Separation anxiety is a panic-type reaction that your dog feels when you leave your pet alone. Separation anxiety can lead to any number of unwanted behaviors, from making messes in the house to tearing the place apart.
Some dog owners mistakenly believe that when you leave a dog alone and it destroys objects around the house that the dog is getting even with you for leaving it alone.
NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.
You and your dog do NOT live in a Disney cartoon where animals think and feel the same way humans do. Your dog is NOT thinking of ways to get back at you for leaving it alone. In fact, your dog is not THINKING at all, and the sooner you realize this important distinction, the sooner you and your dog will be able to deal with the very real psychological problems associated with Separation Anxiety.
Ultimately the problems associated with Separation Anxiety come down to an unusually strong attachment that your dog has with you. All of the problems associated with Separation Anxiety inappropriate defecation or wetting, prolonged periods of barking or whining, hyperactivity, depression and/or destructive behavior can be caused by other problems, but if these problems are always associated with the animal being left alone, and if the dog exhibits a prolonged greeting ritual whenever the owner returns, then chances are the problems stem from the dogs abnormal dependency on you.
This dependency can have many causes. Some dogs seem to simply have a predisposition to dependency. Other dogs have suffered a separation anxiety earlier in life a too-early separation from the mother, not being around other dogs as a puppy, a sudden change in environment or many other similar life upheavals that has now resulted in extreme anxiety and fear anytime the dog owner leaves the animal alone.
UNDERSTAND THAT ANY INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR IS NOT YOUR DOGS FAULT AND PUNISHMENT WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND MAY EVEN MAKE THE PROBLEM WORSE.
THE PROBLEM IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEM AND MUST BE DEALT WITH APPROPRIATELY.
One of the most common treatments for Separation Anxiety begins with a series of short separations. Start by leaving your dog alone for one to three minutes then return. However, do NOT make a big deal of your return. Your return needs to be kept low-key as if it is to be routinely expected. If your dog exhibits a prolonged greeting response, ignore the response and simply greet your dog in a friendly but not overly-friendly manner.
Once your dog can handle short separations, increase the duration of your separations by five or ten minutes and then return. Again, be friendly on your return but do NOT encourage an overly long greeting; attempt to make the greeting seem natural and normal as if no separation had occurred.
Continue extending the length of time that you are separated from your dog by five or ten minute intervals. Do not attempt to overly-stress your animal. Keep each separation just under your dog’s separation threshold.
Once your dog can handle a separation of an hour and a half then your dog can probably handle an all-day separation.
Do NOT go overboard with attention just before leaving for an extended period. Many 
people feel guilty about leaving their pet and feel that additional attention will make the dog feel better. Again, this is NOT the case and, in fact, the opposite is true. Being too demonstrative just before leaving your animal will increase its anxiety and can undo days of separation anxiety training.
people feel guilty about leaving their pet and feel that additional attention will make the dog feel better. Again, this is NOT the case and, in fact, the opposite is true. Being too demonstrative just before leaving your animal will increase its anxiety and can undo days of separation anxiety training.
The bottom line is to be understanding. Separation Anxiety is a mental condition on the part of your dog and NOT a conscious attempt to get back at you. With a little kindness, and a little patience, and a gradual weaning away process, it is very probable that your dog can be made to feel comfortable that each time you leave you will return and once your dog understands that, its unwanted separation anxiety behavior should disappear.
To Your Success,
Mary C.
Mary C. is an Entrepreneur who has been involved with one of the Great Entrepreneurs of our Century, whose motto was: "Failure Is Not An Option".
Mary C. is an Entrepreneur who has been involved with one of the Great Entrepreneurs of our Century, whose motto was: "Failure Is Not An Option".
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