5/1/2023 0 Comments Only wanna be with you![]() ![]() In cases “where the separation anxiety is so severe that the animal is either doing damage to themselves or doing damage to their surroundings” and your dog needs a crate, your veterinarian may prescribe anti-anxiety medication while you continue to try soothing techniques, says Goetz. “If they’re objecting to being in the crate, you need to do more work before they can be left in there alone,” adds Goetz. If you try a crate, place it in a comfortable, central area of your home and slowly introduce your pet to “crate time” before you leave him there while you’re gone. (Although it might be tempting, adopting another pet isn’t necessarily a silver bullet and can make the situation more complicated, says Hamrick.)įor dogs used to noise, music (one study showed dogs prefer reggae) can help some pets’ anxiety but exacerbate others’, so play the Bob Marley for a week, and if it’s not working, try something else, says Hamrick. If it’s in the budget, doggy daycare “is fantastic for dogs with separation anxiety” but a dog walker, pet sitter or neighbor checking in midday can also help. “Anything more interesting than the fact that you’re gone,” Goetz says. Tiring out your dog physically and mentally is key to reducing both boredom and anxiety, says Hamrick, so start with long walks-trying out new routes and allowing lots of sniffing-and then bring out puzzle toys, long-lasting treats (such as a stuffed, frozen Kong or a frisbee smeared with peanut butter) or other enrichment before you leave. When I adopted him seven years ago, recommended solutions included putting Jules in a crate, giving him treats when I left for the day, playing music and ignoring him when I left or returned. In Jules’ case, moving from a busy foster home with multiple dogs to my unfamiliar, single-pet apartment was likely part of what triggered it, says Lindsay Hamrick, a certified professional dog trainer and HSUS director of shelter outreach and engagement. It’s most often diagnosed in dogs and often surfaces during times of transition. Goetz explains that separation anxiety, as opposed to generalized anxiety or boredom, is unique in when it occurs (as soon as you leave) and in what way it occurs (it’s excessive, and your pet’s panicked-not casually chewing on a shoe, but tearing through a crate, couch or even wall). “Animals live in the here and now … so when you leave, as far as they know, you could be gone forever.” Nellie Goetz, veterinarian and Arizona state representative for the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. “In really simple terms, separation anxiety is just the fear of being left alone and the unknown that follows,” says Dr. So began my battle with his separation anxiety, a disorder that can develop when a pet is away from the human or other animal to whom she’s most bonded, resulting in a spectrum of behaviors that can include trembling, salivating, excessive vocalization, overgrooming, loss of bladder control, or even minor to major destruction of your home. Two-year-old Chihuahua mix Jules had spent his adoption weekend settling in to my apartment, and now I was off to work.
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