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Dog Training Anxiety

Separation Anxiety in Dogs and Puppies

For some dogs, seeing their pet parents getting ready to leave the house or experiencing a significant change in their everyday routine can cause anxiety. New puppies, for instance, can become anxious in their new home the moment their pet parent walks out of the door. 

While it’s endearing to know your dog loves being around you so much, this mental distress may actually be a condition referred to as separation anxiety. Separation anxiety can lead to your dog engaging in destructive behavior or even self-harming—and that’s no fun for anyone. 

The good news is that with the right knowledge, you can help your dog feel comfortable and secure, even when you’re away. 

What is separation anxiety?

If you think your pup might be suffering from separation anxiety, it’s important to know how to differentiate between this condition and other health issues.

“When a dog experiences separation anxiety, it is quite similar to a panic attack in a human. A human with a fear of heights who is placed on top of a tall building might exhibit sweaty palms, dry mouth and a fast heart rate,” says Tina Bhargava Flores, a San Diego-based dog trainer who specializes in separation anxiety resolution. 

In regards to puppies, it is common for young dogs to experience some level of stress and anxiety when adjusting to a new environment and a new home. Behaviors such as urinating or defecating on the floor and whining or crying when left alone within the first few weeks may not necessarily signal full-blown separation anxiety. However, it is important to monitor your puppy’s behaviors, as they may indicate the need for additional training and other intervention.

If puppies exhibit certain stress-induced behaviors when you’re away from home despite an acclimation period and positive training techniques, they could be suffering from separation anxiety.

Signs of true separation anxiety in puppies and adult dogs can include:

  • Panting
  • Pacing
  • Drooling 
  • Shaking
  • Scratching at doors and windows
  • Constantly barking or howling
  • Urinating and defecating in the home when previously house-trained 
  • Destructive behavior
  • Excessive licking
  • Chewing on body 
  • Attempting to escape both kennel or house to the point of hurting themselves 
  • Vomiting and diarrhea

Causes of separation anxiety in dogs and puppies

While there isn’t a concrete answer as to why some dogs develop separation anxiety and others don’t, several factors are thought to contribute to the behavior.

For many dogs, a lack of early socialization can be a cause of separation anxiety. When dogs don't experience this at a young age, it can cause them to be very attached to their pet parent. 

And this type of anxiety doesn't just apply to puppies. Because most dogs are sensitive to change, it makes sense that some will develop anxiety when their routine or their environment changes. For example, adult dogs (and puppies) can experience separation anxiety following events such as a child going to college or your family movign to a new house.

Underlying medical conditions can also lead to separation anxiety issues. Make sure to speak with a vet if your dog shows signs of separation anxiety.

Helping your dog deal with separation anxiety

Regardless of age, the seriousness of your dog’s separation anxiety will help you determine the best course of action for helping them with their condition.

If your dog has recently started displaying signs of anxiety when separated from you, implementing a few training techniques and testing out some dog-specific anxiety solutions may help reduce the severity of their anxiety.

The following are all examples of things you can try to help calm your dog’s nerves.

Create a safe space ˇ

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Since crate-training aims to create a space for your pet where they feel safe and secure, crate-training your dog may help with separation anxiety. Gradually introduce your dog to a crate or sectioned-off area and ensure that they are comfortable in it before leaving them alone. Leaving a crate door open, feeding your dog in the area or providing treat-filled toys in the crate will help create positive associations with the location and build their feeling of security. Over time, your dog can begin to associate their crate with a calm and safe environment, helping reduce feelings of anxiety when left alone. With proper training, a crate can become a wonderful location where your dog can relax and wait for your return comfortably. “Many dogs love their crates and can be safely left alone in them, but they need to be properly trained to do so,” says Bhargava Flores. “A dog who experiences stress when left alone will not be calmer just because they are in a crate. This can actually exacerbate discomfort and cause confinement anxiety.” 

Practice leaving and returning ˇ

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In addition to crate-training, you can work on conditioning your dog to your coming and going. Keep in mind that overcoming separation anxiety won’t take place overnight—patience and consistency are integral to your success. Try the following: Practice routine leaving triggers. If your dog becomes anxious when you leave the house, practice departures. Instead of leaving for a long period, however, simply take out the trash or do some yard work. Return in a few minutes to help condition your dog. Don’t make coming home a big deal. An affectionate goodbye or an enthusiastic hello will only reinforce an anxious dog’s behavior.  Remember to always reward any calm behavior your dog exhibits when you arrive home. This will encourage this behavior in the future. 

Enlist a Professional Trainer ˇ

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Enrolling in a separation anxiety training course can help when at-home training isn’t enough. With the help of a professional trainer, you can create a routine designed to help lower your dog’s anxiety. As pet parents, even though we want the best for our dogs, we sometimes don’t realize how even our loving actions can have a negative impact on our pet’s mental health. A professional training course specifically aimed at separation anxiety in dogs can help you learn how you can adapt your own behaviors to avoid worsening their distress. Even better, you and your dog will both leave the class with the tools to help your dog adjust to change and to learn how to self-soothe when alone. Because training for separation anxiety is often different from general training for dogs, look for courses that specifically address separation anxiety that were created by both professional trainers and certified separation anxiety trainers.

