Signs of Puppy Separation Anxiety
There are many signs that your puppy is anxious and is suffering from separation anxiety.
- Destruction - When you get home from leaving your puppy alone and they have chewed, bit and destroyed many different things around the house like window frames, doorways, your couch, your shoes, etc. If your pet does not typically do this when you are home with them, but then as soon as you leave they do - they probably have anxiety about being left alone. This can be very unsafe for your puppy and can lead to injury
- Using the Bathroom - If your puppy has been house trained and you were so excited about no more accidents…and then now when you leave them alone they use the bathroom multiple times inside - then your dog is showing signs of separation anxiety.
- Barking - The type of barking caused by separation anxiety is a constant bark and howl as soon as you leave them alone. Sadly, they are in distress about being alone and you being gone.
- Escaping - Many puppy owners leave their pet home alone and in a crate. If your puppy is escaping their crate and continuing to do all above actions, they are suffering from separation anxiety. Even if they are not in a crate, some dogs may attempt to escape the house in general which is very unsafe.
The biggest thing to look out for is if there are any excessive behaviors that don’t usually happen when you are with your dog, that then happen as soon as you leave, that is a sign that your dog is in distress and has separation anxiety.
Why Do Puppies Get Separation Anxiety
There isn’t a straight answer as to why dogs get separation anxiety. Just like humans, some dogs are just more anxious than others. Based on our knowledge though, we think that a lot of separation anxiety can stem from being adopted. Many dogs come from shelters or have left other homes before finding you and this trauma may stay with them and be developed in the form of separation anxiety.
But, there are other causes as well. Things like a dramatic change in their schedule or routine can cause it. One thing that was noticed a lot during the past couple years in a pandemic is dogs got used to their owners staying home with them all day long - and now with people going back to work, they are noticing more anxiety when they have to leave their dog alone. It can also be caused by a change of scenery. If you move homes or bring your dog on vacation and have to leave them for an evening, this new, unfamiliar location, can trigger an anxiety attack.
This may be hard to hear...but one if the biggest causes of separation anxiety is..well the owner. A lot of people don't know this, but you actually have to teach your dog to be alone. It's crucial that you do. Puppies that are never taught to have alone time develop separation anxiety.
Puppy Separation Anxiety Solutions
Dealing with puppy separation anxiety is not easy and can put a toll on you and your puppy. We do have some solutions to help! If your dog is suffering from mild separation anxiety (you can leave them alone and while they may have a few accidents and a shoe may be chewed, your house is in tact and they didn’t escape) there are some tips you can do to try and make staying home alone more calming and enjoyable for them.
Our first suggestion is to get a large KONG toy and put something your dog enjoys inside it. Like peanut butter, cream cheese or spray cheese. Leave this for them right before you walk out the door! When you get home, ignore your pup for a bit! Go to the kitchen, put some stuff down, pretend if you have to! And then you can remove this toy and give them some love. If this trick works to help distract your dog from being left alone, then you can continue and slowly wean them off. Make sure not to make coming home a big celebration. When you celebrate too much, it reinforces that you being away is a bad thing.
If your puppy has moderate to severe separation anxiety it can be more difficult. Our tip here is to try training your dog to understand you’re leaving. You can do this by doing practice and timed departures. Start with having your dog sit or lay down and walk to the other side of the room. Then repeat and go to another room. *Take note if this triggers anxiety already then you will need to seek professional medical help*.
Time this and come back to your dog in 30 seconds with positive reinforcement. Start repeating this technique by going into another room for longer periods of time and then coming back. Then you can practice going outside and increasing your time. And soon you will be able to take a short 30 minute trip to the grocery and come back to a relaxed dog!
You are helping them learn that you will always come back, easing their anxiety. This process is time consuming and requires patience but it will help in the long run!
If these simple remedies did not work and your dog is still suffering from extreme separation anxiety, we recommend talking to your vet about medication options available!
