Have you ever come home to find your sofa cushions shredded to bits or your neighbor giving you the evil eye because your dog was howling like a banshee while you were gone? These might not just be signs of a naughty pooch – your furry friend could be suffering from separation anxiety
As a long-time dog parent and someone who’s experienced this firsthand I want to share everything I’ve learned about spotting the signs of separation anxiety in our canine companions. It’s actually way more common than most people think – research suggests that a whopping 8 out of 10 dogs find it hard to cope when left alone!
What Exactly Is Separation Anxiety in Dogs?
Before diving into the signs, let’s get clear on what we’re talking about. Separation anxiety (sometimes called separation-related behavior or SRB) is basically when your dog experiences extreme stress from the moment you leave until you return. It’s not just them being a bit sad or missing you – it’s more like a full-blown panic attack in doggy form.
What’s particularly concerning is that while most of us think we’d know if our dog was struggling, research shows that about half of dogs suffering from separation anxiety don’t show obvious signs when their owners are with them. They’re suffering in silence, poor things!
8 Warning Signs Your Dog Has Separation Anxiety
So how do you know if your furry friend is experiencing this distressing condition? Here are the key signs to watch for:
1. Destructive Behavior
This is probably the most obvious sign. If you come home to find your furniture chewed up, doors scratched, or windowsills damaged, it could be a cry for help. Dogs with separation anxiety often focus their destruction near exits like doors and windows – they’re literally trying to escape to find you!
2. Excessive Vocalization
Barking, howling, and whining that goes on and on while you’re gone is another classic sign. Your neighbors might be the first to let you know about this one! This isn’t just regular barking at passing dogs or people – it’s persistent and distressed.
3. Toileting Accidents
If your fully house-trained dog suddenly starts having accidents when left alone, separation anxiety could be the culprit. This isn’t them being spiteful – it’s a physical manifestation of their distress.
4. Pre-Departure Anxiety
Does your dog start acting anxious when you pick up your keys or put on your coat? If they pace, pant, whine, or follow you frantically when they sense you’re about to leave, that’s a big red flag.
5. Over-the-Top Greetings
While many dogs are excited when their humans return, dogs with separation anxiety often display excessive excitement that seems almost frantic or desperate.
6. Physical Symptoms
Look for signs like excessive drooling, panting, trembling, or even vomiting when you’re preparing to leave or while you’re gone.
7. Not Eating When Alone
If your dog normally loves food but won’t touch meals, treats, or even engaging with food toys when you’re away, that could indicate separation anxiety.
8. Repetitive Behaviors
Behaviors like pacing, circling, or repetitive movements can indicate your dog is experiencing significant stress.
The Gold Standard for Diagnosis: Video Evidence
Here’s the thing – we can’t actually see what our dogs are doing when we’re not there (duh!). That’s why veterinary behaviorists recommend setting up a camera to record your dog while you’re out. This is hands-down the most effective and accurate way to tell if your dog has separation anxiety.
When reviewing the footage, pay close attention to:
- What happens in the first 30-60 minutes after you leave (most dogs with separation anxiety show distress within this time, often in the first 10 minutes)
- Subtle signs of anxiety like panting, lip-licking, and restlessness
- The frequency and duration of any barking or destructive behavior
You can use:
- A laptop with a webcam
- Your smartphone or tablet
- A home monitoring camera (these are ideal as they have wide-angle lenses and night vision)
Separation Anxiety vs. Normal Dog Behavior: What’s the Difference?
Not every destroyed cushion means your dog has separation anxiety. Sometimes it’s just normal doggy behavior (or lack of training). Here’s how to tell the difference:
Normal Dog Behavior:
- Occasional destruction due to boredom or excess energy
- Brief vocalization when you first leave
- Settling down quickly after you depart
- No signs of anxiety before you leave
Separation Anxiety:
- Destruction focused around exits
- Persistent vocalization throughout your absence
- Signs of distress beginning as you prepare to leave
- Symptoms occur consistently when the dog is left alone
What Causes Separation Anxiety in Dogs?
