Tips to Help Your Dog with Separation Anxiety

Having a dog with separation anxiety can be stressful, overwhelming, and in many ways hard to understand and deal with. There are many causes for this behavior such as new owners, new surroundings, the passing of another pet in the home, genetics, or even just boredom. To help, we’ve gathered some tips to help you better understand this behavior in hopes of treating it the right way.

Common Signs of Separation Anxiety

Treating certain symptoms your canine might be displaying due to separation anxiety will only help for a short period of time because you’re not getting to the root of the problem. Never the less it’s still important to be able to recognize these common signs of separation anxiety in your pup. Some dogs will show more signs than others because each case is different, but these are the most common:

• Chewing – many owners don’t know this but chewing releases endorphins and is your common way of trying to stay calm
• Barking & Whining –  this is an attempt to try and call their owners back home
• Digging & Destruction – this is due to high levels of stress and not knowing how to control it
• Self-Harm – a dog can try to calm down through excessive licking and chewing that can create marks and bald spots
• Relieving themselves inside – if your dog only does this when you’re away it is most likely related to behavioral issues

Create A Healthier “Hellos & Goodbyes”

Try to not get very emotional when you leave or overly excited when you come home. This will encourage the same behavior in your dog and they will start to associate your absence as a highly negative event. When you do leave, try to change up your routine so your dog won’t start to associate certain acts with your departure.

Try Exercising Before You Leave

Exercising before you depart can help release a lot of pent up energy in your four-legged friend. Going on a walk before you leave can redirect your dog’s attention from you leaving to getting rest and refreshments. Your pup will also start associating you leaving as a good thing because they enjoy their walks and they’ll start to look forward to them before you have to go.

Invest in Comfort Items Created for Pet Anxiety

Soothing music is a popular way to try and create a peaceful environment for your dog. There are also common toys created to keep your dog distracted and entertained so they don’t focus on your absence as well as anxiety vests to comfort your furry friend by applying light pressure to their bodies.

Don’t Leave Your Dog Alone For Too Long

Try not to be away from your dog for more than 8 hours because this can be an unhealthy amount of distance. If you need to be gone for longer periods of time, we highly recommend one of our all-day training classes or our board & train program. Not only will your dog be in great hands, but they’ll also be taught to overcome their separation anxiety through our professional trainers.

Separation anxiety is a common behavior among untrained dogs. With the right help and correct behavior encouraged at home, you’ll be seeing a happier and healthier pup in no time!