It is not natural for dogs to be alone; they are pack
animals and thrive on being with one another.Some dogs can be particularly sensitive to being left alone
and develop what is known as separation anxiety.Separation anxiety is characterized by whining, barking,
crying and destructive behavior when a dog is left alone.SA can be mild or it can be as severe
as the dog hurting himself trying to escape the house or kennel.
People can intensify SA when they attempt to comfort the dog
by saying long drawn out goodbyes and emotional hellos.It is best to keep arrivals and
departures low-key for any dog.When a dog is already anxious because he knows his people are leaving,
an emotional goodbye can put him over the edge.
Always exercise your dog before leaving him home, whether he
has SA or not.The more energy you
drain, the less energy your dog will have to panic, bark and be destructive.
SA can be a very difficult problem to resolve.The first line of defense would be to
work with a trainer or behaviorist who has had experience with separation
anxiety.The trainer will probably
have you practice getting ready to leave and then leaving for just a few
seconds.The idea is to leave for
short periods of time but never allowing the dog to cross his threshold into
panic mode.You will very slowly
begin to increase the time you are gone.
In extreme cases your vet may recommend that your dog be
medicated.Your veterinarian may
prescribe a tranquilizer for your dog that will be administered shortly before
you leave.Common medications for
separation anxiety include diazepam (valium) and acepromizine.
Some people are having a great deal of success with
something called DAP, or dog appeasing pheromones.DAP is a spray or a plug in device that releases synthetic pheromones
resembling the ones a lactating mother would give off.The pheromones have a natural calming
effect to dogs.
