Dog separation anxiety is a frequent problem faced by owners all around the world, with latest research saying that between 15 and 50% of our dogs show dog separation anxiety symptoms at some particular stage of their life.
While it is not always easy for dog owners to differentiate between dog behavior problems and symptoms of separation anxiety in dogs, here are some of the most common symptoms as well as some more hidden tell tale indications that owners often miss.
Dog Anxiety Symptom 1: Noise Issues
One of the most evident signals of dog separation anxiety is a dog that makes lots of noise while you're gone. The noise can take the form of barking, howling, whining or crying and because they're regularly awfully loud, they are most likely to have your neighbors complaining!?
Now, dogs will be noisy for other reasons, but the key indicator for separation anxiety is that your dog will bark, whine, howl or cry as you are leaving, or right after you leave. Occasionally they'll carry on for an hour non-stop, while others will bark and whine off and on all day.
Dog Anxiety Symptom 2: Dog Urinating or Pooping In House
Moving on from one of the most obvious evidence of dog anxiety to one of the most difficult indications of dog anxiety to handle, a dog urinating in the house or pooping in the house must top the list.
Unfortunately, a dog might do this anywhere in the house - your kitchen, corridor, sitting room, door-way or your bed. Frequently this behaviour will make no sense to you, because your dog is most likely to be completely house trained and you probably walked them before you left the house and you know they performed what they needed to then!
Dog Anxiety Symptom 3: Dog Chewing
Dog chewing is another classic sign of dog separation anxiety and because dogs react differently to the stress of separation, they could be gnawing for 2 absolutely different reasons. Some dogs will be pro-active in trying to get the 'pack ' back together, and will perhaps try and gnaw their way out of the house to find their owners. Other dogs won't cope at all and start to panic and chew as a way to calm themselves down.
Chewing releases a natural endorphin into the body that helps to calm the nerve system. So chewing up your favourite shoes is commonly a dogs way of trying to feel a bit better.
You?ll understand this symptom if you're a nails chewer yourself, as we frequently chew when we're feeling nervous. Many of us also comfort eat (which is more chewing), or chew on gum nervously (you only have to watch UK soccer manager Alex Ferguson at a match to grasp this one).
Dog Anxiety Symptom 4: Dog Getting Out, Escaping or Running Away
Some dogs will try and escape while their owner is out, whether or not that's attempting to dig their way under the hedge, scratch their way thru a closed door or get out of the house by any other means they can.
Remember with anxiety symptoms, we're talking about a dog that's panicking and the idea of doing something very dangerous is not as important as the necessity to find the pack.
Dog Anxiety Symptom 5: Destructive Dog Behavior
This again could be a very pricey behavior problem in dogs and I've seen an extraordinary quantity of damage inflicted on houses by a dog that's panicking and suffering from separation anxiety.
Frequently destruction takes place around threshold areas of the house where the dog thinks it has the highest probability of getting out. Equally they can focus on the place they know you left by. So this will involve scratching at doors or around windows, digging up carpets, or gnawing plaster around a door. Actually I heard about a dog that completely devastated a complete kitchen while the owner was away for less than an hour.
Dog Anxiety Symptom 6: Dog Health Problems
If the stress that comes from dog separation anxiety becomes too much to cope with for a dog, it can end up in health issues, in a fairly similar way as humans who can't cope with highly stressful scenarios can get unwell. Sometimes the vet will find it difficult to diagnose anything specific.
Some dogs show symptoms such as pacing up and down non-stop and they can also salivate unduly. Other dogs will lick or gnaw on their own body to relieve the stress that comes from separation anxiety. This can cause raw patches and plenty of tenderness on areas like the dog's front legs and paws, or the dog's tail.
Dog Anxiety Symptom 7: A Dog That Follows You Everywhere
Curiously one of the most common signals of a dog with separation anxiety shows up when you're still at home!
Some dog owners can't move around the house without the dog moving too. They literally seem to be stuck to them like sellotape! Some dogs will even lay themselves down the owner's feet so as to be alerted to the smallest movement.
Of course, dogs are pack animals, so if they believe the pack is getting ready to leave they will be alert so they know whether they should come too. But equally, they should feel relaxed enough to let you go into another room without following you every time.
If your dog shows several of the dog separation anxiety symptoms mentioned above, take action now as it won't vanish by itself. They require your help.
