Separation anxiety is one of the most common things dog owners write to us about, and the tricky part is that most of it happens when you are not home. Here is what to look for.
The 7 signs
- Pacing or circling as soon as you pick up your keys or put on shoes.
- Barking or howling that starts within minutes of you leaving (your neighbours will tell you).
- Destructive chewing, especially around doors and windows, the exit points.
- Accidents indoors from a fully house-trained dog.
- Excessive drooling or panting when alone (check for a wet chin patch when you return).
- Refusing food until you're back home.
- Over-the-top greetings, frantic and unable to settle rather than a happy hello.
What actually helps
The five minutes before you leave. This is the part most people get wrong, and it costs nothing to fix. Drop the long goodbye, because the ritual itself is the cue. Pick up your keys ten times a day and go nowhere, until the sound stops meaning anything. Hand over the good thing as the door closes, not before. And come home boring, with no greeting until your dog has settled.
Comfort objects. A lot of dogs settle better with something soft to curl around, and plenty of others ignore it entirely. A plush comfort toy given right as you leave gives that kind of dog something to hold onto, and makes the departure part of a routine rather than an event. It is a squeaker and soft plush, with no batteries and no heartbeat module, which is worth saying because a great many listings in this category imply one.
Licking enrichment. Licking is slow, repetitive and absorbing, which is part of why a stressed dog licks the sofa or their own leg. A lick mat smeared with peanut butter and frozen changes the association: keys mean treat, rather than keys mean panic.
Calming support. Calming chews with valerian root, chamomile and melatonin are meant to be given about half an hour before you leave, rather than as you go. Worth being straight about this: calming supplements help a lot of dogs and do very little for others, there is no way to know which yours is without trying, and giving one too late is the most common reason people conclude they do nothing.
Practice short departures. Leave for 2 minutes, return calmly, repeat. Slowly build duration so your dog learns that leaving always ends with you coming back. This is the part aimed at the anxiety itself. Everything else on this list buys you room to do it.
When to see a vet
If your dog injures themselves trying to escape, or the anxiety is getting worse despite consistent work, talk to your vet. Severe cases sometimes need professional behavioural help, and no product on our store is a substitute for that.