No one likes saying goodbye to a friend or family member when you’re having a good time together. Sadly, that’s how your dog feels every day you live your normal life. They don’t know why you’re leaving, but they know they are sad. These steps to reduce separation anxiety in dogs will help them overcome their doubts about being alone.
Warning Signs of Separation Anxiety
It pains our hearts to walk away from our furry friends, particularly if they are demonstrating these signs of separation anxiety:
- Going to the bathroom inside the home
- Excess drooling or panting
- Relentlessly pacing
- Whining or howling
- Chewing furniture or scratching windows
Odds are they keep these bad habits to themselves when you’re around. However, the second you lock the door, it could trigger them into a downward spiral, and chaos ensues. You don’t want to come home to an accident or a couch that look’s like it has gone through the shredder. So don’t hesitate to act on conquering their fear when you depart.
Strategies for Making Things Better
The best action to treat this condition is to first talk to your vet. There may be something more severe than separation anxiety, like a medical illness. Ruling that out from the beginning allows you to devise a plan for relieving their stress. Assuming that the problem isn’t extreme, you can try one or all these options.
- Leave something behind with your scent
- Downplay your leaving and returning
- Offer a special treat when you depart
- Medication to calm their nerves
While you won’t get the sheer jubilation of them greeting you at the door upon your return, your dog also won’t have such extreme sadness when you exit. And as long as they can smell you, they should easily adjust to their current situation. This strategy works well if you plan on going away for a week and have to put your pup up in a doggy hotel.
What To Do if More Severe
Sadly, those tricks aren’t 100 percent effective, and your dog may still be in the dumps the second you grab your shoes. Therefore, do your routine of putting your shoes on, grabbing your coat, and taking your car keys, but do not leave immediately. Instead, sit with them, turn on the TV, and relax because your routine will no longer be a harbinger of loneliness.
You can continue to do things one step at a time until they become at ease when you leave. If possible, it might be advantageous to exit from a different door every now and then.
Taking these steps to reduce your dog’s separation anxiety will give you peace of mind when you go to work, stay out late, or take an extended leave. Otherwise, you’ll be in a constant state of panic, wondering if your dog is feeling well or if your house remains in one piece.
