If your dog has lost the wag in its tail, you'd probably think of taking it for a walk or buying it a new toy.
But some owners have been resorting to more extreme measures, with vets handing out Valium to dogs who have been left alone during the day, British MPs have heard.
During a Commons debate on animal welfare, Conservative Rebecca Pow said that some dogs were being prescribed Valium to calm them down after being cooped up for hours while their owners are at work.
Miss Pow, who chairs the all-party parliamentary group for animal welfare, said: "You often see dogs left locked in at home for hours on end and many of them are suffering psychological problems. I gather that vets are giving some of them Valium to calm them down."
Pet advice website VeterinaryPlace.com says Valium can be used to treat many different conditions, including separation anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome and shaker dog syndrome. It added that owners should always speak to a vet before giving their dogs the drug.
British Veterinary Association president Gudrun Ravetz said: "Vets would not routinely be giving pets medication for a problem like this, which could be resolved simply through changing owner behaviour."