Separation Anxiety in Dogs: How To Deal With It

Separation anxiety in dogs is usually described by your dog's behavior when you are about to leave, have left, or have just come home. Dogs will start by exhibiting very nervous and anxious behavior as you are about to leave. After you leave, the dog may bark, whine, chew, scratch, and even urinate/defecate in the house. Upon your arrival back home, your dog will be overly excited and usually try to jump on you.

But don't get mad at your dog! This means you are just SO important to him that it kills him when you leave. He doesn't know how to act and he doesn't know what to do to get you back.

We, as humans, understand the words we are saying to our dog. However, dogs are better able to pick up on feelings and the sound of our words.

Triggers for Separation Anxiety in Dogs

How many times, when we are leaving do we coo them softly with 'it's OK, mommy/daddy will be back in just a little bit'? They have no idea what we said. But they do 'hear' that our voice is different and maybe even a little nervous. Our actions are also different from when we are just walking around the house. These nuances are what our dogs 'hear' and what triggers them to get anxious and nervous as we are about to leave the house.

Dogs are pack animals, and as such, do not like solitude - they like their family. They are also just like children, in as much as that they need to be taught how to behave in their family. Some children have no problem leaving mommy and daddy and running straight into Kindergarten. Others cling desperately, crying for them not to leave. Some of this is the child's internal make-up. Some of this is that the child has never been taught to be alone.

Nervous/Anxious Dogs

Now some dogs are just naturally more nervous than others. Dogs who have been coddled since puppies have a greater tendency to be nervous when they are finally left alone. Dogs that have had more than one owner also tend to show greater separation anxiety - after all, they really have been left before!

You hate how your pet is feeling and wish there was something you could do. Well, there is a product that has about an 85% success rate with general anxiety problems in dogs. By general dog anxiety, I mean they have experienced success with:

• noise anxiety (thunderstorms, fireworks, startling sounds)
• separation anxiety
• travel anxiety
• crate anxiety

Owners who have tried and used this device have said it can take effect anywhere from the first time the dog uses it to around the 3rd to 5th time.

• This is a non-drug device.
• This is in no way, shape, or form cruel to the animal.
• This is simply a 'shirt-like' device that you put on your dog, using velcro fasteners for ease.

You need to go to their website and take a look for yourself and read all the reviews from actual owners, vet clinics, and dog trainers. It's called a 'Thundershirt' and has a 85% success rate, costs only $39.95 (regardless of size ordered) and has a 45-day money-back guarantee.

You've got nothing to lose and your dog's sanity and happiness to gain!

Believe it or not, one of the ways separation anxiety in dogs can be exhibited is with constant itching and scratching. Because of the separation anxiety, your dog's nerves are on end, and scratching is another way of dealing with the stress - just like chewing, barking, etc.

This condition can be harder to diagnose, as their can be many other causes of constant dog scratching. If you believe separation anxiety may be the cause of your dog's itchy skin, try some aromatherapy products, such as essential oils or pheromones.

There are many ways to help ease your dog's separation anxiety - anxiety pressure wraps, training, chew toys, crates, exercising, and aromatherapy are the most popular and successful. You may find that you need to use a combination of these approaches, and that is fine - each dog is different and responds to different dog anxiety treatment.

But the first step should really be in training your dog that it is OK to be alone and that you will return. If your dog has severe separation anxiety, you may need to hire a professional trainer to get one-on-one guidance. But for most cases, just learning how to leave and come home properly will take care of a great deal of the anxiety.

First, talk normally to your dog as you are about to leave. Pick a cue-word that is not used in normal conversation around the house (mine is 'bye-bye now'). Don't try to reassure your dog in any way - because you are NOT - you will just make him more nervous.

When you get back home, don't make a big deal about seeing him. As a matter of fact, do other stuff around the house for a minute or two before even acknowledging him. Then just calmly say 'hi'. If you really feel you have to have total interaction with your dog, just try to wait 5 minutes after you get home. You need to make your dog feel like your leaving and coming back home is NO BIG DEAL. Once you are back home and settled and your dog is completely calm, THEN you can interact with him and give him all the love he can handle.

If you are going to try this training, it is best if you can do it when you have around 3 days off. Start the training routine by leaving just for a couple of minutes, then coming back - remember - NO BIG DEAL. Keep extending the amount of time you are gone.

Chewing is a symptom of separation anxiety in dogs. But lots of times, it is just the simple fact that your dog is bored. Irregardless of the cause, it is always a good idea to provide some sort of properly sized chew toy (something that is not a choking hazard) for your dog. I recommend a type of chew toy that cannot be torn apart either (again, choking hazards).

Want to keep your dog interested in the chew toy? Get a chew toy that allows you to put some small treats or kibble in it. Then they have to work on getting the food out!

Another great way to help your dog overcome separation anxiety is through exercise. Take your dog for a long walk before you leave. Or an intense game of fetch. You want some sort of exercise to tire him out before you leave. That way, he will be more inclined to just sleep while you are gone. Leave him with a good chew toy (see above) for when he awakens, and you should be in pretty good shape.