Understanding Dog Separation Anxiety: Causes, Symptoms, and Solutions
Dog separation anxiety is a complex and often misunderstood condition that affects many canine companions and their guardians. Despite the speculation in the dog training and behavior community, there is no conclusive answer to what causes dog separation anxiety. However, we believe the behavior results from a dog's natural pack instincts being thwarted by being unable to see, access, or follow their guardian or other attachment figure somewhere.
Frustrated Pack Instincts
Pack instincts dictate that a pack animal will naturally feel the urge to keep an eye on, stay close to, and follow their fellow pack members wherever they go. This is why dogs follow their guardians from room to room at home and, if given the chance, will follow them when allowed off-leash outdoors. The condition known as "Separation Anxiety" is caused by the frustration and distress that a dog feels when it can't see, be near, or follow its guardian, in other words, when it cannot fulfill its instinct to "stay with the pack." This stress response can activate the same primal responses that would occur in a dog if it were genuinely separated from its pack or trapped somewhere it didn’t want to be, leading to a state of panic.
Abandonment Trauma
Dogs who are suddenly abandoned on the side of the road or at a shelter sometimes have separation anxiety.
Many dogs who are adopted from shelters or found on the streets have separation anxiety, raising the question of whether the dog had separation anxiety before being abandoned or if the abandonment caused the separation anxiety. It could be speculated that the trauma from being abandoned might have caused the condition, as many dogs who have been abandoned don’t want to take their eyes off their new guardians or be separated from them for a single moment. This is referred to as "abandonment trauma." However, it's also likely that many dogs who are abandoned by their guardians already have separation anxiety, and the condition can be difficult to live with and cure without proper guidance.
Situations That Provoke Separation Anxiety
Puppies with separation anxiety will get upset when they can’t see or follow you somewhere.
Separation anxiety can be provoked in various situations, including:
When a puppy or rescue dog gets adopted and is separated from its new guardian for the first time
When a puppy or rescue dog is put in a crate or playpen
After a puppy or rescue dog gets used to constant human contact but is suddenly left alone (like after a holiday ends)
After suffering a traumatic event such as abandonment, change in ownership, or too much time spent in isolation
After the sudden loss of a beloved family member due to death or divorce
After a dramatic change in routine or schedule like when someone moves to a new home or city
When being dropped off at a daycare, boarding, or grooming facility for the first time.
Recognizing the Signs
Symptoms of dog separation anxiety can range from mild to severe and may include:
Not eating or drinking / mild depression
Anxiety before a guardian leaves home or extreme excitement upon their return
Loss of bladder and bowel control in an otherwise housetrained dog
Frantic scratching, digging, and chewing at exit doors or while confined
Pacing, trembling, or stress panting
Destructive chewing on anything nearby
Persistent distress vocalizations
Excessive drooling, shedding, and sweaty paws
Extreme escape attempts like busting out of a crate or home and jumping over fences or off balconies.
Impact on Health and Wellness for Dogs & People
Separation anxiety can hurt both a dog's health and well-being, as well as their guardian's, lowering the quality of life for both parties.
When a dog is regularly stressed by separation from its guardian, their body will produce elevated levels of cortisol and adrenaline, which can lead to a weakened immune system and put a dog at greater risk for infection and more serious diseases. The psychological effect of separation anxiety can also cause dogs to become stressed before their guardian leaves the home, leading to behaviors like following them around or acting mopey.
The emotional toll of separation anxiety is not limited to dogs; pet parents can also suffer significantly. Dealing with a dog that cannot be left alone can be a heavy burden, leading to feelings of guilt and anxiety when leaving the dog behind, even if it's just for a short period. Many pet parents find themselves making significant lifestyle adjustments to accommodate their dog's needs, such as giving up social engagements, hiring pet sitters or paying for daycare, or taking their dog with them everywhere they go. This can be especially true if neighbors complain about the noise, leading to additional stress and pressure to find solutions. As a result, the human-animal bond can become strained, and the overall wellbeing of both the dog and their guardian can be compromised.
Strategies for Overcoming Separation Anxiety
When done properly, puppies benefit greatly from crate training because it helps them learn to relax and self-entertain.
Addressing separation anxiety requires patience and consistency. For puppies, regular "downtime training" in a crate or pen can help them adjust to being alone. For adult dogs, a combination of confinement training and "alone training" is often necessary.
Alone training involves gradually conditioning a dog to relax when their guardian departs, starting with brief absences and slowly increasing the duration. However, many dogs with separation anxiety will exhibit the same stress response when left alone, even when put inside a crate, or become "escape artists" and find ways to escape, making it challenging to crate or pen train without professional guidance.
When to Seek Professional Help
If left untreated, separation anxiety will not resolve on its own and will worsen over time, making everyday life with a dog feel more like a burden than a source of joy. Puppies are easier to treat than adult dogs, so if someone has just adopted a puppy who refuses to calm down in a crate or playpen, they should reach out to a qualified separation anxiety specialist for help immediately. Adult dogs who have been practicing the behavior for longer can be harder to treat, and if a rescue dog is exhibiting symptoms of separation anxiety, a dog guardian should reach out to a qualified professional as soon as possible.
About the Auther
Alexandra Bassett is the dog trainer and behavior consultant at Dog Savvy, a private dog and puppy training company specializing in game-based dog training and solving problem dog behaviors like dog separation anxiety, leash reactivity, excessive barking, and dog aggression.
She is certified as Knowledge Assessed by the Council of Professional Dog Trainers (CPDT-KA) and is available for online dog training sessions via Zoom. To book an intro session with Alexandra, click here.