Separation anxiety is one of the most common issues we see in dogs and it is one that will rarely solve itself. As pack animals by nature, when a member of the pack goes “missing” a dog feels extreme anxiety. In order to cope with this anxiety, a dog turns to often destructive or high-stress habits. At The Dog Wizard Tampa, we have the skills and knowledge to help your dog gain the self-confidence to be alone and feel secure.
Typical Signs of Separation Anxiety in Dogs
- Paces or pants constantly while you are out of sight
- Destroys things when you’re gone
- Whines or barks when left alone
- Escapes or attempts to escape when left alone sometimes resulting in bodily harm
- Urinates or defecates in the house while you’re away
- Follows you from room to room when you are home
Typical Causes of Separation Anxiety in Dogs
- Left alone for very long periods of time consistently
- Taken away from the mother too soon (less than 7 weeks)
- Mother died at birth and puppy was raised by humans
- Very abrupt schedule changes in the owner’s life
- Dog has spent a lot of time alone in his life then becomes rescued and it gets consistent attention from owners that it is not used to
- Over held as a puppy so it never learned independence