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If you're a responsible dog owner, the last thing you'd ever want is your dog to feel upset and anxious. So, if your dog suffers from separation anxiety, it can be a stressful time for both of you.
In this guide, we highlight separation anxiety's causes and the main symptoms so you can spot the signs and help your dog lead a much less stressful life when left alone.
Then, with our top tips on properly dealing with and curing separation anxiety, you and your four-legged friend will feel much more relaxed about any form of inevitable separation, whether when you go to work or take a well-earned break.
Table of contents:
What are the symptoms of separation anxiety in dogs?
How to treat separation anxiety in dogs
How to prevent separation anxiety from returning
What is separation anxiety?
In simple terms, separation anxiety is when your dog becomes anxious when you leave them alone. However, there are many levels of dog separation anxiety, so the definition is far more complex.
Separation anxiety is not uncommon in dogs and can present itself in many ways. It usually occurs when a dog is left alone. But dogs can also feel anxious when their preferred human leaves them, even if they've been left at home with others.
If your dog has mild separation anxiety, it may follow you around before you leave and then become restless after you've gone. Still, some anxiety cases can lead to more severe symptoms, especially if your dog's separation anxiety is left untreated. A dog with extreme attachment issues may constantly panic when left alone.
Whatever level of anxiety your dog has, learning how to treat it will make a world of difference to their stress levels and behaviour.
Dogs are sociable creatures, but it's our job as owners to teach them that it's okay to spend some time alone occasionally and to help them feel relaxed when left behind.
What causes separation anxiety?
There's no clear answer as to why dogs suffer from separation anxiety. Like people, dogs are individuals, and as they grow, life experiences can make them anxious in certain situations, so there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution.
Here are some common causes that can help to decode your dog's anxious characteristics:
- Dogs that have been poorly socialised and haven't been exposed to many different situations when they are young can sometimes become anxious adults. They may become spooked easily and develop fears of the unknown.
- Dogs with little or no training or who don't have an established routine can find the world much harder to cope with.
- Rescue dogs sometimes develop anxious tendencies due to missing out on opportunities for important socialisation in key phases of their lives. They haven't always been poorly treated, although new owners often assume this. Similarly, dogs returning to a shelter after an initial adoption can become anxious in a new home, developing a fear of uncertainty.
- A puppyhood trauma
- Significant changes to a family makeup (birth or death, or someone moving away from the family home) or a family routine (e.g. a family member returning to work after a long time unemployed/working from home).
- Genetics mean some breeds are more likely to be nervous or develop isolation distress.
What are the symptoms of separation anxiety in dogs?
The symptoms of separation anxiety aren't always obvious and can be widely varied from dog to dog. Here are some of the most common:
- Excessive panting and/ or drooling
- Shaking or restlessness
- Excessive barking, howling or whining
- Uncharacteristic aggression
- Destructive behaviour
- Defecating or urinating, even when housebroken
- Quiet and watchful with other symptoms progressing over time
If your dog has separation anxiety, it may display a single or a range of these symptoms, and the symptoms may differ depending on how anxious they feel.
It's important not to shout at your dog or tell them off when you return home, as dogs can't always associate past behaviours with present situations. By doing this, your dog may fear you coming home just as much as they fear you leaving them.
The best thing to do for your dog is to learn and recognise their anxious behaviours and work with them to prevent them from becoming anxious in the future.
How to treat separation anxiety in dogs
Unfortunately, there's no straight path to curing dog separation anxiety quickly. However, with the right advice, time, patience and care, you can work with your dog to get them to a place where they feel less anxious and more relaxed.
Remedies for dog separation anxiety
The best way to remedy your dog's separation anxiety is to start by putting yourself in their shoes and identifying what behaviours trigger their anxiety in the first place. The more you understand your dog's behaviour, the greater your chance of treating it!
There are various ways to treat separation anxiety, so it may be worth chatting to your vet so you can choose a behaviourist who can help you tailor a plan to your dog's needs or, in more serious cases, see whether your dog requires medication to help them deal with the problem. Your vet will also be able to rule out any breed-specific issues that could be the root cause of your dog's anxiety issues.
Before you start working towards curing your dog's separation anxiety, it's important that your dog has a solid routine in place and is fed and walked at the same time every day. Dogs take a lot of comfort from their routine, so if you don't already have one in place, now's the perfect time to start.
