Animals that are suffering from this behavioral disorder show physical, physiological and behavioral signs of stress.
A crucial point of this behavioral issue, however, is that pets that are suffering from this problem only show these signs when they are alone, without people in their family, or when there is a barrier between the pet and humans, for example a closed door. or gate. Sometimes a dog may show the signs of separation anxiety when a specific person is not there or is unavailable. If there is a very strong emotional bond with a specific person in the family, for example, this is common.
And what are the most common signs of dog separation anxiety?
Signs they present when they are alone:
The 3 most common signs are:
– urinating or defecating outside the appropriate place,
– destroy objects, toys, furniture, etc.,
– vocalize excessively (barking nonstop, howling, whining, etc.).
As these behaviors occur when the owners are not present, it is common that when you get home, you find some not very pleasant “surprises”… Pee out of place, rubbish all over the house, torn sofa, angry neighbors are common stories in these cases.
Some other signs that may also be present are:
– the dog salivates a lot, sometimes even drooling,
– the animal is panting for a long time and even loudly,
– the pet walks in circles, back and forth, or around the perimeter of the place,
– remains paralyzed, motionless,
– he shakes or shakes his whole body (like when he gets out of the shower, but this time he’s not wet or even post-shower)
– animal does not feed
But as the owner is not at home, these signs are more difficult for us to understand.
And how do these animals behave when NO Are you alone?
Dogs that are suffering from separation anxiety, when accompanied by their family, can display completely common behaviors. But some dogs may insist on always being on the side of the people in the family (being “their shadow” around the house). Or they may also want to always be in physical contact with people. They ask for affection, lick… In other words, they ALWAYS need to be in contact with family members. The most common, however, is that he is a completely “normal” dog when he is accompanied by his loved ones.
It’s interesting because many animals that had never before shown signs of dog separation anxiety, sometimes when they get older, they start to show these signs after some change in their routine. For example: moving house, longer trips by the owner, change in the owner’s routine (e.g. going back to work, starting to spend more time at work…), staying in dog hotels with lots of animals and a high level of stress, changes in social ties (e.g. birth of a guardian’s child, the entry of a new pet into the family)…
And how do I know if this is happening to my dog?
First of all, it is important to emphasize that the diagnosis of dog separation anxiety must be carried out by a professional in the field of animal behavior. Several other problems, physical or behavioral, can be confused. The professional will collect data about the animal, such as life history and behaviors, and will also collect information about the family’s habits. It is very important to know, for example, what people and animals do when they leave the house or when they return to the house.
Assessing signs, such as inappropriate peeing, destruction of household items and excessive vocalization, is essential. It is therefore recommended that owners leave a camera at home, filming the animal while it is alone. Important information may be collected this way.
Talking to neighbors can also be a good idea, as it is common for them to suffer from noise.
And remember that in separation anxiety:
– these signs occur everytime that the guardian (or one of the guardians) is not at home,
– these signs don’t happen when the tutor is at home.
Does separation anxiety in dogs occur more commonly in any breed, age, sex…?
Today, according to scientific studies carried out regarding separation anxiety in dogs, there are no more predisposed breeds. The age and sex of the animal also appear to be relevant factors. In other words: all dogs can be affected! Two studies from 2005, however, indicated that it is more common in animals adopted from shelters (study 1 and 2). Furthermore, it appears to be more common in elderly dogs as well. This is probably due to other concomitant medical problems, cognitive decline due to age, and the fact that older animals are less adaptable to changes and stress.
So what to do?
It is very important to seek professional help. And be very attentive to the professional who will assist your friend. If he uses terms like “dominant”, “submissive”, “alpha”… Run away from him! These are obsolete terms, which the science of animal behavior has known for some years that they make no sense. Also be aware of the use of punishments (the addition of stimuli to the environment that are aversive to the animal). You can look for veterinarians who work only in the area of behavior (like me) or for dog educators/trainers who are aware of the most modern techniques of positive reinforcement (adding stimuli to the environment that are pleasurable to the animal, such as snacks, games , praise, affection). It is possible that your friend will need to take specific medications if the condition is very serious. But these should only be prescribed by a veterinarian who has knowledge in the area, do not look for a general practitioner for this.
These situations also end up generating a lot of stress for tutors. Imagine seeing your friend suffering every day whenever you leave the house? It’s really not simple. So, play your role as a responsible tutor and look for a qualified professional. And, during the behavioral change process, be very patient, give it time, as behavioral changes do not happen overnight. Don’t get frustrated, align expectations with the professional and dedicate yourself every day to improving the lives of your human and animal family!
Did you know that in cases of dog separation anxiety, it is common for animals to destroy vases and even chew plant leaves when they are alone? And did you know that some plants are toxic and can even lead to dogs dying?
We then set up a free manual on plants toxic to animals for you to download and quickly discover which plants can hurt your pet! What you will learn:
– to differentiate plants, both by their popular name and scientific name,
– be able to prevent serious accidents,
– and to help more quickly if something happens.
We suggest you read this new article on how to prevent and combat separation anxiety