Separation Anxiety in Dogs

What is Separation Anxiety in Dogs?

Separation anxiety in dogs is a result of the way some dogs react to being left alone. While many dogs are happy to be left home alone, and will do nothing more that sleep the time away, a significant number of dogs will experience anxiety resulting in a lot of dog behaviour problems.

In fact, research has shown that at least 15% of dogs suffer from separation anxiety and that number seems to be increasing, with a recent UK study indicating that up to 50% of dogs display some signs of separation anxiety behaviour.

What Causes Separation Anxiety in Dogs

Opinion is divided about what causes separation anxiety in dogs, although most dog experts do appear to agree on the approach to curing dog separation anxiety.

It is not always clear what triggers anxiety in dogs, as while some dogs are anxious from birth, many others will suddenly become anxious after a major change such as moving home, or as a result of a bad experience like being abandoned. It’s clear that many rescue dogs suffer from separation anxiety.

One of the most commonly held beliefs is that because of the tight bond we experience and encourage with our dogs, our dogs becomes too reliant or dependant on us, and are therefore distressed and anxious when they don’t have access to us all the time.

However in a study published by the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association, which compared attachment behaviour of dogs who experienced anxiety when left alone and dogs that didn’t, the study concluded that the attachment behaviour prior to leaving was no different in either set of dogs.

The other belief about dog separation anxiety is that it comes about as a result of your dog assuming that he is pack leader and therefore responsible for you.

This means that when you go out and your dog neither knows where you are going or when you are going to be back, nor is able to come and find you, they experience extreme anxiety because they are worrying about your safety. This theory is based on studies of the wolf pack which indicate that packs need a leader in place to function effectively.

Certainly there seems to be an increasing belief amongst some prominent dog experts that the way to get a happy dog is to make sure that they know that you are the leader of the pack. This applies to curing dog anxiety too.

What are the Symptoms of Separation Anxiety in Dogs

There are a wide range of behaviour problems that are caused by dog separation anxiety. Not all anxious dogs will display all of them, but the more extreme the anxiety, the more symptoms you are likely to see.

Barking
Howling
Whining
Crying
Chewing
Urinating in the house
Pooping in the house
Excessively licking or chewing themselves
Following you everywhere
Destructive behaviour like scratching at doors
Trying to escape
Digging
Loss Of appetite
Excessive salivation
Panting
Pacing

How to Tell if Your Dog has Separation Anxiety

It can be easy to confuse the symptoms of dog anxiety with a dogs attention seeking behaviour because they can look like almost identical dog behaviour problems. However, below are some of the most common signs of dogs suffering from anxiety.

Your Dog Follows You Everywhere: When you’re home, your dog follows you like a shadow where ever you go around the house and becomes distressed if they lose sight of you. Some dog owners can’t even visit the bathroom without their dog sitting outside the door howling in desolation!

Your Dog Reacts to Signs That You’re Leaving: Your dog reacts badly to any of the signs that mean you’re getting ready to go out. It could be putting on your shoes or picking up your car keys that triggers their anxious behaviour. Some dogs will start pacing the floor or whining before you even leave and I have heard of dogs that grab hold of their owners to try to stop them leaving.

Your Dogs Bad Behaviour Only Happens When You’re Out: Your dog only behaves badly when you’re out and would never do those things when you were home with them. This includes behavior like chewing everything in reach, urinating or pooping in the house, barking and whining non-stop or other destructive behaviour.

Your Dog Greets You Manically When You Return: Your dog jumps all over you and is completely over excited when you return, they won’t leave you alone and take a long time to calm down.

What are the Cures for Separation Anxiety in Dogs

One thing that almost every dog trainer will agree on is that punishing your dog for behaviour driven by anxiety – however bad – will not help cure it. In fact is is more likely to make it worse. So resist the urge to shout, hit your dog or rub their nose in it, however frustrated you feel.

Dog separation anxiety treatment usually consists of a programme of training, plus the use of over the counter dog calming remedies or prescription medications in more extreme cases.

Training is central to curing dog separation anxiety, and a good programme will show you how to desensitise your dog to some of the triggers that set off their anxiety. Training should also includes showing you how to demonstrate to your dog that you are the pack leader as this will also be very beneficial to your dog.

Anti-anxiety medication ranges from the use of the more gentle herbal remedies such as Bach’s Rescue Remedy to prescription only medication such as Clomicalm. There are some risks associated with giving your dog prescription drugs and you should be fully aware of these before you embark on any programme of treatment that involves using this type of medication. Your vet is the best person to discuss any treatment with.

Finding a Solution that Works for Your Dog

Separation anxiety can be a difficult problem to deal with and will require time, patience and consistency to get rid of it.

Find a solution that fits in with you and your dog and stick to it. Remember that all dogs learn at a different pace, just as people do, but if you are realistic and don’t expect it to disappear within a day and are prepared to persist with it, you should soon start to see some results.

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