Separation anxiety in dogs: signs, causes and how to help
You come home to a chewed door frame and a neighbor's note about the howling. It is not spite. Here is how to tell separation anxiety from boredom, and the step-by-step plan the ASPCA describes.
Written by
- Amelia Brown · Staff writer
FYI Summary
Here’s what matters
Not spite. Fear. That one idea changes the whole plan.
- Separation anxiety is distress when a dog is separated from the people it is attached to, not disobedience or spite.
- Common signs when left alone include barking or howling, chewing or digging at doors and windows, escape attempts, pacing and accidents in the house.
- Triggers can include a change of guardian or family, a sudden change in schedule, a move or the loss of a household member.
- Mild cases can improve with counterconditioning, such as a food puzzle toy given only when you leave.
- Moderate or severe cases need gradual desensitization, never punishment, and often help from a certified behaviorist and your vet.
Your dog isn't redecorating the door frame out of revenge.
Say you leave for work and come home to scratched doors, a puddle by the entrance and a neighbor mentioning the howling. It is tempting to read it as payback. According to the ASPCA, it usually is not: anxious behaviors are not the result of disobedience or spite.
Here is how to recognize separation anxiety, what tends to trigger it, and the gradual plan the ASPCA describes for helping your dog feel safe alone.
What is separation anxiety in dogs?
Separation anxiety is distress a dog shows when it is separated from the people it is attached to, often starting as you get ready to leave.
What are the signs of separation anxiety in dogs?
Signs show up when your dog is alone or about to be: barking or howling, chewing or digging, especially at doors and windows, escape attempts, pacing and urinating or defecating indoors.
- Before you leave: pacing, whining or trembling as you pick up keys or a coat.
- Noise: barking or howling that a neighbor hears but you never do.
- Damage: chewing or digging at doors, door frames and windows.
- Escape attempts: which can injure a dog.
- Accidents: urinating or defecating indoors only when alone; some dogs also eat their feces.
The ASPCA says to see your vet before starting behavior training, to rule out medical causes of accidents such as urinary tract infections, bladder stones, diabetes or kidney disease.
What causes separation anxiety in dogs?
The ASPCA lists change as the common thread: a new guardian or family, a sudden change in when or how long the dog is alone, a move to a new home, or the loss of a person or pet in the household.
How do you help a dog with mild separation anxiety?
For mild cases the ASPCA describes counterconditioning: teaching your dog that being alone predicts something good.
In practice that means a food puzzle toy stuffed with something your dog loves, given only as you leave and picked up when you come back. The toy becomes a sign that alone time means a treat.
How do you treat moderate or severe separation anxiety?
Moderate or severe cases need a gradual desensitization plan, combined with counterconditioning, that builds up time alone in steps small enough that your dog never panics.
A gradual alone-time plan, as described by the ASPCA
Difficulty: Hard
Defuse the departure cues
Pick up your keys or put on your coat, then sit down again, so the cues stop predicting that you will leave.
Practice out-of-sight stays inside
Ask your dog to stay while you step behind a door for a few seconds, then return calmly.
Add the outside door
Step out of the front door briefly, keeping each absence shorter than the time it takes your dog to get anxious.
Build up slowly
Lengthen absences a little at a time over weeks; the ASPCA describes working up to about 40 minutes.
When should I get professional help?
Get help if the anxiety is moderate or severe, if your dog could hurt itself trying to escape, or if progress stalls.
Start with your vet to rule out medical causes, then ask about a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) or a board-certified veterinary behaviorist. If you have pet insurance, check whether your policy covers behavioral treatment; our dog insurance comparison explains the settings that decide a payout.
Before your first session with a professional
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can medication help a dog with separation anxiety?
Sometimes, in severe cases, alongside behavior training. The ASPCA says to always consult your vet or a veterinary behaviorist before giving your dog any medication for a behavior problem.
Should I crate a dog with separation anxiety?
Only if your dog is calm in the crate. The ASPCA warns against crating a dog that becomes more distressed when confined.
How long does it take to treat separation anxiety?
Usually weeks or more. The ASPCA describes building up alone time gradually over weeks, keeping each step below the point where your dog panics.
Bottom line
A dog with separation anxiety is scared, not spiteful. Start with counterconditioning for mild cases, a slow desensitization plan for serious ones, and your vet plus a certified behaviorist if your dog could get hurt or is not improving.
Sources
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- Separation Anxiety (dog behavior guide)(opens in a new tab) — ASPCA (accessed )
Information, not veterinary advice.