Test out cameras ˇ

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If you suspect your dog may be suffering from anxiety, using a camera or wearable activity tracker to monitor their behaviors can be a good way to address the problem. Using this technology can help you better determine what their specific stress triggers are, how they react when you are gone and possibly even what soothes them. With this information, you can better prepare them for anxiety-inducing triggers and learn how to make them feel secure while you’re away. A pet camera can simultaneously soothe your nerves as well, allowing you to check up on an anxious pup throughout the day—and a calmer pet parent is better equipped to help soothe a nervous dog. You can shop for a pet camera or activity tracker—or use a laptop or security camera—to monitor your pup while you’re away. You can also safely attach a wearable to your pet’s collar so you can monitor signs of anxiety such as pacing or heart rate changes.

Invest in Transition Aids ˇ

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We can all use a little extra help sometimes. For dogs, separation anxiety solutions may help them deal with separation stress. Keep in mind that these aids are not a replacement for separation anxiety training. Calming pheromones can help reduce anxiety in dogs. Many calming diffusers mimic neonatal pheromones, reminding dogs of their mothers. With a calming collar, your dog can take soothing pheromones with them wherever they go. Wearable anxiety solutions like ThunderShirts use physical stimuli to help soothe anxious dogs. These dog separation anxiety solutions look like regular apparel but are designed to provide constant, gentle pressure on your dog’s body to help calm their nervous system and alleviate anxiety. ​​To help prevent them from associating their new garment with your absence and turning it into a trigger for their anxiety, get your dog used to wearing it while they’re home with you first. You can also use treats and games to occupy an anxious dog. Chewing, for example, is a natural behavior that can help focus your dog’s mind with an activity rather than your absence. Long-lasting chews and chew toys can be good distractions for your dog when you’re away from home. Treat-dispensing puzzle toys filled with healthy treats can also help keep their mind focused on something other than your absence.  Calming supplements can help relieve stress before it starts. You can give chewable tablets, drops and water additives to your dog either in anticipation of your departure or when your dog starts showing signs of anxiety. Many calming supplements are made with natural ingredients such as melatonin and chamomile. While formulated to be safe for dogs, you should still consult your veterinarian before giving your pet any type of oral supplement.

Dog separation anxiety training

Dog Training Basics

Training a pet takes time, understanding, patience and consistency. Here are a few of the more common training challenges pet parents of dogs face, and some suggestions for working with them.

How training works:

Proper training is essential for a long, happy and safe relationship with your dog, setting the foundation to ensure your dog stays physically fit, mentally alert, socially engaged and emotionally happy. To make dog training an enjoyable and fulfilling activity, a great choice is to use a positive reinforcement approach that is rewards-based, fun and effective.

Dog training based on using positive reinforcement helps pet parents understand how dogs think, learn and communicate. In turn, the pet parents will understand how to encourage and reward appropriate and polite dog behaviors for real life situations. This builds and nurtures the bond between the pet parent and their dog.

It is scientifically proven that animals will learn a new behavior faster and more successfully if they are allowed to voluntarily participate in the learning process and are rewarded for correct behaviors. Families have the best relationships with their dogs if they act as kind, benevolent influences for the family and help their dogs understand their role in the household. Dogs feel safest and most confident knowing their pet parents are making the decisions and setting boundaries. Puppies that work for all the good things in life are more confident, attentive, polite, respectful and connected to their family.

Inappropriate chewing:

Many dogs love to chew. It is as natural as barking or digging. Puppies, like young children, explore the world with their mouths. Dogs between six and 12 months old are getting their adult teeth and chew to relieve teething pain and itching gums. Adult dogs chew for a variety of reasons: boredom, loneliness or just because it's fun.

Teaching your dog to gnaw on appropriate items while preventing them from inflicting serious damage to your home can protect both your dog and your possessions.

When you catch your pooch in the act, take the item away. Teach them to bring things to you and reward them for that. If you yell and chase your dog it will become a game of keep-away. Give them something they're allowed to chew on instead. Praise your dog when they start to chew on the proper toy.

Your dog may chew out of anxiety while you are gone, and may unfortunately choose an inappropriate item, such as the couch. When you leave, crate your dog when you aren't able to supervise activity. Provide special chew treats that your dog is only allowed to enjoy while in the crate.

There is no point in punishing your dog once the damage is done. The damage may have been done hours ago, and your dog will have no idea what you are so upset about. Your dog will learn that when you come home you are mad, and they'll start cowering and looking guilty even when they haven't done anything wrong. Be sure your dog gets adequate exercise every day and plenty of time with you, even if it is just lying at your feet. Boredom, loneliness and excess energy often trigger destructive chewing. Keep a regular routine. Provide your dog with lots of acceptable chew toys. Try rotating out chew toys to keep interest high.

For severe separation anxiety, or if your pup just needs extra support to feel comfortable when you are away, consult your veterinarian. Your pet may benefit from anti-anxiety medication or other solutions that can only be prescribed by your vet. Your pet may also benefit from a referral to a board-certified veterinary behaviorist.

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