Dog separation anxiety is where a dog cannot bare to be left by its owner or human pack through feeling abandoned. The obvious indicator for this is being informed from your neighbour on your return that your dog is barking when left (neurotic extrovert.) This just isn’t pleasant to hear and can immensely make you feel guilty leaving your dog the next time.
How has it come to this point
One of the main reasons dogs become anxious when they are left is that they have had instilled from being a puppy that every little whimper or attention seeking behaviour gets attention form their owner. As they start to mature this leant behaviour will start to increase in intensity, and so does the anxiety. Consequently we are teaching our dog to be dependant on us more and more.
Circumstances along your dogs development will contribute further to your dogs anxiety. For example, you once was able to take the dog to work with you, but can no longer now. Certainly that change is going to massively impact on your dog and create anxiety!
Some of the signs that your dog is suffering separation anxiety
- Following one individual around the home
- Barking or howling when left
- Destruction of items when left
- Going to a door and laying down by it waiting for a individual to return
- Very distant and withdrawn when a person leaves
- Dog becomes very agitated towards owner as they go to leave
- Defecation and urination problems
Silent sufferers are just as stressed according to research
Not all anxiety dogs will display barking, some are silent sufferers (neurotic introverts.) However there will be indicators still communicated from the dog that they are not comfortably with being left. Research has proven that silent sufferers are just as stressed as extroverts (dog displaying its stress levels)
Anxiety is stressful for any dog
No one wants to witness their dog being anxious or stressed when left. In the same vein you wouldn’t know that constantly being their for your puppy during early days would sow the seeds for dog separation anxiety. Similarly you wouldn’t know that to have put in place or what to do without some professional advice.
To sum up
Now you have recognised that your dog is displaying dog separation anxiety. The good news there is a lot that can be done to reduce this. Need some expert advice for your dog on dog separation anxiety, then check out my services and pricing page here.
