A Guide to Separation Anxiety in Dogs

Separation anxiety in dogs has been a hot topic in recent years following the pandemic when owners were home with their canine companions more than they were away from them. Dogs are naturally social animals that need and want your company. This trait is one of the many reasons they make such great companions. However, it is also one of the reasons dogs may experience and suffer from distress when left alone.

Separation-Related Behavior Problems

This guide addresses behaviors dogs may exhibit when left alone, officially known as Separation-Related Problem Behaviors (SRPBs). These behaviors can range from mild unease to more extreme panic-driven actions.

SRPBs stem from “separation distress” in dogs, the stress a dog may experience when left alone. Separation distress is common and can be mild or excessive. A dog’s stress, if severe enough, can build into a panic attack, leading to “separation anxiety”. Separation anxiety in dogs is a condition requiring a veterinary diagnosis.

Regardless of the stress levels a dog experiences from being alone, stress may manifest externally in various SRPBs. Symptoms typically start within 30 minutes of their owner’s departure, and in some cases, immediately. While most dogs are emotionally attached to their owners, anxious dogs exhibit more SRPBs than less anxious dogs.

Separation-Related Problem Behaviors

(Listed Mild to Severe)

Reluctance to enter their crate or confinement area when you depart
Intermittent whining during departures
Barking in short intervals that stop 15 to 20 minutes after you depart
Howling lightly and intermittently
Not eating during the owner’s departure
Pawing at their crate intermittently during departures
Pacing off and on during your departure and unable to settle or relax
Panting that starts and stops or is consistent throughout an owner’s departure
Destruction of home or confinement area
Hyper-salivation
Inappropriate eliminations in-home or in their confinement area
Vomiting
Intense, non-stop howling or barking
Self-trauma from trying to escape
Self-injury such as excessive paw licking or tail biting

Addressing these problems as soon as possible to maintain a strong and healthy relationship with your dog is crucial. According to Dr. Barbara Sherman, a Veterinary Behaviorist, “Signs associated with separation anxiety can erode the human-animal bond. Because of its financial and emotional cost, unresolved separation anxiety is a common cause of relinquishment to animal shelters.”

Preventing the Development of Separation-Related Behavior Problems

Trainers use what’s known as “independence training” to build a dog’s confidence and teach them how to be comfortable when left alone. This type of training is a helpful exercise for dogs of all ages.

Getting Started:

Set your dog up with a food toy or enrichment item in a dog-proof area of the home. This dog-proof spot can be the living area, a crate, or a bedroom.
Give your dog time to become engaged while staying close and in sight.
While in eyeshot, calmly walk a few feet away from your dog.
Remain calm and end the repetition by returning to where you were when you started the sequence.
With each repetition, slowly increase the distance you move away from your dog (by 1-2 feet) while varying the time you remain away (by 5-10 seconds).
Continue to end the repetition by calmly returning to where you were when you started the sequence.

Move Out of Your Dog’s View

Once your dog is comfortable with you at the furthest visual distance for several minutes, move out of their view.
Walk the furthest visual distance from your dog while they remain occupied with food or a toy, then briefly exit the room for only 1-2 seconds and return to where you were when you started the sequence.
Slowly increase the time you are out of your dog’s sight and repeat this process over multiple sessions.
To prevent your dog from anticipating your return, vary the time you are away (10 seconds, 15 seconds, and others for 5 seconds or back to 2 seconds).
As you continue this process, slowly add more time to the repetitions, modifying the duration you are out of their sight.

🐾 Pro Tip: If you build enough time and your dog finishes their food or toy, that’s okay!

Ignore your dog if they come to find you, and calmly end the sequence by returning to where you were when it began. Once your dog is calm, gently praise them and end the session.

Move Outside of the Home

When your dog is comfortable being out of sight in their safe area, crate, or room, you are ready to move outside the home as part of your practice session.
Briefly step outside the home for 1-2 seconds – Calmly return inside and move around as usual.
Once your dog is calm and comfortable, gently praise them or continue to go about your day. Repeat this process over multiple sessions.
To prevent your dog from anticipating your return, vary the time you are away (10 seconds, 15 seconds, and others for 5 seconds or back to 2 seconds).
As you continue this process, slowly add more time to the repetitions.

Associate a Verbal Signal to Your Departures

Choose a reassuring phrase such as ‘See you soon’ to signal you will return.
Say your cue when you depart from your dog. Always verbalize your cue calmly and with a neutral tone.
Continue practicing with your cue while switching up time outside the home.

Tips for Preventing Separation-Related Problem Behaviors

Avoid leaving your dog alone for extended periods. The duration a dog can safely be left alone before feeling distressed varies by age, experience, housing conditions, and training.
Keep arrivals and departures calm by avoiding excessive greetings or goodbyes.
Always have a safe place where your dog can go for comfort and security.
If your dog is hyper-attached and often follows you around the house, encourage plenty of independent playtime.
Provide at least 30 minutes of adequate exercise and play opportunities for your dog daily.
Set up a soothing household environment (e.g., temperature, noise, lights, etc.) before your departure.
Avoid leaving for extended periods without planning to return home intermittently or to have a dog walker or pet sitter stop by to provide additional enrichment.

What To Do When Your Dog Has Separation-Related Behavior Problems?

Thankfully, SRPBs are addressable. With patience and practice, you can teach your dog that it is alright to be alone and that you will always return, thereby alleviating their distress.

If your dog is displaying SRBPs, it is recommended that you seek professional help to develop a suitable plan that addresses your dog’s worries and helps change their behavior. Veterinary Behaviorists, or DACVBs, collaborate with experienced trainers and can provide medication or supplements and behavior modification support. You may want to consider working with a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer or CSAT. GoodPup, a private, one-on-one live and virtual dog training, uses science-based, positive reinforcement methods to help minimize and prevent SRBPs in dogs by addressing their distress before it becomes problematic.

A Guide to Separation Anxiety in Dogs