How to Ease Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety

Signs of separation anxiety may include excessive barking, indoor defecating or urinating, and destructive behavior when the owner leaves the dog alone, even for short periods of time.

If your dog is showing signs of distress and misbehaving when you leave the house, you can prevent and treat these behavior problems in a few ways:

1. 1. Give your dog plenty of exercise. Physical activity alone may not cure separation anxiety, but it will help in giving your pet a way to channel excess energy. Steeper or longer walks can help tire your dog out so they rest when you leave the home instead of fretting, and socialization at dog parks can also be a boon.
2. 2. Prioritize mental stimulation. Mental stimulation is as important as physical exercise for dogs, and puzzle toys can keep your dog engaged and busy. Upon leaving the house, place some treats in a puzzle toy—these are designed to make access to the treats inside more difficult, meaning they eat up more of your dog’s time and effort. Try stuffing some peanut butter inside to give your dog something to lick for a while.
3. 3. Gradually increase alone time while at home. To combat separation anxiety, your dog must first feel comfortable being away from you even while you are in the house together. Have training sessions where you practice commands like “sit” and “stay.” Gradually increase the amount of time your dog is meant to “stay,” and reward with treats. Then, say “stay” but go to another room, out of sight. You should build up to having your dog be able to stay for at least five minutes with you in a different room.
4. 4. Maintain low-key arrivals and departures. If saying your goodbyes immediately spikes your dog’s anxious behavior, you might want to rework your departures from the home. Ignore your dog fifteen minutes before leaving the house, and ignore your dog for a few minutes upon return. (They may, of course, need to use the bathroom when you get back.) Anxious dogs may show worry signs before you leave (drooling, pacing), but ignoring will telegraph that your departure is not a big deal. Similarly, you can desensitize reactions with counter-conditioning techniques. Pick up your keys or backpack but then move about the house as you normally would to show that keys needn’t correspond with exiting. It is okay to ignore your dog so that affection and attention are on your terms, teaching the dog that you will reliably be around to care for them.

With proper training, dogs can grow out of separation anxiety. Each dog is unique—severe cases stemming from traumatic events (break-ins while owners are away, abandonment) may require more help than other situations, such as moving to a new home or changing up your schedule.

Use these methods to help your dog grow out of moderate or severe separation anxiety over time:

1. 1. Reward alone time. Let your dog know that alone time can be fun and rewarding. Place a puzzle toy in their crate or leave them behind a baby gate in a large room with space to roam and toys to play with. Stay in sight for the first couple of sessions, gradually getting farther away to increase your dog’s comfortability with being alone. The sooner your pet understands that their crate is a safe, comfortable place the better. A crate should be a welcome place for your pet to go—keep it stocked with a blanket you’ve used so it has your scent and a chew toy your dog won’t choke on when left alone. Have the crate situated somewhat near other family members’ living or sleeping spaces; don’t have it off in some distant, dark room. If you make the crate a familiar and safe place to be, your dog will feel comfortable sleeping and being left in it when you leave the house for errands.
2. 2. Revisit puppy training. A mastery of commands like “sit” and “stay” can boost your dog’s confidence. Practice these commands now and then and reward accordingly so your dog’s behavior and self-esteem improve.
3. 3. Use doggy daycare as needed. Training your dog to know that your departure is inconsequential is done in baby steps, and you should feel comfortable leaving the home for short periods of time during this training. However, if you will be gone for more than a few hours, or to a point where your dog is destructive, daycare or a dog sitter is likely needed to mitigate damage and to buy you time in properly training your dog.
4. 4. See a behavioral specialist. If after trying out these tips your dog is still showing symptoms of separation anxiety (excessive salivation or drooling, potty accidents, etc.), you may want to seek out a behavioral specialist. Your vet can connect you with someone who will offer tips or try out medical supplements. Before taking this step, keep a log of your dog’s behavior so you have a detailed report to offer before rushing to diagnose medical problems.

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