Another great way to prevent your dog from becoming anxious is to keep its mind busy. Interesting training, long walks, and games help tire your dog's mind, so it'll be more likely to sleep and relax when you're not at home.
Threshold for panic and desensitisation
If your dog panics when you leave, it's important not to leave them alone for a few weeks before beginning training. Doing this will set them up for success and prevent them from spiralling into panic mode, which, in turn, should help them from regressing into their anxious ways.
Establish your dog’s threshold for panic
Before you begin training, you need to understand at what point your dog begins to feel anxious after you leave the house; this is your dog's panic threshold, and you must establish it before trying to cure it.
- Start by setting up a camera in your home. You could simply position your laptop near where your dog waits for you to return and connect to it via Zoom from your smartphone once you're outside, or you could use a home security camera.
- Once set up, leave the house as normal and position yourself nearby where your dog can't hear or see you.
- Start a timer from when you leave and observe your dog on your smartphone, taking note of its behaviours.
- What for five to ten minutes, but don't allow your dog to become over-anxious. The point at which your dog displays any anxious traits is your dog's panic threshold.
Gradual desensitisation to cure anxiety
Now that you know your dog's panic threshold, you can work within that timeframe to cure it. The goal is to slowly desensitise your dog to longer periods when you need to be away from home.
If your dog panics soon after you leave, start with the following steps to accustom them to the idea of you leaving:
- Walk to your front door, open it a crack, close it, and walk away.
- Next, walk to the door and step outside. Close the door behind you and then immediately return.
- Then, walk to the door, push down the door handle, release, and walk away.
Between each step, do something you would naturally do at home, such as watch TV or tidy the house and refrain from giving your dog too much attention, as this will make the next step more difficult.
As you work through each step, you desensitise your dog from pre-departure cues. Dogs are super-intelligent and use these cues to work out when you're going to leave before you realise they have. Once you've perfected the first three steps, add things like putting on your shoes and picking up your keys to desensitise your dog to more triggers (this also helps you establish which cues make your dog the most stressed).
It's important to take things gradually and only introduce one cue per day so as not to encourage too much stress. Take regular breaks in training so you're not demanding too much from your dog. As you make gradual improvements over time, you'll soon be able to increase the time you step outside before you return.
Make sure everyone in your household participates in the training so your dog can cope with whoever leaves them behind. Also, ensure that you practise training at different times of the day, as a varied schedule means your dog will be less sensitive to routine changes while training.
Preventing separation anxiety when you go away for long periods
Once your training begins to pay off and you can leave your dog for longer without them becoming stressed, you may consider leaving them at work or with a sitter for an overnight stay. In this case, continue to set your dog up for success so there's less chance of them regressing.
If you're leaving your dog for long periods in the day, always take them for a long walk before you go or arrange for a dog walker to come and walk them during the day. This will break up their routine and help them relax, as well-exercised dogs are generally more relaxed.
If you plan to go away or overnight, arrange for a sitter to stay with your dog in your house or take plenty of their familiar items to the sitter's house with them so they can take comfort from familiarity. It's important to see how your dog responds to being left overnight before you plan on leaving them for longer periods.
How to prevent separation anxiety from returning
After long periods of gradual desensitisation training and an established routine, your dog should now feel more comfortable being left alone. However, to prevent them from regressing, there are some measures you can put in place to keep them relaxed and happy.
Be their leader
Dogs, as pack animals, are much happier and more relaxed when they know who their leader is. Separation anxiety tends to occur more in dogs who struggle to understand their role in your relationship. Regular training alongside a good routine can help your dog understand its place in your life.
Relaxed greetings and departures
If your dog senses you're nervous about leaving them behind, it will become nervous and be more likely to suffer from separation anxiety. If your dog knows your leaving routine, work to desensitise these steps. Similarly, if your dog is hysterical when you return, wait until they begin to calm down before you greet them.
Exercise good boundaries
Established boundaries can help your dog feel happy, confident and independent. Make sure it's you who initiates cuddles, petting and playtime, and ensure they have their own space to relax, such as their bed, to give them the best chance of success!
Shop for dog-calming products at Groomers
Now that you're on the right path to training away your dog's separation anxiety, why not browse our dog-calming products at Groomers? Find calming sprays and wipes from Pet Remedy to help your dog relax in the most stressful situations, alongside our very own Groomers Dog Grooming Snoods to keep dogs calm whilst grooming.
