Definition and Causes of Separation Anxiety in Dogs
Separation anxiety is a condition in which a dog may become mildly to extremely distressed when they are left alone. In extreme cases, a dog may experience this heightened anxiety even when their owners are home but are not in the same room as the animal. According to the ASPCA, dogs who have been rescued from shelters show signs of separation anxiety much more often than dogs who have been raised from a puppy by a single-family. It may be surprising, but many of the triggers for separation anxiety in dogs are similar to the triggers for anxiety in humans. This includes things like big changes in their environment or schedule, or the loss of a family member. It can also include smaller triggers, such as lack of exercise or stimulation. Understanding these triggers is a crucial step to preventing or treating a dog’s separation anxiety.
Symptoms of Separation Anxiety in Dogs
A dog who is experiencing separation anxiety may engage in some of the following behaviors:
- Excessive barking and/or whining
- Accidents in the home
- Destructive behaviors like digging or chewing
- Excessive drooling and/or panting
- Frequent licking, even to the point of removing fur
- Pacing
- Escape attempts
- Vomiting
These behaviors may occur before or after their owner leaves the house. If left unchecked, these symptoms can cause serious immediate or long-term health issues for a dog. This is especially true if they are frequently trying to escape, or if they are chewing/destroying parts of the home. Therefore, it is important to treat a dog’s symptoms quickly and with as much understanding as possible.
Preventing Separation Anxiety
If a dog is not yet experiencing separation anxiety, there are many things you can do to mitigate or even prevent the anxiety altogether.
Crate Training
The first place an owner should start is crate training. Crate training is recommended almost universally by dog behavior specialists and trainers. Crate training, when handled properly, is incredibly beneficial for training a dog in a number of areas such as potty training and confidence building. Most importantly, crate training helps dogs understand where their safe place is. Successfully teaching a dog to retreat to its crate when it feels unsure can mitigate a lot of anxious tendencies. This is because the dog now knows to respond to its own anxiety with the action you want, instead of turning to a destructive behavior to soothe.
It is important for dog owners to not accidentally reinforce bad behaviors while working on crate training or any form of training. Dog trainer César Millán says, “Only reward desired behavior.” So, what does that mean? Here is a scenario to consider: a dog who is learning crate training is whining or barking excessively, and their owner lets them out to get the dog to stop. Here, the owner has given in and rewarded the bad behavior of whining/barking, instead of reinforcing that the dog should be calm and quiet in their space. This response teaches the dog that they do not have to learn to self-soothe, rather that they can act out and still achieve the result they desire. Instead, the owner should have waited for the dog to become calm before letting it back out to show that that is the desired action. Rewarding bad behavior in this way has the potential to encourage the destructive and anxious tendencies rather than stop them.
Desensitization Training
Another beneficial type of training to work on with your dog is something referred to as desensitization or separation training. Essentially, teaching a pup that they can be independent! Just like children, pets have to learn that it is OK for us to leave the room without them. Dogs should understand that they can, and should, have time on their own. A dog that is overly clingy and attached will struggle that much more when their owner does have to finally leave.
Mental and Physical Exercise
Finally, when in doubt, exercise, exercise, exercise! Numerous bad behaviors from dogs can be boiled down to lack of exercise or stimulation. This is especially true of larger dogs who tend to have more energy on average. A dog who is thoroughly exhausted from a long walk or fun play session will generally be calmer and will therefore have less energy for anxious destruction.
Treating Existing Separation Anxiety
For a dog already experiencing separation anxiety, how should an owner address it? Luckily, it is never too late to start working on the training mentioned in the Prevention discussion above. Your dog can learn new behaviors and expectations at any point, not just in puppyhood. Crate, desensitization, and general obedience training build a dog’s confidence by showing them how they should respond to the world around them. The goal of all of this training is to acquaint a dog with their surroundings in a controlled way so that their reactions can be guided while their anxiety is avoided.
Here are a few other small things you can do to ease mild separation anxiety.
First, changing the way that you leave and enter your home can have a big impact on a dog’s anxiety. Experts suggest that your departure and arrival should be low-key and calm. Second, leaving the television or radio on can be a helpful distraction while you are leaving. The voices and sounds can be calming while you are gone. Third, giving your dog a special treat such as a bully stick or frozen Kong toy can help associate your departure with a positive event. Plus, it gives them a stimulating activity during your absence. Finally, leaving a few articles of worn clothing around your home can help let your pup know that you are coming back. When their owner starts to pack up to leave the house, it may send signals to a dog (especially rescues who may have experienced abandonment trauma) that their owner could be leaving forever. By leaving recently worn clothing around your home, you can reassure your dog that your absence is temporary!
In extreme cases of separation anxiety, contact us as soon as possible. We will be glad to help!
