SEPARATION ANXIETY IN DOGS

What is separation anxiety?

 A dog with separation anxiety becomes abnormally anxious when separated from his owner. The severity of the anxiety and behavior the dog exhibits varies from animal to animal. Separation anxiety can result in problematic behaviors such as: whining, pacing, salivation, barking, howling, scratching, chewing, digging, urinating or defecating, or destroying personal items or household objects.

 

What can I do about separation anxiety?

 If you suspect your dog is suffering from severe separation anxiety - especially if he is harming himself or your property - please consult with us to find the best method of treatment. Quite often leaving a radio on will help ease the dog and drown out ‘strange’ sounds. For milder cases, you may want to try one or more of the following tips to help reduce your dog's anxiety: More exercise - Go for more walks and throw the ball more often. Tired dogs are naturally less anxious. Soften your departures & returns - Keep your departures and returns low-keyed and unexciting. Don’t speak to the dog when you leave and don’t go nuts over him when you return! Gradually lengthen periods of your absence - Stage several short departures/arrivals throughout the day, gradually lengthening each absence as your dog adjusts. Finally, try the Pheromone Plug-In - Many dog owners have seen a remarkable improvement in their dog's anxiety with a relatively new product, the Comfort Zone Plug-In. Inserted in any wall outlet, and odourless to humans, it releases Dog Appeasing Pheromones (DAPs) in the air throughout the entire room. Mimicking a mother dog’s natural pheromones, it reduces and prevents stress-related behavior such as barking, whining, chewing, and soiling.