← Behavior help
Separation anxiety
A dog who panics when you leave is not spiting you, and he is not under exercised. He is having a panic attack with nobody there to help.
What it looks like
- Howling or barking that starts within minutes of the door closing
- Scratching and chewing at doors, windows and crates, sometimes to injury
- House soiling by a dog who is otherwise reliably clean
- Drooling, pacing or refusing food while alone
- Shadowing you from room to room before you have even picked up your keys
Camera footage is the single most useful thing you can bring me. Most owners have no idea what the first ten minutes actually look like.
The honest bit
Separation anxiety is slow work, and it depends heavily on being able to avoid leaving the dog alone longer than he can cope with while we build the tolerance up. That is inconvenient, and it is also the part that makes it work.
Worth asking your vet
For some dogs, medication prescribed by your veterinarian makes the difference between a plan that stalls and a plan that moves. That is a conversation for them and you, and I am happy to write up what I am seeing so you can take it in.