A dog owner has a huge responsibility to keep his or her pet healthy and happy.  It might seem that all a dog needs is food, clean water, and exercise to stay healthy, but this prescription doesn’t address the dog’s emotional wellness.  Dogs are gregarious animals, meaning that they naturally belong in groups.  Unlike the sloth, for instance, dogs live in a pack for survival’s sake, and because they enjoy the company of the other dogs.  When humans take a dog out of its natural pack situation, the human family becomes the dog’s society.  To then abandon it for hours everyday is unethical and harmful to the dog’s well being.  If you’re curious if your dog has separation anxiety, one question to ask yourself is “How much time does my dog spend alone every day?”  Remember that a dog has no concept of time.  He can’t check the clock to reassure himself that his exile is almost over.  To the dog, each minute is an eternity, as he doesn’t know how much time has passed or how much is left before your return.  If you leave your dog completely alone, he probably does have some degree of separation anxiety. Continue »

Does your dog act up whenever you leave the house, even if it is for only a short period of time?  Have you noticed that your previously housebroken dog now leaves  a present around the house?  Is your furniture being used as a chew toy?  If you have answered yes to any of the previous questions, your dog may, in fact, be suffering from dog separation anxiety.

Dogs are very social animals, and they love to spend time with their owners.  However, when they feel that they are not receiving the attention they want, they become confused, stressed, and anxious.  When this happens, your dog will act out in order to gain your attention and engage in negative behaviors.  Dogs that have never exhibited any signs of separation anxiety in the past may develop separation anxiety as a result of change.  Some of the changes that can trigger separation anxiety include a new baby or member of the household, a move, household members moving out of the home, and a significant change in the owner’s work schedule.  Continue »