Separation Anxiety in dogs: What exactly is it?

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There was the usually mild-mannered Pit-bull puppy named Savannah who chewed through the bottom of a door and part of the hardwood floor just underneath it. There was Jasper the Corgi who was kept in a pen on a deck and managed to push it to the edge, chew through a pair of wooden bars, and leap to freedom. And there was my own first pup, an adopted Labrador-Rottweiler cross named Lea, who chewed 40 pages right from the book I was reading after I had left for work one morning.

These are of course a few of the most extreme and most memorable cases of separation anxiety that I've addressed over the years. Separation anxiety is not simply a dog making trouble in the house when you are not in it. It is a condition that puts the dog in a heavy state of panic when you depart, and can manifest itself in various ways: destructive behavior, toilet accidents inside, or excessive barking, howling and whining.

It can also manifest itself in severe depression (inactivity), and incessant panting, shaking, and drooling when the owner is away. Upon return, hyperactivity, and an excessive and uncontrollable greeting are also strong indications. While medications are sometimes an option, it is almost always remedied through training, and some quality time.

The source of this condition is no real puzzle. If you consider that puppies are typically taken from their mother when they are several weeks old, and brought into a home in which their master may go off to work for much of the day, anxiety should come as no surprise. For adopted or pet store dogs, the situation can be much worse. These dogs have been through a succession of care-takers in a very short time, and don't trust anyone to stick around. Who can blame them?

Martin Olliver has over 12 years experience in dog training and is a proud member of the Kingdom of Pets team (http://www.kingdomofpets.com). For more great articles on dog training, including "Separation Anxiety: some Solutions," visit: http://kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/articles/separation_anxiety_in_dogs.php.