While it is not always easy for dog owners to differentiate between dog behavior problems and symptoms of separation anxiety in dogs, here are some of the most common symptoms as well as some more hidden tell tale indications that owners often miss.
Dog Anxiety Symptom 1: Noise Issues
One of the most evident signals of dog separation anxiety is a dog that makes lots of noise while you're gone. The noise can take the form of barking, howling, whining or crying and because they're regularly awfully loud, they are most likely to have your neighbors complaining!?
Now, dogs will be noisy for other reasons, but the key indicator for separation anxiety is that your dog will bark, whine, howl or cry as you are leaving, or right after you leave. Occasionally they'll carry on for an hour non-stop, while others will bark and whine off and on all day.
Dog Anxiety Symptom 2: Dog Urinating or Pooping In House
Moving on from one of the most obvious evidence of dog anxiety to one of the most difficult indications of dog anxiety to handle, a dog urinating in the house or pooping in the house must top the list.
Unfortunately, a dog might do this anywhere in the house - your kitchen, corridor, sitting room, door-way or your bed. Frequently this behaviour will make no sense to you, because your dog is most likely to be completely house trained and you probably walked them before you left the house and you know they performed what they needed to then!
Dog Anxiety Symptom 3: Dog Chewing
Dog chewing is another classic sign of dog separation anxiety and because dogs react differently to the stress of separation, they could be gnawing for 2 absolutely different reasons. Some dogs will be pro-active in trying to get the 'pack ' back together, and will perhaps try and gnaw their way out of the house to find their owners. Other dogs won't cope at all and start to panic and chew as a way to calm themselves down.
Chewing releases a natural endorphin into the body that helps to calm the nerve system. So chewing up your favourite shoes is commonly a dogs way of trying to feel a bit better.
You?ll understand this symptom if you're a nails chewer yourself, as we frequently chew when we're feeling nervous. Many of us also comfort eat (which is more chewing), or chew on gum nervously (you only have to watch UK soccer manager Alex Ferguson at a match to grasp this one).
Dog Anxiety Symptom 4: Dog Getting Out, Escaping or Running Away
Some dogs will try and escape while their owner is out, whether or not that's attempting to dig their way under the hedge, scratch their way thru a closed door or get out of the house by any other means they can.
Remember with anxiety symptoms, we're talking about a dog that's panicking and the idea of doing something very dangerous is not as important as the necessity to find the pack.
Dog Anxiety Symptom 5: Destructive Dog Behavior
This again could be a very pricey behavior problem in dogs and I've seen an extraordinary quantity of damage inflicted on houses by a dog that's panicking and suffering from separation anxiety.
Frequently destruction takes place around threshold areas of the house where the dog thinks it has the highest probability of getting out. Equally they can focus on the place they know you left by. So this will involve scratching at doors or around windows, digging up carpets, or gnawing plaster around a door. Actually I heard about a dog that completely devastated a complete kitchen while the owner was away for less than an hour.
Dog Anxiety Symptom 6: Dog Health Problems
If the stress that comes from dog separation anxiety becomes too much to cope with for a dog, it can end up in health issues, in a fairly similar way as humans who can't cope with highly stressful scenarios can get unwell. Sometimes the vet will find it difficult to diagnose anything specific.
Some dogs show symptoms such as pacing up and down non-stop and they can also salivate unduly. Other dogs will lick or gnaw on their own body to relieve the stress that comes from separation anxiety. This can cause raw patches and plenty of tenderness on areas like the dog's front legs and paws, or the dog's tail.
Dog Anxiety Symptom 7: A Dog That Follows You Everywhere
Curiously one of the most common signals of a dog with separation anxiety shows up when you're still at home!
Some dog owners can't move around the house without the dog moving too. They literally seem to be stuck to them like sellotape! Some dogs will even lay themselves down the owner's feet so as to be alerted to the smallest movement.
Of course, dogs are pack animals, so if they believe the pack is getting ready to leave they will be alert so they know whether they should come too. But equally, they should feel relaxed enough to let you go into another room without following you every time.
If your dog shows several of the dog separation anxiety symptoms mentioned above, take action now as it won't vanish by itself. They require your help.
About the Author:
Author Venice Marriott is a writer and rescue dog owner and runs a Dog Anxiety site, to provide help for dog owners handling behaviour issues caused by their dog's anxiety. Watch a free video about dog separation anxiety symptoms, when you head to the site.
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