Signs of Separation Anxiety in Your Dog
GETTY IMAGES/DIANE DIEDERICH
Does your dog resort to annoying or even destructive
behaviors when you leave the house? If so, it
may have a condition known as separation anxiety,
meaning that your dog gets extremely nervous when
you are away and often finds an inappropriate outlet for
that anxiety. Look out for these signs:
Barking or whining. This vocal
sign begins soon before or after
departure and persists for a large
percentage of the time your dog
is alone. Your neighbors will
definitely let you know if this
behavior is occurring.
Inappropriate elimination.
Your dog deposits
its urine, stools or both in
various locations around
your home, as opposed to
in a single, consistent location.
This behavior only
occurs when you dog is
alone or perceives that
it is alone.
Destructive behavior.
This behavior is characterized
by damage to
exit points from your
home such as doors and
windows or destruction
of personal items such
as pillows, clothing
and remote control
units. Confining your dog to a cage often escalates the
destruction and can result in your dog injuring itself
(e.g. its teeth or toenails).
Excessive salivation. This behavior is often considered
to be highly suggestive of separation anxiety
when the behavior is restricted to those times when
your dog is alone or perceives that it is alone.
How do you know when your dog is exhibiting
these signs? After all, they happen
when you’re not home. Well there
is circumstantial evidence of
signs of destruction, elimination
or drooling. But even
better is video evidence.
A picture may be worth
a thousand words, but a video is worth a million,
at least to a veterinary behaviorist. Use your tablet,
your phone or your laptop to get video, or use an
online service such as Dropcam or Facetime.
If your dog is exhibiting any of these
behaviors when you are away, schedule
a visit with your veterinarian. He or she
can help you curb or completely eliminate
your dog’s anxiety with behavior
exercises, often in conjunction
with antianxiety medications.
Information provided
by John Ciribassi, DVM,
DACVB, Chicagoland
Veterinary Behavior
Consultants, Carol
Stream, Illinois./DVM360