There’s no single cause for separation anxiety, but several factors might contribute:
- Never being taught to be alone (common in pandemic puppies)
- Traumatic separation experiences
- Sudden changes in routine or household (moving house, family member leaving)
- Some dog personalities seem more prone to anxiety
- Lack of adequate daily exercise
5 Things to Do If Your Dog Has Separation Anxiety
If you think your dog is suffering, here are 5 steps you can take right away:
1. Exercise Before Leaving
Give your dog a good walk or play session at least 30 minutes before you need to leave. A tired dog is more likely to relax when alone. Just make sure you calm things down before you depart – you don’t want to wind them up then walk out the door!
2. Provide a Special Departure Treat
Give your dog something amazing to focus on when you leave – like a Kong stuffed with peanut butter or another long-lasting treat. This helps create positive associations with your departure.
3. Avoid Punishment
Never, EVER punish your dog for what they did while you were gone. They weren’t being spiteful – they were in distress! Punishment will only make the anxiety worse.
4. Minimize Alone Time
Whenever possible, avoid leaving your anxious dog alone. This condition doesn’t improve with “practice” – in fact, repeated exposure to the stressful situation without treatment usually makes it worse.
5. Seek Professional Help
Consult with a veterinarian, veterinary behaviorist, or a qualified clinical animal behaviorist. They can develop a personalized treatment plan and may recommend behavioral modification techniques, supplements, or even medication in severe cases.
Prevention is Better Than Cure
If you have a new puppy or your dog hasn’t developed separation anxiety yet, here are some preventative measures:
- Teach independence from day one with crate training
- Practice short separations and gradually increase duration
- Make departures and returns low-key (no dramatic goodbyes or hellos)
- Desensitize your dog to departure cues (pick up keys but don’t leave)
- Ensure adequate physical and mental exercise
- Create positive associations with alone time
My Experience With Separation Anxiety
My own dog, Max, developed separation anxiety after we moved to a new home. I first realized something was wrong when my neighbor complained about barking, but the real wake-up call was coming home to find he’d chewed through part of the door frame!
I set up a camera and was heartbroken to see him pacing, whining, and scratching at the door for almost the entire time I was gone. Working with a behaviorist, we gradually built up his confidence being alone, used desensitization techniques, and eventually got to a point where he could relax when I was out.
It wasn’t a quick fix – it took months of consistent work – but seeing him now peacefully snoozing when I leave instead of panicking makes it all worthwhile.
When to Get Professional Help
If your dog is showing signs of separation anxiety, don’t wait to seek help. The condition rarely improves on its own and often gets worse over time. The good news is that separation anxiety has a high treatment success rate with the right approach.
Consult with:
- Your regular veterinarian (to rule out medical causes)
- A veterinary behaviorist
- A certified clinical animal behaviorist
Remember that severe cases may need a combination of behavior modification, environmental management, and medication or supplements to see improvement.
If your dog has separation anxiety, please know that you haven’t failed as a pet parent. This is a real behavioral condition that affects many dogs, and it’s not your fault.
With patience, consistency, and the right support, most dogs can learn to feel more comfortable when left alone. The journey might be challenging, but seeing your furry friend relaxed and content when you need to leave is worth every effort.
Have you noticed any signs of separation anxiety in your dog? What strategies have worked for you? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments below!
Common Symptoms of Separation Anxiety
The following is a list of symptoms that may indicate separation anxiety:
Urinating and Defecating Some dogs urinate or defecate when left alone or separated from their guardians. If a dog urinates or defecates in the presence of his guardian, his house soiling probably isn’t caused by separation anxiety.
Barking and Howling A dog who has separation anxiety might bark or howl when left alone or when separated from his guardian. This kind of barking or howling is persistent and doesn’t seem to be triggered by anything except being left alone.
