Undoubtedly, the dog is man's best friend and that relationship has lasted for thousands of years. However, as in any relationship, and there are some conditions and limitations. When the dog gets too attached to his owner, separation can become a problem, generating a behavioral deficiency known in today`s terminology as “separation anxiety”. It is quite common, being found in 10% of dogs of all ages. Normally, when a dog is left home alone, he plays with his favorite toy, eats and sleeps. With anxious dogs, things are not so simple. They manifest negative reactions when they are left alone.
The dog's perspective
If we can understand what triggers anxiety, we will be able to eliminate it. For a puppy, the mother is the center of his universe. When he is brought into a family, the owner takes over the maternal role and all the related duties. The puppy attaches quickly and desires to be with his owner all the time. While they are small, this behavior may seem funny and cute, but later things will get much more complicated and as soon as the owner will leave the house, the dog will feel lonely and abandoned.
Dominant dogs are another category that may manifest separation anxiety, although their reasons are different. Being dominant and having owners that didn`t manage to be their leaders, these dogs want to know at any time what their “subordinates” do and have the situation under control. When they feel they lose control (when the owner leaves home), they panic and react accordingly.
Causes
Excessively spoiled dogs, poorly educated and unsocialized dogs, the fearful and insecure, the dominant, and those kept in the house for too long are prone to exhibit separation anxiety. To some extent, separation anxiety can also be hereditary; otherwise it is triggered by certain events that occur in the dog's life. Here are some common situations:
- Relocating
- The death of a family member
- Being adopted by a new family
- Changes in the owner's schedule
- Being scared while home alone
Dogs adopted from shelters tend to become anxious out of fear of being abandoned again.
Symptoms
When the owner gets ready to leave, the dog becomes tense, he may jump around the house, spinning and shaking. Once the owner is gone, the dog starts howling and barking. Some animals will dig around the house, vomit, hyper-salivate, defecate/ urinate in the house, scratch walls or doorframes hoping they could escape, jump through windows or glass walls and, in severe cases, stressed dogs may even self-mutilate, by licking or scratching excessively different parts of their bodies.
Treatment
Often, the best treatment is prevention. Prevent anxiety! First, it is important that your dog recognizes you as the leader. Train your dog, because this way he will be more confident and mentally stimulated. Do not spoil him. Even though it may be flattering to have him around everywhere you go, this is not good for his confidence, so work on getting your dog accustomed to spending time alone, even when you are home. Not least, make sure you take your dog for a walk as often as possible, this will help them to release any unwanted energy.
