Many a pet owner dreads leaving a pet alone at home or with a friend – the reason being separation anxiety. Dogs love company and like to be close to their guardians or pet parents at all times. A perfectly well behaved dog would bark, howl, chew, dig, urinate, defecate or try to escape when separated. Although at times these problems may seem to indicate that the dog needs to be taught polite house manners, it may also signify that the dog is exhibiting symptoms of stress. Dogs of both sex and all breeds may be susceptible to the problem.
Some of the common symptoms associated with separation anxiety include:
- Urinating and defecating: Some dogs tend to urinate and defecate on the floor or the sofa when left alone. This is exhibited by house-trained dogs that otherwise are perfectly well behaved in the presence of their guardians.
- Barking and howling: A nightmare for pet owners residing in flats, the dog starts howling, barking or whining when left alone in the house. The dog keeps at it continuously without a break and then calms down. It again sporadically breaks into whining, barking or howling intermittently.
- Chewing and digging: Some dogs when left alone start chewing the window sills or other household items (mainly furniture) or start digging at the door. Apart from damage caused, it may result in injury to the dog.
Some dogs are upset with the thought of being left alone and being separated from their pet parents or guardians and results in the dog trying to break out of the house or going on a destructive spree. Chewing, digging, urinating and defecating may lead to damages in the house. What should concern a pet owner most is the escape attempt. The escape attempts by the dog could vary from pawing at the door to the extreme lime banging heads or biting doors or windows resulting in self-injury.
The dogs tend to exhibit distress behavior or agitation prior to the departure of the guardian. Some dogs seemed depressed when the guardian leaves or prepares to leave. In some cases, dogs tend to prevent the guardians from leaving home. Most pet owners relate how the dogs start barking, whining or howling the moment the door is closed. The return of the pet owner is greeted deliriously by the dog and anyone watching would feel the reunion was taking place after a long separation.
Treating a dog with separation anxiety takes time and patience and centers on resolving the anxiety of the dog by slowly teaching him to tolerate the loneliness. It is a gradual process and you may seek help from qualified sources. Some pet owners claim to have solved the problem by getting another dog at home but it would not guarantee a solution in all cases of separation anxiety.