What is Separation Anxiety?
Just like humans can have separation anxiety when left alone or when leaving a pet or child alone, your dog can be excessively anxious when left by themselves.
Separation anxiety often manifests as destructive behavior, barking, howling, urinating, defecating, or attempts to escape. These behaviors can also be symptoms of medical issues, so if you notice a change in behavior, a vet visit can help determine if there is a medical or behavioral cause. In the case of separation anxiety, when your dog pees on your bed or tears up the couch when you're gone, they aren't trying to get revenge for being left alone: they are enduring anxiety and don't know how to feel safe and relaxed without you there with them.
During COVID quarantine measures, many families found themselves spending more time at home with their pets, or had time to add a pet to their family. As people return to work, school, and travel, pets are suddenly faced with having to spend longer stretches of time alone. Dogs that were well adjusted to the schedule of their family before last year may now be struggling with separation anxiety, having become used to having their people around constantly. Puppies and young dogs that were adopted or born during quarantine measures may not be well socialized with people and animals outside the home they live in, adding to their stress and anxiety.
Other triggers of separation anxiety can be moving to a new residence, a change of ownership for your pet - including adoption, change in the household membership - like having a child or having someone moving away, or other changes in schedule or daily routine.
How to Help Your Anxious Dog
If you or your vet have determined that your dog is dealing with separation anxiety, you can help mitigate their anxiety.
A good way to manage separation anxiety is to start by keeping departures and arrivals calm. Lots of petting, hugging, or telling your dog "I'll miss you so much!" is actually going to add to your pet's anxiety. Likewise, reacting with excitement the moment you arrive home and see them reinforces their concern and any anxious behavior they displayed while you were absent. Wait to greet your pet until a few minutes after you return to help them learn that your arrival is not something they should be in constant, anxious anticipation over.
Counterconditioning is a tried and true way to mitigate separation anxiety. By associating something your dog dislikes - being left alone - with something they enjoy, negative reactions of fear, anxiety, and aggression become excitement for the thing they're looking forward to instead. Food and high-value treats are a good way to countercondition dogs. Just before leaving your dog alone, provide them with food in a form that will take longer to consume - like a puzzle toy or a frozen KONG with low-fat peanut butter or cottage cheese (consult your vet about healthy treat options suitable for your dog). It should occupy them for about 20-30 minutes to distract them from their anxiety and relax them. If you leave your dog alone in the morning, consider feeding them their breakfast with a puzzle toy or KONG.
When Anxiety is More Severe
Counterconditioning with food and treats will only work for dogs with mild anxiety, however. Dogs with moderate anxiety won't eat without their owner around, so other measures are needed to reduce their anxiety.
Gradual changes help slowly reduce anxiety. Trying too much too fast with a dog that is dealing with separation anxiety can cause more stress and have an adverse effect. If your dog becomes anxious when you put on your shoes or pick up your keys, show them that this isn't always a pre-departure cue by putting on your shoes or picking up your keys then watching TV or otherwise staying at home with them. For dogs that become anxious after you depart, or once your dog is no longer anxious with pre-departure cues, start with short absences first - just a few seconds at a time. Over the course of several weeks, slowly increase the amount of time your dog spends alone. If you're having trouble, consider getting the help of a Certified Professional Trainer.
Reducing separation anxiety is a long process that requires patience and diligence. It is important to make sure that your dog is only experiencing a low-intensity version of their fear. If they reach full-blown anxiety during this training, it will backfire and make their anxiety worse.
Find more information about separation anxiety, as well as more in-depth counterconditioning and desensitization tips from the ASPCA HERE.
Just like humans can have separation anxiety when left alone or when leaving a pet or child alone, your dog can be excessively anxious when left by themselves.
Separation anxiety often manifests as destructive behavior, barking, howling, urinating, defecating, or attempts to escape. These behaviors can also be symptoms of medical issues, so if you notice a change in behavior, a vet visit can help determine if there is a medical or behavioral cause. In the case of separation anxiety, when your dog pees on your bed or tears up the couch when you're gone, they aren't trying to get revenge for being left alone: they are enduring anxiety and don't know how to feel safe and relaxed without you there with them.
During COVID quarantine measures, many families found themselves spending more time at home with their pets, or had time to add a pet to their family. As people return to work, school, and travel, pets are suddenly faced with having to spend longer stretches of time alone. Dogs that were well adjusted to the schedule of their family before last year may now be struggling with separation anxiety, having become used to having their people around constantly. Puppies and young dogs that were adopted or born during quarantine measures may not be well socialized with people and animals outside the home they live in, adding to their stress and anxiety.
Other triggers of separation anxiety can be moving to a new residence, a change of ownership for your pet - including adoption, change in the household membership - like having a child or having someone moving away, or other changes in schedule or daily routine.
How to Help Your Anxious Dog
If you or your vet have determined that your dog is dealing with separation anxiety, you can help mitigate their anxiety.
A good way to manage separation anxiety is to start by keeping departures and arrivals calm. Lots of petting, hugging, or telling your dog "I'll miss you so much!" is actually going to add to your pet's anxiety. Likewise, reacting with excitement the moment you arrive home and see them reinforces their concern and any anxious behavior they displayed while you were absent. Wait to greet your pet until a few minutes after you return to help them learn that your arrival is not something they should be in constant, anxious anticipation over.
Counterconditioning is a tried and true way to mitigate separation anxiety. By associating something your dog dislikes - being left alone - with something they enjoy, negative reactions of fear, anxiety, and aggression become excitement for the thing they're looking forward to instead. Food and high-value treats are a good way to countercondition dogs. Just before leaving your dog alone, provide them with food in a form that will take longer to consume - like a puzzle toy or a frozen KONG with low-fat peanut butter or cottage cheese (consult your vet about healthy treat options suitable for your dog). It should occupy them for about 20-30 minutes to distract them from their anxiety and relax them. If you leave your dog alone in the morning, consider feeding them their breakfast with a puzzle toy or KONG.
When Anxiety is More Severe
Counterconditioning with food and treats will only work for dogs with mild anxiety, however. Dogs with moderate anxiety won't eat without their owner around, so other measures are needed to reduce their anxiety.
Gradual changes help slowly reduce anxiety. Trying too much too fast with a dog that is dealing with separation anxiety can cause more stress and have an adverse effect. If your dog becomes anxious when you put on your shoes or pick up your keys, show them that this isn't always a pre-departure cue by putting on your shoes or picking up your keys then watching TV or otherwise staying at home with them. For dogs that become anxious after you depart, or once your dog is no longer anxious with pre-departure cues, start with short absences first - just a few seconds at a time. Over the course of several weeks, slowly increase the amount of time your dog spends alone. If you're having trouble, consider getting the help of a Certified Professional Trainer.
Reducing separation anxiety is a long process that requires patience and diligence. It is important to make sure that your dog is only experiencing a low-intensity version of their fear. If they reach full-blown anxiety during this training, it will backfire and make their anxiety worse.
Find more information about separation anxiety, as well as more in-depth counterconditioning and desensitization tips from the ASPCA HERE.