Separation Anxiety: Pamphlets For Pet Parents
Separation Anxiety: Pamphlets For Pet Parents
Separation Anxiety: Pamphlets For Pet Parents
Separation Anxiety
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information and/or What Is Separation Anxiety?
message, you may type Separation anxiety is one of the most common behavior problems re-
ported by dog owners. Dogs experiencing this problem show distress at
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bers and other pets. The distress can be expressed by barking and howling,
type the information in a attempts to escape, destructive behavior, house soiling, or signs of fear
text editor such as Word or such as pacing, rapid breathing, whining, or drooling. It most often happens
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preserve your changes. What Causes Separation Anxiety?
Why some dogs develop separation anxiety and others dont isnt
known. Dogs are highly social animals and usually form attachments quite
easily to other animals and people. Whether dogs with separation anxiety
are overly attached to their owners, or whether the problem is due more
to a lack of coping skills when left alone really isnt known. Many dogs are
quite attached to their owners but dont show signs of separation anxiety.
The problem is more common in dogs acquired from shelters or who have
had multiple homes. There may be something about the breaking of attach-
ments when a dog leaves a home that predisposes him to the problem.
Common initiating events for separation anxiety include a move to
a new home, a change in the owners schedule, family members moving
away, the death of another family pet to whom the dog was attached, or
returning home after being boarded.
Ask your pet professional for more information about dog behavior.
2008. Animal Behavior Associates, Inc.
Ask your pet professional for more information about dog behavior.
2008. Animal Behavior Associates, Inc.
What Not To Do
Dogs dont destroy things, house soil, escape or bark and howl out of
spite or for revenge. It does no good to get mad at your dog. If the problem
is caused by separation anxiety, the dog is frightened and panicked at being
separated from you and that is what is causing the problem behavior. She
isnt misbehaving to purposely get back at you.
Never, ever punish a dog with separation anxiety or any other fear re-
lated problem. Punishing a fearful animal is cruel and will not solve the
problem. Dont crate or confine a dog with a separation anxiety problem.
Close confinement often makes the panic worse and can lead the dog to
hurt herself trying to escape. Separation anxiety is not caused by a lack of
dominance over the dog, or from a lack of obedience training. So called
dominance exercises or teaching your dog basic commands such as sit,
down, come and stay will not resolve a separation anxiety problem.
Written by Drs. Suzanne Hetts and Daniel Q. Estep, Animal Behavior Associates,
Inc. and Ms. Lori Holmberg, M.A. Drs. Hetts and Estep are Certified Applied Animal
Behaviorists and international award-winning speakers and authors living in Den-
ver, Colorado. For over 25 years they have been helping pet parents understand
their pets behavior and solve behavior problems.
Ask your pet professional for more information about dog behavior.
2008. Animal Behavior Associates, Inc.