Separation anxiety is one of the typical problems that can be encountered by your dogs. When the dogs’ closest person in the house leaves for work or a trip, they commonly suffered from separation anxiety. This condition can be observed in your dogs through varied signs and symptoms. Some of the visible anxiety signs include excessive barking, destroying items in your house, salivation, intention to escape in rooms and their crates, scratching walls, whining, scratching floors, disruptive chewing, panic, and defecation or urination.
When routines of your dogs have changed, they can become irritated. Perhaps many of you would assume that your absence from your dogs may have caused them to feel lonely, from this case perhaps they may have suffered from separation anxiety. It is important for you to understand that this is not always the case. Therefore, further observation is essential.
Separation anxiety and other related disorders
There are times that you can mistakenly identify your dogs’ disorder as another type of a related condition. Isolation-distress is one of those conditions. In this type of disorder, your dogs are reluctant to be left alone in your house. They may also suffer from anxiety, but the loneliness and anxiousness they’ve felt can be decreased or eased through the presence and company of other dogs or people.
In separation anxiety, your dogs are suffering from an authentic separation distress. These dogs are greatly bonded with one person, primarily their master. When the dogs do not sense the presence of this person, they constantly demonstrate a stressed behavior. They look for that person everywhere in their house. You can identify whether your dogs suffer from this condition or disorder when they show signs of mal- adaptation during the absence of a particular person. The urgency and desire to get close with their owners are often the reason why dogs suffer from anxiety.
When dogs display anxiety behavior
If your dogs show symptoms or signs of separation anxiety or isolation distress, you may have difficulty in commanding them. Enforcing punishment or scolding them will not be helpful. Showing harsh behavior on them will not also help. It will just make them more stressed and anxious.
Anxious dogs may display the following behavior:
• Before the dog owner leaves the house, behavior like panting, drooling, barking, and pacing may be visible in them.
• When dogs sense the absence of their owner, high levels of panic and stress would show in them. Howling, excessive barking, house soiling and many other anxiety signs could also occur.
• Dogs become their owner’s tail; following them wherever they go, especially at times when they are preparing to leave. Many dog owners can observe this behavior in their canines. Dogs often seek for attention when following their owner.
• When the owners finally arrive home, anxious dogs will eventually show signs of manic excitement. When you arrive home from your trip, your dogs often greet you with total excitement. They may jump blissfully and do terrific things.
• Anxious dogs may show obsessive chewing, sucking their tails, and destructive licking of their paws. When they are too bored, feel lonely and miss the person they are attached to, they tend to engage in the previously mentioned behavior.
• There are also dogs that suffer from anxiety and chose not to drink and eat while their owners are away.
• Some of your dogs can’t tolerate being in a crate or confined spaces.
• Panting and fear can be seen in them while they chose to stay in one corner.
• Escaping can be possible among dogs that have separation anxiety. They may forcibly break your window or just chew some parts of your door.
Minimizing Anxiety on your Dogs
How could you avoid excessive attachment from your dogs so that they do not become ill from it? Whether you have a newly born pup, a regular cute dog or an adopted one- all of them are prone to attaching themselves to you. But how could they stand being separated from you? How can they survive or surpass each minute without your presence? For you to do that, you may follow the following steps:
• See to it that there is a reliable person to guide your dogs while they are still adjusting to their new environment.
• Get a nice and quiet room for them so that your dogs will have their resting and comfort place.
• When your dogs have finally gotten to their new environment, take the time to tour them. Let them know and become familiarized with the comfort room, their sleeping area and so on. See to it that you would be able to stay inside your dog’s new place for about ten to fifteen minutes. Let them absorb the details and changes in the new environment. Remember not to interact with them too much when you’re introducing a new place to them.
• Allow your dogs to become familiarized with the new area. Afterward slowly take yourself out of the picture. Allow your dogs to build connections with other people. Visit your dog to build more connections and awareness.
When you’re about to leave your dogs by themselves
• Secure the safety of your dogs when leaving your house. See to it that your dogs are contained safely. Allow their moving space open while you are away because if not, they might destroy your furniture and things.
- Before containing them in a crate, make sure to take them for a walk and let them exercise. Your dogs will surely become lifeless and get panicked when you are about to leave them.
- Leaving your beloved dog can make you too emotional. In bidding them goodbye, don’t show your emotional state to them. Make everything simple for your dogs because if you get too emotional in front of them, they will absorb all the negative feelings you have, and that will add to their stress and anxiousness.
Dogs are intelligent and observant. They know when you’re about to leave your house. Some of the signs or indication that dogs usually relate to leaving is when you get your coat or put on your shirt and when you get your shoes. To avoid such leaving signals, you can teach your dogs that when you engage in such actions, like putting on your coat, it doesn’t always mean that you are leaving. Let your act deceive them. For example, when you get the keys to your car, put on clothes and shoes. Afterward, just sit and watch TV. The mentioned tactics will minimize associating your usual routine to leaving.
- While you are on your trip, let your dogs enjoy some music to keep them entertained and minimize lonesomeness feelings. You could find specially made DVDs or CDs for your dogs.
- Consider conditioning your dogs. Assist your Huskies in associating their anxiety or loneliness to foods or delightful treats.
When your dogs consistently show anxiousness and stress
When you’ve observed that your dogs continuously suffer from anxiety and stress, asking for the assistance of specialists like a veterinarian, trainer and behaviorist are vital. Medical treatment or professional care are also considered. Just remember to avoid punishing your dogs from this act or behavior. They are merely suffering from separation disorder; that is why patience and a thorough understanding is required. Another thing that you should remember is that when you have young puppies, never leave at home by themselves.
What to do when your dogs get Anxious or become Fearful?
Some of you may panic when you notice some changes in the behavior of your dogs. But when it comes to anxiousness, you could always do some alternative therapy to counter the condition. While there may be several products or drugs to lessen anxiousness within your dogs, there are also natural alternatives.
To encourage calmness within your dogs, you can try the following natural means:
1. Passionflower
It is ideal to use in the daytime. It has a great effect in calming dogs.
2. Valerian
It is a mild sedative, which is also effective in encouraging calmness in dogs.
3. Oatmeal also contains calming properties.
4. Skullcap
It has something to do with the nervous system which then calms your Huskies.
5. Jasmine
6. Chamomile
It is ideal to give to your dogs in tea form.
Other useful treatment for Anxiety
• Incarnate
• Gelsemium
• Chamomilla
• Veratrum album
• Rhododendron
• StaphysagriaValeriana
• Zincum metallicum
• Coffea cruda
• Valeriana
• Lycopodium
• Passiflora
• Ignatia
• Aconitum
• Arsenicum
• Calcarea carb
• Baryta carb
Anxiety is not only observed in people. Your dogs can also experience it. Whenever you leave your dogs alone, do your best to lessen the anxiety they feel. Too much loneliness and longing are not good for their heath. Don’t let your dogs suffer from separation anxiety. Secure your dog’s safety and let them be free from too much stress while you are away.
