How to Help Your Dog with Canine Seperation Anxiety

In today's society, with more and more people working outside the home, the feelings of our household companions are often overlooked. While some people are quick to scoff at the idea of pets suffering from behavioral problems and the use of pet psychology, separation anxiety remains a very real and very troublesome issue amongst our furry friends.

Dogs are, by nature, pack animals. When one is brought into our home, they develop a bond with their families and will often exhibit pack-like behavior. However, just as they can exhibit positive behaviorisms, so too can they exhibit the negative when separated from their 'pack.' Like humans, they worry about where their loved ones went to and whether or not they will come back. Sometimes, this worry can turn into frantic periods of anxiety and can lead to destructive behaviorisms. Even well-mannered and quiet dogs can turn into a terror when left alone for even a few minutes. Read on to learn about canine separation anxiety and some helpful methods of alleviating your pet's fears.

Canine separation anxiety may be brought on by a number of things, ranging from a simple change in daily routine to a traumatic event, such as being trapped in a home during a fire. Equally diversified are the animals at risk for separation anxiety; dogs who are rescued or adopted from animal shelters, stray dogs taken in from the street, show dogs or animals that have been kept kenneled for most of their lives, or dogs that have spent a great deal of time with elderly or housebound owners are all at risk of suffering separation anxiety. Additionally, some dogs have a tendency to be more high-strung and demanding of attention, suffering from anxiety when they do not receive the attention that they desire.