Chewing, Digging and Destruction Some dogs with separation anxiety chew on objects, door frames or window sills, dig at doors and doorways, or destroy household objects when left alone or separated from their guardians. These behaviors can result in self-injury, such as broken teeth, cut and scraped paws and damaged nails. If a dog’s chewing, digging and destruction are caused by separation anxiety, they don’t usually occur in his guardian’s presence.
Escaping A dog with separation anxiety might try to escape from an area where he’s confined when he’s left alone or separated from his guardian. The dog might attempt to dig and chew through doors or windows, which could result in self-injury, such as broken teeth, cut and scraped front paws and damaged nails. If the dog’s escape behavior is caused by separation anxiety, it doesn’t occur when his guardian is present.
Pacing Some dogs walk or trot along a specific path in a fixed pattern when left alone or separated from their guardians. Some pacing dogs move around in circular patterns, while others walk back and forth in straight lines. If a dog’s pacing behavior is caused by separation anxiety, it usually doesn’t occur when his guardian is present.
Coprophagia When left alone or separated from their guardians, some dogs defecate and then consume all or some of their excrement. If a dog eats excrement because of separation anxiety, he probably doesn’t perform that behavior in the presence of his guardian.
Other Behavior Problems to Rule Out
Sometimes it’s difficult to determine whether a dog has separation anxiety or not. Some common behavior problems can cause similar symptoms. Before concluding that your dog has separation anxiety, it’s important to rule out the following behavior problems:
Submissive or Excitement Urination Some dogs may urinate during greetings, play, physical contact or when being reprimanded or punished. Such dogs tend to display submissive postures during interactions, such as holding the tail low, flattening the ears back against the head, crouching or rolling over and exposing the belly.
Incomplete House Training A dog who occasionally urinates in the house might not be completely house trained. His house training might have been inconsistent or it might have involved punishment that made him afraid to eliminate while his owner is watching or nearby.
Urine Marking Some dogs urinate in the house because they’re scent marking. A dog scent marks by urinating small amounts on vertical surfaces. Most male dogs and some female dogs who scent mark raise a leg to urinate.
Juvenile Destruction Many young dogs engage in destructive chewing or digging while their guardians are home as well as when they’re away. Please see our articles, Destructive Chewing, for more information about these problems.
Boredom Dogs need mental stimulation, and some dogs can be disruptive when left alone because they’re bored and looking for something to do. These dogs usually don’t appear anxious.
Excessive Barking or Howling Some dogs bark or howl in response to various triggers in their environments, like unfamiliar sights and sounds. They usually vocalize when their guardians are home as well as when they’re away. For more information about this kind of problem, please see our articles, Barking and Howling.
Don’t Miss These 10 Telltale Signs of Separation Anxiety in Your Dog
FAQ
What is separation anxiety in dogs?
Separation anxiety is a common behavioral issue in dogs. It is an adaptation that has developed due to dogs being social animals. When left alone, dogs may exhibit various behaviors such as destructive chewing, barking, and even depression.
How do you know if your dog has separation anxiety?
Does your dog show signs of distress? In true separation anxiety, your dog will exhibit distress behaviors, such as howling, whining, barking, drooling, pacing, sweaty pads, loss of appetite, impulsive aggression, or depression. Distress in your dog may begin before you leave or right after you leave.
What happens if a dog is left alone with separation anxiety?
Dogs with separation anxiety exhibit distress and behavioral issues when they’re left alone, such as: back to top Sign up to receive our exclusive e-book full of important information about caring for your pet, including training techniques and answers to frequently asked questions. How can I treat separation anxiety?
How do you help a dog with separation anxiety?
What are the signs of a dog with separation anxiety?
- Destructive behaviour, including chewing and destroying furniture, (often near exits, doors or windows)
- Howling, barking, whining.
- Toileting (weeing or pooing)
- Excessive excitement upon your return.
- Signs of anxiety before you leave.
Can dogs be left alone for 8 hours?
Why does my puppy freak out when I leave the room?