Anxiety in Dogs – Separation Anxiety

Separation Anxiety is a mental disorder that occurs when the person is separated from something they love or someone very dear to them. Similar is the case with separation anxiety occurring for dogs. When dogs are separated from their owners or from their usual habitat they tend to face Separation Anxiety.

Causes of Separation Anxiety in Dogs

Although the exact cause of any type of anxiety occurring in dogs are not known, there are researches say dogs suffer more form separation anxiety than any other. This behavior is particularly common for those dogs adopted from shelters or from other families. When a dog under shelter is abandoned, they are likely to be affected by separation. They get this feeling that they are thrown away from a very close person and this makes them disappointed and anxious. Death of the person whom the dog is much attached too can cause separation anxiety in them.

When the whole family is relocating to a new place, there are chances that the dog will be affected by anxiety. The new surroundings, new environment and new people around make the dog uncomfortable and the feeling of anxiety develops. When the person the dog is close with goes away for sometime then it can cause separation anxiety in the dog. Like suppose, your dog is very close with you, more closely than anyone in the family then it will face separation anxiety when you go away. That is, when you go for higher studies or job or any other reason that makes you stay away from home for some time.

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Symptoms of Separation Anxiety in Dogs

• Urinating – Dogs usually urinate in the presence of their owners or mostly in the presence of their owner. But if a dog urinates and pass stool when they are left alone, then you can doubt of separation anxiety affecting the dog.
• Aggressive behavior – Dogs who are suffering from separation anxiety shows aggressive behavior. They give you a wide stare without blinking and tend to show their bared teeth and bark a lot. Dogs normally stand in a relaxed posture but when the dogs are aggressive they stiffen up their body and make a pointed posture. It will hold their tail high and swing it side by side in a rigid motion. They will have pointed ears too.
• Shedding – Shedding in dogs is a sign of stress and this thereby causes anxiety too. When a dog is shifted to a new location with new surroundings you are likely to find piles of hair fallen out from the body of the dog.
• Loss of appetite – Just like in humans, anxiety also causes loss of appetite in dogs. They refuse to eat no matter whatever offered. They might even go for days without eating and they are brought back to the place from where they are separated they starts to behave normally.
• Strange behavior – You will also start noticing your dog showing strange behaviors. Like for example, shaking themselves, always lying down, howling unnecessarily and not barking, chewing, digging and other strange things like these.

Treatment for Separation Anxiety in Dogs

• Counter-conditioning – This is a method where the dog trained and taught to react to something it fears or dislikes in a positive way. A connection between the dogs being alone with other good things around him is maintained like for example food or playing with ball and so on.
• Desensitization – Give the dog’s small practice of separation and desensitize them. Train them to adapt well to any environment. It is always best to ask a doctor do this treatment and we cannot predict the after effects of this treatment and the behavioral changes by the dogs.
• Walk the dog – If you are leaving the house for a short span of time then you can do the following things before you leave, like take the dog for a walk, make the goodbye gesture to the dog from few days before your leave, train the dog to be calm and assertive and so on. You yourself must be very calm and assertive.