Separation Anxiety In Your Dog

You may not realize you have a problem with separation anxiety in your dog, but take a look at these questions.

When you're away, and your dog is home alone, does he :

Bark, whine or howl?

Pace?

'Pee' or 'poop' all over the house?

Chew, scratch, dig and generally destroy your home?

If you answered "YES", to one, several, or even all of the above, chances are good that your pup is indeed suffering from dog separation anxiety.

This anxiety disorder indicates dog separation problems and issues, which make your poor pooch miserable when you're away from home.

But don't panic (Fido's already panicking, we don't need you to join him!), help is most definitely at hand.

We've put together a straightforward guide to recognizing and dealing with this problem.

If you're worried about separation anxiety in your dog, life for you and your anxious little furchild is about to get a whole lot easier!

What is separation anxiety in dogs anyway?

The fact that it's not uncommon to see separation anxiety in dogs who are left alone for long periods of time, really shouldn't be a big surprise!

Dogs are very social creatures, and are by nature pack animals. When left alone, their natural instinct is to 'find' the rest of their pack (yes, that's YOU), and poor Fido can get very agitated, restless, nervous or even panicked if he isn't able to do just that.

Sadly, many, many dogs are euthanized or abandoned every year due to the destructive behavior and difficulties associated with dog separation anxiety.

A study in the Applied Animal Behavior Sciences journal, found that around 14% of dogs seen by veterinarians for routine care, show some signs of separation anxiety.

This increases to a whopping 40% when you look at dogs who are being treated for behavioral problems.

Separation anxiety in your dog can be mild, moderate or severe, and the milder form can sometimes be confused with simple boredom.

The level of anxiety suffered by your pup can usually be seen clearly (once you know what to look for), in his behavior both when you're at home and when you're gone.

This anxiety disorder causes dog separation issues ranging from whining and howling, to extremely destructive behavior.

Understanding how strongly he feels about being left alone will play a big role in determining how to treat dog separation anxiety in your dog.

The signs & symptoms of dog separation anxiety disorder

The signs of a true dog separation anxiety in your dog include :

While you are home

If Fido is truly suffering from separation anxiety, he will usually show at least some symptoms of this in his everyday behavior.

Velcro-dog syndrome. If he is constantly clinging to you, following you around and 'glued' to your side

He demands attention on a continuous basis. Pawing, barking or nudging you all the time

He gets very upset if you're out of his sight, and can't be left in another room by himself without getting agitated

He becomes nervous and agitated when he sees you getting ready to go out (for example when you pick up your car keys, put on your coat etc.)

You see a change in your pups' behavior, such as an increase in aggression or shyness, which is not 'normal' for him

While you are out

Barking, whining or howling that is continuous, and lasts the whole time you're out

A constant state of restlessness, shown by behavior such as pacing, circling, pawing and often accompanied by panting and/or shaking

Destruction of objects, furniture or even the structure of the house itself. Chewing is often focused on items that belong to the person the dog is closest to (such as clothes, shoes, hairbrushes etc.). Gnawing, chewing and scratching at doors, window frames/screens, flooring etc. is usually due to your dogs' desire to escape and 'find' his pack

'Peeing' or 'pooping' several times and in several different areas/locations within the house

The answer to separation anxiety in your dog?

Although it's not strictly possible to cure a dog of separation anxiety, there are a whole lot of things that you can do to reduce and even eliminate his distress... and the problem behaviors it causes.

With time, love and patience you can teach your pup that he needn't be afraid when you leave, and that you are always going to come back home.

Helping him to feel safe in this knowledge will go a long way towards eliminating the separation anxiety in your dog.

Our Dog Training For Separation Anxiety page will show you tried and true methods to reduce your pups' obsessive dependence and clinginess, and can help you help him to relax and amuse himself when you're not home.

Find out about the many differentdog separation anxiety medications and natural treatments that can help too. To keep your pup entertained and distracted while you're away, check out the selection of interactive dog toys and special DVDs and CDs on the market today. They can really make a difference.

There are also some things that won't help a dog who's suffering from separation anxiety!

Punishing him for his behavior, will only result in an increase in the problems. He's already anxious enough, if you punish or scold he'll be even more anxious.

Separation anxiety in your dog will also generally not be helped by adding another pet to your household. Although to a human it makes sense that he may feel less alone and upset if he has a friend, to your dog it's not as straightforward. Bringing a new dog or cat into the home will make your pet anxious and possibly jealous. Although most dogs adjust to the new member of the household eventually, in the short term you will only be increasing his anxiety and unhappiness.

Crate training may or may not make the situation worse. If your dog is destroying your home and possessions while you're gone, a crate is the best, most logical solution. However, if he's never been crated before (one of the many good reasons to acclimatize any new puppy to a crate) he may react hysterically. If you do have to introduce the crate as a new tool, do it as gradually as possible and get him used to it with you at home. Don't just put him in the crate for the first time and leave...he'll associate the crate with his anxiety and reinforce the problems.

Although living with a dog who suffers from canine separation anxiety can be distressing and difficult (for you both!), if you follow the advice here, this worry will soon be a thing of the past!

Please, feel free to share this article with someone you know!

We've designed our FREE monthly e-zine 'Puppy Pawprints' especially for you! It's packed with exclusive and original articles, information, tips and whole lot more.

Don't miss out on this valuable FREE resource. Sign up today.

Dog Training for Separation Anxiety Dog Separation Anxiety Medication Toys & Tools for Managing Dog Separation Anxiety Puppy Health Puppy Behavior
Return from Separation Anxiety In Your Dog to Homepage

footer for separation anxiety in your dog page