Don't Leave Me Alone! 10 Tips for Dealing with Separation Anxiety in Dogs

You dread leaving home, but even dread returning more so. The reason? You don't know what you'll find when you get there. Your dog has separation anxiety and every day he chews up things, defecates and urinates all over, barks or causes some sort of mayhem.

Sound familiar?

What Is Separation Anxiety?

Dogs, by nature, are pack animals. You are his pack and his benevolent leader. Because he looks up to you, when you're gone, he gets anxious. Some dogs are higher strung than others and some learn this behavior through our own actions (long tearful good-byes and encouraging whining and frantic behavior). Some have had a traumatic experience (to them) happen that causes them to get clingy. So, when you leave, your dog becomes upset and frightened because he's anxious that you're gone. Dog express their anxiety through destructive behavior, howling and barking, whining and urinating and defecating.

How to Combat the Anxiety

In most cases, the behavior surrounding separation anxiety doesn't happen overnight, so the cure won't take effect immediately either. Still, there are plenty of things you can do to calm a nervous pup.

1. Crate your dog. Although you might think it won't help, if your dog is crate-trained and in his own crate, it will give your dog a feeling of security. In the wild, dogs naturally sleep in dens. If you watch your dog during something scary (like a thunderstorm), you'll often see him go hide under something like a chair, the bed or even a coffee table. Dogs know that confined spaces are good. If you don't have your dog crate-trained yet, start working on it.

2. Use Dog Appeasing Pheromones. The makers of Feliway® have come up with their own version of calming scents for your dog called Comfort Zone with DAP®. The DAP diffuser gives off a scent that only dogs smell that smells like mom's pheromones when she nursed her puppies. This scent is calming and your dog may be more inclined to relax with it. It does need to be used for several weeks for the full effect, so plan on having it plugged in the areas your dog stays.

3. Turn on some light music or the TV. Sometimes the silence can be a bit overwhelming, so giving your dog a little background noise can help calm anxiety. One company has taken the whole music thing a step farther, adding the sound of a heartbeat that will help calm dogs. The product, Canine Lullabies, uses the same heartbeat therapy that is used on babies to help calm them down.

4. Give your dog something with your scent on it. Your dog loves your dirty laundry, even if you don't. Leave a shirt or sweatshirt behind in his bed or crate to help comfort him. Just be sure you don't mind holes in it.

5. Make your comings and goings as calm as possible. Don't make a big production out of leaving and returning. Your dog will pick up on the nervous energy and it will cause him to act out.

6. Give your dog a puzzle ball or Kong stuffed with treats to work on. Put in some really delicious treats and have your dog work on it while you're gone. He'll put much of his nervous energy into getting at the food that he might not noticed you're gone that long.

7. Teach your dog a cue word or phrase that indicates you're coming back. Give him his puzzle ball, turn on the television, grab your keys and tell him "I'll be back." You can sound like Arnold Schwarzenegger, if you'd like.

8. Teach your dog you're coming back. You may need to work on this on a weekend or several days when you're off. Go through all the motions of leaving, e.g., give him a puzzle ball, turn on the television, get your keys, give him your key phrase and walk out the door. Wait five minutes and come back in. Do this several times and then lengthen the amount of time spent to 10 minutes, and so on. Teach your dog you are returning.

9. Try homeopathic, over-the-counter, calming aids. Try giving your dog Bach Flower Rescue Remedy or other homeopathic calming aids in his water.

10. Talk to your veterinarian. In extreme cases of separation anxiety, your veterinarian may be able to prescribe medications that may help take the edge off. Be sure to try all the other suggestions before medicating your dog, but in extreme cases, this may be the only option.

Reference

Margaret H. Bonham, The Complete Guide to Mutts, 2004.

Separation Anxiety in Dogs