Can pets also have SA?

akala

Well-known member
I saw a bird at the pet store... she looked very alone and secluded, and when people tried to talk to her she'd shy away. such a sensitive, little birdie... I want her as a pet, but I'm afraid she won't grow to like me because I don't know how to cater to her needs. Does anyone have a pet animal with social anxiety?
 

Starry

Well-known member
My dog is very confident and friendly around people, but is quite nervous and shy around other dogs. If they come over to her she tucks her tail between her legs and moves around so she can keep a close eye on them, the fur on her neck raises and sometimes she'll growl or snap if they keep pestering her. However, some dogs - if they are more polite and gentle when they come up to her - she is fine with and will play happily with them.

So, yes, she certainly is at least shy around her own species.
 

Hellhound

Super Moderator
Animals have personalities, they remember, they can get mental illnesses in my opinion. In the case of social animals, maybe they can develop SA.

But we will never find out, sadly.
 

Lamb

Well-known member
I believe pets can get anxiety. I hope you do get her. You can at least relate to her personality and may be a better caregiver than most other potential owners. Alot of pet store animals start out shy and skittish, you'd need to build trust which is common. Try googling shyness or anxiety in birds and see if any resources pop up.
 
Last edited:

planemo

Well-known member
I've got 2 birds who are very anxious and shy. They only feel comfortable when i leave them outside when there's no one around. i watch them from my window and they are quite animated in their behaviour, but even when i'm around them they tend to be very restrained and a lot more quiet. they don't want to leave their cage either and are too frightened to come sit on my hand. but i love them all the same, and since i know how demeaning people can be to other people who are anxious/shy people its created a stronger bond between us.
 

Lea

Banned
Social anxiety :). What society is meant here, the animal or human one? Cats for example are naturally shy if people don´t tame them. I think it depends on the work people give themselves with that, if they do it right, every cat can be tamed I think. But it can be also something inborn, we once had a dog who was scared from very young on, although I don´t think we treated him badly. He was without papers, because this way he was cheaper. I don´t know why he didn´t have papers while his brothers and sisters did. Does it have anything to do with his anxiety?
 

Kiwong

Well-known member
My bird gets anxious when I leave. When I am angry about something she replies to my angry voice with an stressed little whistle. She's a gregarious bird other than that, and wants to be with me all the time. Birds by instinct need to be near others of her kind, a flocking instinct is important to survival.
 

Silatuyok

Well-known member
Yes, pets can get anxiety. Social anxiety??--I guess it depends on how you look at it. There are always going to be dogs that don't like/are afraid of other dogs, cats that don't like people or other cats, and even in the wild there are the outcast types in pack societies.
Animals with anxiety need very patient and understanding owners. With time and gentleness, the shy bird may come to love you and warm up to you. Or maybe she just needs a good owner who will feed her and care for her regardless of whether or not she is shy. :) I vote for getting the little birdie.
 

NathanielWingatePeaslee

Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn!
Staff member
socialanxietydisorder.about.com said:
Definition: Social anxiety is the fear of evaluation or judgment in social or performance situations. Social anxiety may be elicited by a number of triggers, including formal interactions, such as public speaking; informal interactions, such as meeting a stranger; situations requiring assertive behavior; or everyday actions, such as eating in front of others.

Birds and dogs and cats and such simply lack the level of self-awareness to qualify for social anxiety if you use the term to mean the same thing that this forum is about. They are not spending their spare time dreading how you judge their chirps, woofs, and meows.

They can, however, feel anxious about humans or other animals depending on their experiences and whether they were properly socialized at an early age.
 
Hmm, my first reaction upon seeing the title of the thread was a firm "No", but reading some of the responses is... interesting. I don't think they can have SA, but certain avoidant behaviors based on past experiences and/or temperament? Sure. Conditioning. Maybe some genetics at play. But other animals only have an unconscious mind as far as we know, so they most likely don't have a fear of judgment like we do.
 
Meow

Animals can definitely have some anxiety and be fearful of things/people. I don’t know about social anxiety , certainly not in the same way humans have it. I doubt animals are constantly worried about other judging them, their fear is probably motivated by something else, but the fear of something can still be there. They won’t even know what “judgment” is, though now I’m curious what motivates these particular fears in animals.
 

21NZ

Well-known member
anxiety and fear are innate for all animals, however i doubt they have "social" anxiety. you wouldn't say a wild animal has social anxiety, because it doesn't come up to you? it's just not tame/domesticated... and your most likely considered a predator to most wild animals... which wouldn't help.
 

Saga

Well-known member
Hahaha. I think my dog does, though she's getting better with regular walks. :D It doesn't matter though, she fits right in with the family. <3 c:
 

Starry

Well-known member
Hmm, my first reaction upon seeing the title of the thread was a firm "No", but reading some of the responses is... interesting. I don't think they can have SA, but certain avoidant behaviors based on past experiences and/or temperament? Sure. Conditioning. Maybe some genetics at play. But other animals only have an unconscious mind as far as we know, so they most likely don't have a fear of judgment like we do.

Depends what is meant by "unconscious mind". Dogs - and other animals for that matter - have been shown to probably have an understanding of other's minds, based upon experiments and upon scientific viewing of their natural behaviour... If they understand other's minds then I doubt it can be said that they're mind is "unconscious"... But as I said, it depends upon what you mean by the phrase.

I've read quite a few books dealing with ethology and animal behaviour (dogs in particular) and I have to say, the vast majority of people seem to vastly underestimate animals' social and mental abilities.
 

A86

Well-known member
dogs are extremly social with humans compared to other dogs?

i remember this being discussed, that dogs are evolving better human/dog social interaction than dog to dog interaction.

there was also that study of domesticating foxes over somethig like 50yrs, basicaly breeding out agressive foxes. i remember thinking at the time that the more passive(domesticated fox) seemed to be socialy anxious.

there are also clips on youtube of dogs being guilt tripped (denver the dog?), you can see it in their eyes, the effect of negative social interaction.

or then again maybe it nothing and all in my head (my own empathy).
 
With humans, it's fear of our own feelings (which can be triggered by being "attacked" by others, usually just verbally).

With animals it's more straight-foward - fearing being physically attacked or harassed (eg by domineering individuals in the pack)
 
Top