We as trainers find ourselves discussing this topic quite frequently with pet owners. But we find that many pet owners get confused on the actual diagnosis of the anxiety. For instance, from time to time, in the kennel we see those certain dogs that are escape artist, or drool and maybe not eat well the first few days of their stay in a new place. This does not necessarily mean that your dog suffers from separation anxiety, some dogs are just not use to the kennel environment and do not do well around all of the other dogs, new noises, and new smells.

Let’s start by running through some of the symptoms of separation anxiety. Remember your dog doesn’t have to show every single one of these signs, but just because they have one or two does not mean they have separation anxiety either. You have to look at the whole picture and the different triggers that get your dog into a frenzy so to speak.

*Whining or pacing while you’re getting ready to leave (they know your routine).
*Dilated pupils
*Drooling/and panting or rapid breathing
*Trembling or shaking
*Sweaty pads (which can be hard to see)
*Barking/howling long after you leave
*House soiling (make sure your dog is truly house trained before you use this one)
*Destructive chewing/digging (don’t get this confused with pure boredom)
*Decrease in appetite
*Desperate and often injurious attempts to get out of the house, crate, or kennel

Before you go and diagnose your dog, let’s discuss some of these behaviors that are common among dogs. We have been asked to crate train some of the dogs here at our facility for their owners. I remember we had a miniature poodle that the owners were having a terrible time house training. We started them with crate training and every time we put the little fellow in the crate he immediately began to salivate and panic. His problem was not separation anxiety he simply was not use to being in a crate and it freaked him out. So we backed up a little and made the crate his perfect den. He would eat, have special treats, his favorite toys, and started with just a few minutes at a time, instead of tossing him in the crate for 8 hours. The poodle got to where he didn’t mind being in his crate…he also became house trained within weeks as well! Remember to think inside the box or in this case the crate!!

The destructive behavior we often see is not just from puppies, but can be from full grown adult dogs as well. We had a client from the Charlotte area that brought up a pit bull mix that had simply destroyed their home while they were on vacation, and I mean chewed the trim off of their windows! The problem was the dog was only about 4 months old and it was left to run the entire house the whole week except when the pet sitter came by to feed and let them out. The problem with this pup was not separation anxiety it was simply lack of structure, and complete boredom! You have to be the leader in cases like these and remember the dog would be better off in a crate or designated area of your home where they could not get into trouble than be left to their own devices and have to deal with the consequences which are usually negative from their owners.

Also remember that barking or howling constantly can be a behavior that we humans or pet owners have promoted from our cute pets. A lot of clients tell us that their dogs bark excessively in their crate or in the house, the first question we ask is what do you do when they bark? The answer is usually I go and fuss at them or I give them a treat or something to eat so they will be quiet. So basically the dog barked and you came running and they got what they wanted (which is your attention, even if it’s not always good attention) and you are left with many nights resulting in lack of sleep! Many pet owners are rewarding bad behaviors and not even realizing it…it’s very easy to do when all you want to do is console those whimpering pups!

There are dogs out there that truly suffer from separation anxiety and it can be very agonizing for the pet owner and the dog. I have personally dealt with a German Shepherd who suffered from a moderate case of separation anxiety. As soon as I started putting shoes on he would begin to bark! He has also torn his ear and had other injuries as a result of escaping from his kennel. He has gotten better over the years, but we still deal with those pesky thunderstorms from time to time which is an entirely new article! We had another client whose American Bulldog actually broke her teeth trying to escape from the crate at another facility as a result of separation anxiety.

There are many different ways and techniques to assist in the rehabilitation of your dog however each case is entirely different and a professional trainer would most likely be needed. However there is a great piece of literature by Patricia B. McConnell, PhD. Called “I’ll Be Home Soon!” I encourage everyone to read this 37 page booklet on preventing and dealing with separation anxiety. It’s a great book to teach you how not to create the behavior even if you have never dealt with it before.