Separation anxiety in dogs. How to deal with dog anxiety?

What causes separation anxiety?

Separation anxiety most often results from problems related to fear and anxiety in situations of isolation or loneliness. The causes of this condition are manifold:

• Excessive attachment to the owner, most often as a result of overprotection or focusing too much attention on the dog (especially when the animal is sick).
• Lack of proper training in how to come to terms with loneliness.
• Traumatic experiences when the dog is left alone, e.g. loud noises that it perceives as threatening or past abandonment.
• Unexpected loneliness, a situation in which a dog accustomed to spending most of its time with its owner is suddenly left alone.

The degree to which a pet suffers from separation anxiety depends largely on how attached it is to the absent person.

Separation anxiety in dogs – symptoms

As part of separation anxiety, your pet may exhibit a variety of behaviors, including:

• excessive vocalization (howling, barking, whining)
• violent destruction of objects
• explosive greeting
• self-harm (e.g. your four-legged friend hurts itself while trying to escape or licks itself excessively)
• bowel movements or urination
• salivation
• refusal to eat, including favorite treats (before the caregiver leaves)
• eating greedily after the owner returns
• agitation or increased activity (e.g. running in circles, shaking or crawling)
• apathy, lying still until the caregiver returns.

Separation anxiety in dogs – how to deal with it?

Separation anxiety is exhausting for the animal and can have a negative impact on their life together. It is associated with stress, anxiety, poor well-being, destructive behavior and even self-harm. The key to solving a dog's fear of loneliness is: patience, empathy, consistency and a loving relationship. Before we take any action, it is worth making sure that the above signs are related to the feeling of loneliness. Some symptoms may have other causes, such as defecation due to health problems, howling due to sirens, barking and destructive behavior due to boredom.

How to help your pet with his dog fears?

If the symptoms of separation anxiety are confirmed, there are several actions you can take to help your pet:

• Gradually getting your dog used to loneliness. At first, leave it for a short while, then extend this period over time. At each stage of training, your pet should be offered positive experiences that may involve being away from a loved one (e.g. treats, a toy).
• Establishing a routine (meal, play, exercise, shared recreation, etc.) so that the dog knows what the daily schedule is and when to get the owner's attention and when to do something on its own or take a nap.
• Providing a safe place for the dog to go when the owner is away.
• Taming your pet with sounds that cause fear, such as loud sounds (thunder, fireworks, sirens, etc.). Dogs that don't like being alone feel even more stressed when noises are perceived as a threat.
• Avoiding leaving the house ostentatiously, giving too many obvious signs that indicate that we intend to leave the house. We avoid effusive saying goodbye to the dog, excessive petting and emotionalizing.
• Behavioral therapy. In some cases, the above measures may not be enough and it will be necessary to consult a specialist or start a longer cooperation with a dog behaviorist. When it comes to behavioral training aimed at alleviating separation anxiety in dogs, it is most often enough to optimize posture, conduct consistent training in limiting reactions to stimuli from the environment and provide the pet with an appropriate dose of physical activity and mental challenges. Only in severe cases of separation anxiety in a dog are supportive medications administered to calm down and calm down the four-legged friend.

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