or other health issue and the best option would be to take your dog to a vet.