Dogs tend to get nervous every time their humans leave the house. They could exhibit unruly behavior whenever you need to step out of the door to leave them for a while. When you come back, you will find most of your little trinkets and pairs of shoes chewed to pieces, or tables bitten in the corners.
These signs could signify that your dog is dealing with separation anxiety. But before you decide to give your furry friend some dog anxiety supplements, you need to learn more about this common but serious behavioral problem. Here are some factors to help you determine if your dog should undergo separation anxiety treatments.
1. Reasons Why Dogs Feel Anxious When Left Alone
There are plenty of reasons why your dog’s behavior suddenly changes because of anxiety. First, your dog may feel left out once you leave it alone for the first time, especially if it’s used to being surrounded by people.
Your dog may also misbehave if you lose someone in the family or have a change in routine or schedule. Moreover, if your dog had spent time in a shelter before being transferred to your home, then it may still feel confused about the recent changes.
The same thing will happen if your dog used to have a different owner before you started taking care of it.
2. Signs And Symptoms Of Separation Anxiety
Since the dog is going through a lot of stress when forced to stay alone, it might display some symptoms that indicate separation anxiety.
First, your usually quiet dog will start to bark, howl, or whine excessively. Your dog may also have occasional potty “accidents” inside the house even though it has been trained to do its business outside.
It may also dig holes, chew up different things, and scratch at the doors and windows whenever it roams alone at night.
3. Know When To Treat It
As soon as you notice the drastic changes in your beloved pooch, please take it to the veterinarian to rule out any possible medical problems.
Medical experts can quickly determine if your dog has a physical or hormonal ailment that causes constant indoor “accidents”. Some drugs may also cause it to misbehave.
Discuss everything with your vet to have an official diagnosis of your dog’s condition.
4. Common Separation Anxiety Treatments
If the situation is mild, you can provide your dog with a special treat every time you leave the house. It could be anything from a new toy or its favorite snack.
Just make sure to hand it to your dog when you are outside the house and take it away upon your return. You must also refrain yourself from giving long goodbyes and greeting them immediately as soon as you get back.
Try to ignore your pooch for a few moments before you start cuddling. If the situation is more complicated, you can give your pet some over-the-counter dog anxiety supplements to calm her down.
Leaving your dog alone for some time can be heartbreaking. But you need to train your pooch to understand that you cannot bring it with you all the time. As long as you know how to keep your pet calm while you are gone, you can correct its negative behavior every time it needs to stay at home on its own.
