Separation anxiety disorder can be said to be a modern disease in dogs. Is your dog okay? In this article, we will introduce the symptoms and ways to deal with your dog’s separation anxiety.
What is separation anxiety?
Until a few decades ago, it was common for dogs to be kept outdoors, but in recent years, the majority of households now keep their dogs indoors. In addition, the idea of dogs as “members of the family rather than pets” has become widespread, and the distance between humans and dogs has rapidly become closer.
Of course, that in itself is not a bad thing. However, a problem that has become apparent due to changes in the sense of distance between humans and dogs is “separation anxiety disorder”, which we will introduce here.
Separation anxiety disorder, as the name suggests, is a condition in which dogs experience great stress from being separated from their owners, causing physical and mental changes.
️Be careful! Symptoms of separation anxiety disorder
1. Always Follow Behind
Your dog will closely follow you every time you move around the house, not only when you’re doing housework, but also when you’re going to the bathroom or taking a bath. The dog’s “chasing” is so endearing that many people may feel that “I’m needed!” and it may tickle their maternal instincts.
If your dog has just been adopted or is still in puppyhood, there won’t be any major problems, but if it’s been a while since you adopted him and he continues to follow you even after he reaches adulthood, he may develop separation anxiety. We cannot deny the possibility that
2. Barking unnecessarily when I can’t see you
Even if you can tolerate following your dog around the house to a certain extent, it can be quite difficult, both psychologically and physically, to take your dog to the toilet or bath with you.
Many dogs will wait quietly in front of the door while their owners are using the toilet or taking a bath.
It’s fine if the dog just waits quietly, but while the owner is relieving himself, the dog may bark violently, make sad “beep” and “squeak” sounds, or scratch at the door. You should be careful if he seems impatient to wait.
3. Cannot stay in a crate or cage
House training is one of the basic disciplines for dogs. However, if house training is not going well, or if your dog can only tolerate being in a crate or cage for a short period of time and then makes a fuss about wanting to be let out, he may be on the verge of developing separation anxiety.
If your pet is not house trained, it will not only cause serious trouble if you have to leave your pet in a pet hotel, but it is also very dangerous as you may get injured if you try to forcefully break the crate.
4. Engages in destructive behavior while you are away
Problematic behavior when left alone is a typical symptom of separation anxiety disorder.
They may randomly break things in the house, fail to use the toilet when they normally would, or bark so loudly that they become a nuisance to the neighbors. At this point, it can be said that the disease has progressed one step beyond the initial symptom stage.
️How to deal with separation anxiety disorder
If your dog shows signs of separation anxiety, it’s a sign that you’re misjudging the distance between you and your dog. The most effective way to deal with this is to maintain an appropriate distance. Instead of being together all the time and having intimate physical contact, you should try to have some “alone time” with each other.
Start by giving your dog a toy that he can play with on his own, or disappearing into the next room while he’s absorbed in a long-lasting treat.
️Summary
What did you think? As the name suggests, separation anxiety is a serious disease. Separation anxiety can lead not only to behavioral problems but also to poor physical health such as diarrhea and vomiting.
If you have tried the remedies we have introduced this time and they do not work, or if the condition is such that it is difficult to even try them, immediately take your pet to a veterinary hospital.
