Signs and Treatment for Separation Anxiety in Dogs
September 20th 2010 15:39
If you have a dog with separation anxiety, then you know how it is... If you're not sure if your dog has separation anxiety, then he probably doesn't, but it really varies to the extreme of the anxiety condition. Many dogs suffer the conditions, and you'll find that Border Collies, German Shepherds, Collies, and Shelties are prone to anxiety problems, but that doesn't mean that ever individual within the breed actually has a problem.
Anyway, the basic signs of separation anxiety in dogs include:
* Destructive behavior while you're gone
* House soiling
* Distress vocalization
* Reduced activity level
* Depression
* Loss of appetite
* Pacing
* Aggression when the owner leaves (mouthing, growling, nipping, or body blocking)
* Excessive grooming
* Diarrhea and/or vomiting
* Excessive panting and salivation
Dogs with separation anxiety can get mildly to severely distressed when the owner leaves the house. In many cases, kenneling won't even help the situation.
My mother's dog (St. Bernard/Collie mix), has such severe separation anxiety, that she would pant and slober all over her plastic kennel, rusting the door so when opened, you had to fight to open it. She also bent the bars on the top of a wire cage and escaped the cage. She dug up carpet in at the doors of bedrooms, as well as exterior doors, and she chewed mattresses, door frames, cabinet corners, and other furniture furniture.
When it came to treating Bella, nothing worked. The aromatherapy plug-ins from the vet had no affect on her, two different types of medications from the vet didn't help, and no over the counter medicines helped. She is currently 7 years old, and still has separation anxiety, and will chew up clothes and other personal items when left alone, but she has gotten better about chewing furniture. She is not on any medicines, but my mother has to leave the television on where the dog is during the day.
Treatment for separation anxiety for dogs, may include:
* Offer chew toys or bones to keep occupied during the day.
* Consider a crate or dog pen to confine the dog during the day.
* Leave a light on so that the dog feels a little more comforted.
* Leave on the television or a radio so that the dog has noise versus a quite room and house.
* Change up your morning routines before you leave so that the dog doesn't expect your exit.
* Do not make a big deal out of leaving or returning. Just crate the dog and go. No sad and long goodbyes. When arriving, just release the dog, take him/her outside and continue about your regular activities like you never went anywhere.
Not every idea will work for every dog, so you'll have to play around to see what works for your dog.
If these options don't help, consider calming medicine or holistic treatments.
And, if that doesn't work, consider hiring a dog sitter or find a local dog day care to take your dog to during the day, while you're at work or school.
* House soiling
* Distress vocalization
* Reduced activity level
* Depression
* Loss of appetite
* Pacing
* Aggression when the owner leaves (mouthing, growling, nipping, or body blocking)
* Excessive grooming
* Diarrhea and/or vomiting
* Excessive panting and salivation
Dogs with separation anxiety can get mildly to severely distressed when the owner leaves the house. In many cases, kenneling won't even help the situation.
My mother's dog (St. Bernard/Collie mix), has such severe separation anxiety, that she would pant and slober all over her plastic kennel, rusting the door so when opened, you had to fight to open it. She also bent the bars on the top of a wire cage and escaped the cage. She dug up carpet in at the doors of bedrooms, as well as exterior doors, and she chewed mattresses, door frames, cabinet corners, and other furniture furniture.
When it came to treating Bella, nothing worked. The aromatherapy plug-ins from the vet had no affect on her, two different types of medications from the vet didn't help, and no over the counter medicines helped. She is currently 7 years old, and still has separation anxiety, and will chew up clothes and other personal items when left alone, but she has gotten better about chewing furniture. She is not on any medicines, but my mother has to leave the television on where the dog is during the day.
Treatment for separation anxiety for dogs, may include:
* Offer chew toys or bones to keep occupied during the day.
* Consider a crate or dog pen to confine the dog during the day.
* Leave a light on so that the dog feels a little more comforted.
* Leave on the television or a radio so that the dog has noise versus a quite room and house.
* Change up your morning routines before you leave so that the dog doesn't expect your exit.
* Do not make a big deal out of leaving or returning. Just crate the dog and go. No sad and long goodbyes. When arriving, just release the dog, take him/her outside and continue about your regular activities like you never went anywhere.
Not every idea will work for every dog, so you'll have to play around to see what works for your dog.
If these options don't help, consider calming medicine or holistic treatments.
And, if that doesn't work, consider hiring a dog sitter or find a local dog day care to take your dog to during the day, while you're at work or school.
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