Separation anxiety in dogs
Encyclopedia
Separation anxiety in dogs is a condition where dogs, when left alone, exhibit distress and behavior problems. It is similar to separation anxiety disorder
that people experience when they are away from someone they feel strongly emotionally attached to, i.e., a father or mother. In the case of dogs, they become distressed and anxious
when they are separated from their owner.
Since dogs are "pack" animals
, they naturally want to always be with their owners, who they consider their pack. Most normal dogs are able to handle being alone for about eight hours a day; as long as they have a yard to defecate
. For dogs with separation anxiety, they become nervous when owners go to leave and often will try to leave with them. As they are leaving, one can hear them barking, wishing that they would come back. And, upon return, they find their home has been destroyed in some way or the dog has, to some extreme, hurt themselves.
Separation anxiety affects even those pets who receive the most love and attention; it does not only affect neglect
ed pets.
problems rather than with a disorder. Some behavior characteristics to look out for in a pet one might think is suffering from separation anxiety are:
Older pets have difficult times with moving from place to place and accepting new people or pets into their lives.
Separation anxiety disorder
Separation anxiety disorder is a psychological condition in which an individual experiences excessive anxiety regarding separation from home or from people to whom the individual has a strong emotional attachment...
that people experience when they are away from someone they feel strongly emotionally attached to, i.e., a father or mother. In the case of dogs, they become distressed and anxious
Anxiety
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...
when they are separated from their owner.
Since dogs are "pack" animals
Pack hunter
A pack hunter is a predator belonging to the animal kingdom, which has evolved to hunt its prey by working together with other members of its species. Normally, such animals are closely related. The most commonly known pack hunter is the Gray Wolf, the ancestor of all breeds of domesticated dogs...
, they naturally want to always be with their owners, who they consider their pack. Most normal dogs are able to handle being alone for about eight hours a day; as long as they have a yard to defecate
Defecation
Defecation is the final act of digestion by which organisms eliminate solid, semisolid or liquid waste material from the digestive tract via the anus. Waves of muscular contraction known as peristalsis in the walls of the colon move fecal matter through the digestive tract towards the rectum...
. For dogs with separation anxiety, they become nervous when owners go to leave and often will try to leave with them. As they are leaving, one can hear them barking, wishing that they would come back. And, upon return, they find their home has been destroyed in some way or the dog has, to some extreme, hurt themselves.
Separation anxiety affects even those pets who receive the most love and attention; it does not only affect neglect
Neglect
Neglect is a passive form of abuse in which a perpetrator is responsible to provide care for a victim who is unable to care for himself or herself, but fails to provide adequate care....
ed pets.
Typical Behaviors
Often owners confuse their pets behavior with disciplineDiscipline
In its original sense, discipline is referred to systematic instruction given to disciples to train them as students in a craft or trade, or to follow a particular code of conduct or "order". Often, the phrase "to discipline" carries a negative connotation. This is because enforcement of order –...
problems rather than with a disorder. Some behavior characteristics to look out for in a pet one might think is suffering from separation anxiety are:
- Destructive chewing
- Howling, barking, whining
- urinationUrinationUrination, also known as micturition, voiding, peeing, weeing, pissing, and more rarely, emiction, is the ejection of urine from the urinary bladder through the urethra to the outside of the body. In healthy humans the process of urination is under voluntary control...
, defecation in the house - self mutilation
- Digging and scratching at doors or windows in an attempt to reunite with their owner
Causes
The cause of dog separation anxiety is unknown. Some pets retain their early fear of being left alone. Causes can include:- being left alone early in life
- rejectionRejectionThe word "rejection" was first used in 1415. The original meaning was "to throw" or "to throw back".Rejection may mean:* Social rejection, in psychology, an interpersonal situation that occurs when a person or group of people exclude an individual from a social relationship* Transplant rejection,...
as puppies - lack of stimulationStimulationStimulation is the action of various agents on nerves, muscles, or a sensory end organ, by which activity is evoked; especially, the nervous impulse produced by various agents on nerves, or a sensory end organ, by which the part connected with the nerve is thrown into a state of activity.The word...
- poor health.
Older pets have difficult times with moving from place to place and accepting new people or pets into their lives.
External links/References
- http://www.tlck9academy.com/pdf/keeping-dogs-relaxed-safe-4th-july.pdf
- http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/separation_anxiety.html
- http://www.metpet.com/Reference/Dogs/Training/separation_anxiety_in_dogs.htm
- http://www.2ndchance.info/sepanxiety.htm