I Want My Dog To Be "Happy"

Off Leash And Unfiltered

Does it bring you joy to see your dog bounding around with the slobber just a flying, and their eyes wide with wonder? Sniffing, playing, chasing, wagging.. Of course it does. But if you overemphasize this state as what happiness really looks like, you might actually be detracting from your dog's quality of life for your own warm fuzzy feeling.. It's also worth mentioning that a lot of anxious/stressed dogs are interpreted as happy simply because they are *excited* (not the same).
Take a listen to this episode where I dive into talking about the difference between immediate happiness and actual long term well being which entails socially functional behaviors, coping skills, and confidence.