12 Symptoms Of Separation Anxiety In Dogs

If you ever come home from work or a day out to discover a tornado has been unleashed in your house, it may be because your dog suffers from separation anxiety.

In the wild, dogs (or their ancestors, at least) are highly social animals and are dependent on a well-defined structure, which has a pack leader at the top of the hierarchy.

The domestic dog still relies on this structure, but the big difference is, you are your dog’s pack leader.

And without their pack leader, dogs can become confused, unsure, and even scared.

So it makes sense that if they have to spend seven or eight hours a day without their pack leader, they may get stressed out and end up causing problems in your home.

This report details ten signs that your dog may be suffering from separation anxiety.

Aggressive Behaviour

This is one of the more extreme and rare symptoms, but if your dog is usually friendly and well-behaved, then signs of aggression may well indicate separation anxiety.

Barking, Howling & Whining

This is one of the more common signs your dog has separation anxiety – it can start almost the minute you close your door behind you, and it can go on for hours (and hours, and hours).

It’s also one of the few symptoms that can cause bigger issues – because if your neighbours are home and have to listen to that sort of noise all day, every day, you can bet they will tell you about it. And if you don’t do anything to stop that excessive barking, they may even call the authorities on you, which may lead to your having your dog removed.

Digging

If your dog has access to your yard while you’re out (e.g. via a doggie door), and you come home to find holes everywhere in your lawn or flower beds, then it’s possible he’s suffering from separation anxiety.

Drooling & Panting

This may be harder to ascribe to anxiety during the warmer months, when dogs are more likely to pant and drool, but be aware that this can be another sign that your dog is feeling nervous or afraid of being left alone.

The stress caused by this nervousness is what raises the body temperature, which in turn can trigger the panting and drooling.

Hiding

Dogs who are afraid of being left alone may often hide, even before their owner leaves the house.

Alternatively, they may still be hiding when you return. Many dogs will, of course, be by the door, ready to greet you the moment you enter your home, so if they’re not there, or in whatever place is usual for them, it could be they’re hiding and don’t want to come out until they know for certain it’s you and not some stranger.

Making A Mess

If you return home and find puddles, or worse, on the floor, your first reaction may be that your doggie isn’t housebroken yet – but it can also be a symptom of separation anxiety (even if your pet never usually has an accident in the house).

Mayhem & Destruction

This can range from mild clawing (e.g. at curtains or chairs), to total destruction. (We once came home after a day at work to find our Staffordshire Bull Terrier had completely demolished a chair in the kitchen.)

Finding your possessions torn to shreds can be annoying, and even expensive, but perhaps even worse is when their destructive behaviour harms their own bodies. For example, they may break teeth (again, our Staffordshire once took a chunk out of a granite fireplace and was lucky he didn’t hurt himself), break their nails, or even cut their paws.

Pacing

Unless you employ some sort of video camera / motion sensor while you’re out, you may not even know your dog is doing this, since it’s rare for them to pace – either up and down, or in circle – while you are present.

Shaking & Trembling

Like the previous symptom, there may be no evidence that your dog is so anxious that he shakes uncontrollably, sometimes for hours at a time, in your absence.

It can also be a sign of fear, rather than the somewhat less serious anxiety.

Shedding

Many, if not most, breeds of dog shed at some stage, but separation anxiety can cause them to shed more than normal, excessively even.

So if you find large clumps of fur around the house, it’s a fair bet he doesn’t like being left alone.

Trying To Escape

Although it is your responsibility as your dog’s guardian to ensure their environment is safe, anxious dogs may try to escape – for no other reason than they are trying to find you.

So, either make sure you don’t leave windows or door open when you leave the house (which is obviously a good practice anyway), and if your dog has access to the yard via a doggie door, then make sure that yard has no gaps in the fencing, or that the fencing high enough to prevent him climbing or jumping out, or that any gates are firmly shut.

Remember, a dog that escapes is not only likely to be injured (or killed), but can also cause harm to others (e.g. if a car swerves to try to avoid hitting him).

On a smaller scale, if you leave your dog in a crate or behind some form of “baby gate”, they may try to escape that also.

Vomiting & Diarrhoea

Typically, dogs (and other pets) will only vomit or have diarrhoea when they’ve ingested something that disagrees with their usually robust digestive system.

So if you come home and find your dog has thrown up or left a runny mess for no apparent good reason, then it could be a sign he’s anxious.

Just like with we humans, anxiety and stress can feed on itself, to the point where physical sensations of nausea are felt, resulting in actual bouts of vomiting or diarrhoea.

Conclusion

Some of these symptoms (e.g. constant howling) are almost always signs of separation anxiety, while others (e.g. chewing) could be a sign of either that, or just boredom.

As this sort of behaviour is only exhibited when you’re absent, the only way to discern what the problem is would be to install a camera in strategic places around the home. This way, you can see under what circumstances your dog starts showing these symptoms.

If, having read the above, you conclude that separation anxiety is the problem, then don’t forget to check out one of our other reports, where we discuss ways to manage it.

And if you’re still not sure, then you can always find a pet behaviour consultant who may be better able to diagnose what the problem is.

Finally, bear in mind that some breeds are more prone to separation anxiety than others, so if you’re likely to be out of the house for long periods, these may not be the breeds for you:

• Australian Shepherds (as I can personally attest)
• Bichon Frises
• German Shepherds
• German Shorthaired Pointers
• Labrador Retrievers
• Thai Bangkaews (which is a type of Spitz)
• Vizslas

Additional Resources

These are suggestions for those who wish to delve deeper into any of the above:

1. Find A Pet Behaviour Consultant
2. Security Camera