Does Your Dog Have Separation Anxiety?
A common complaint we get from owners is that their dog behaves in dramatic and destructive ways when left home alone. They bark, howl, chew, defecate, and scratch vigorously at the front door when you leave or approach. While it’s possible these behaviors are happening from poor training habits, it might be separation anxiety if your dog is only doing it when they are alone.
Symptoms
Separation anxiety is when dogs experience an extreme amount of stress when their owners leave them. The dog feels panicked to the point that they are terrified when owners or other humans are not around. As a result, the dog may act out in a number of ways. The symptoms include:
Vocalization: Vocalization may come in the form of barking, whining, or howling and will sound like the dog is distressed.
Destruction: Chewing and digging.
House soiling: Dog pees and poops frequently when alone.
Excitable: The dog may seem overly excited when the owner returns home.
How to Know if It’s Separation Anxiety and Not Something Else
While the above list are symptomatic of separation anxiety, it’s possible that these behaviors are happening as a result of poor training. The best way to identify if their behavior is because of SA is when the symptoms occur alongside signs of distress. Drooling and anxious behavior when the owners approach or leave home is a common way to identify distress from separation with the owner.
If your dog is equally as ill-behaved alone as when you’re home, this may be a matter of bad manners and poor training. If you’re not sure how they’re behaving when they are alone, you can video tape your dog when they’re alone to see how they are acting. It might be useful to purchase a puppy cam for this purpose.
Ways to Treat Separation Anxiety in Dogs
A dog with separation anxiety is not a hopeless case. There are ways to treat separation anxiety, but may require a little extra time and care on the owners part to embed some new habits. The goal of treatment is to resolve the dog’s underlying trauma by teaching them how to enjoy, or at least tolerate, being left home alone.
Crate training: Teaching your dog to feel comfortable in their crate can be useful in providing them with a place where they can feel safe when left home alone. The trick to crate-training your dog is to help them associate the crate with comfort by filling it with things like chew toys and comfortable bedding. Monitor your dog to see how they react to being in the crate. If they come to enjoy it, this can be a helpful way to keep your dog and your house safe while you are away.
Counterconditioning: The goal of counterconditioning is to instill a positive association with being home alone to replace the previous traumatic fear. One way to do this is by giving your dog a treat every time you leave so they begins to feel positively about your departure.
Fitness: Walking or playing with your dog an amount appropriate for their age helps in anxiety reduction.
Codependence: It’s important to discourage your dog’s clinginess. Train them to stay in another room for short lengths without you and don’t be overly-emotional when coming and going.
Medication: Consult with a veterinarian about medical prescriptions that can help with anxiety.
When to Seek Outside Help
Treating separation anxiety can be a difficult and complicated process, especially with dogs who are no longer puppies. Consider seeking the aid of a Certified Animal Behavioralist or veterinary behaviorist if home-made attempts are not working. Don’t be discouraged, though, as studies have shown treatment has a high rate of success.