My dog cries when I leave. How to manage severe separation anxiety?

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Don't worry- you are not alone in this separation anxiety issue Oren seems to be having. This is very common but can be very frustrating for everyone involved- including Oren! Anxiety can be very energy draining, so I am not surprised to hear about the exhaustion experienced when you get home. A few tips, though, can help with this. Keep the crate area very comfortable and inviting with lots of soft blankets. Spray a bit of Adaptil Spray (pheromone spray) you can purchase at your local pet supplies store around the crate area and blankets 15 mins before you leave. Take a kong toy and stuff it with low fat peanut butter or low fat plain yogurt and freeze it overnight. Take it out 10 mins before you leave and offer it to Oren to keep him entertained and busy while you are in the process of leaving and while you are away. Playing music or the radio can help as well. Claiming chewables with L-theanine in them daily can help lower anxiety levels naturally. SSRIs prescribed to Oren by his veterinarian can help with cases that do not improve even with behavioral modifications if Oren continues to have trouble with separation anxiety. I hope this helps and best of luck!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Nova! It sounds like Nova has severe separation anxiety. Since she is only 4 months old I highly recommend aggressive remedies as this behavior doesn't usually start this young. I would hire a private trainer or a Veterinary Behaviorist and discuss starting anti-anxiety medications now. You will have to work with her a lot one on one. This will not be easy and you will have to put in the effort or she will not get better. Be sure when you have time to provide plenty of exercise and once she is spayed and fully vaccinated I would enroll her in doggie daycare 2-3 times per week. Below are links to articles to read. I hope this helps and I wish you and Nova the very best! https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3144 https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1502 https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1379 https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1129

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I agree with you. This is possibly separation anxiety which is actually way more common than people think. While there are behavioral medications that may help, I still prefer more behavioral modifications such as increasing the frequency of those times that you are separated to get her more used to it but more importantly, start rewarding her for when she behaves well when left alone. You can do this with praise and of course treats. If this does not work, there are medications that can be used for this purpose which your veterinarian may be able to prescribe if deemed useful at that time. Good luck and have a good night!

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach to address your concern! Unfortunately, separation anxiety can be quite difficult to address for most dogs. I usually recommend a multi modal approach. I recommend the following non-prescription approach prior to anything prescription: 1. NaturVet Quiet Moments calm chews plus Melatonin (can be found online quite easily. 2. Adaptil pheromone collar 3. Adaptil diffuser 4. Thundershirt In combination with this, I typically recommend providing plenty of toys such as a kong toy filled with peanut butter and some other noise making toys. I have recently recommended a product called the Pet Cube. This allows you to watch him via an app on your phone remotely and you can even control a laser pointer and interact with him while you are away. If this does not work or the behavior worsens, I typically recommend adding in anti-anxiety medications such as Trazodone, Amitriptyline, Clomipramine (clomicalm), etc. in combination with the above recommendations. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Dodger! It sounds as though Dodger has separation anxiety. I would leave a radio or the TV on for sound and consider anti-anxiety medications. Long term medications like Prozac or clomicalm are probably best and you can combine it with a short acting medication for the short term. Using your mother in law is also a good idea or if he likes other dogs taking him to doggie day care a few times per week may help. If the below doesn't help then I would discuss medications with your Vet as Dodger is young and it's best to get ahead of this. Good luck! https://www.petcoach.co/article/separation-anxiety/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/top-5-ways-to-reduce-separation-anxiety-in-dogs/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-common-signs-of-separation-anxiety-in-dogs/

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am so sorry for the loss of your husband! I think animals mourn as well and they can pick up on our stress and anxiety. I would call your vet and ask for medications for Sophia. I would consider a long acting anti-anxiety medication like prozac and also a short acting medication to use in the beginning for when you leave her. I would hope with time you can wean her off these medications. I would provide something of your husbands for her to keep in her crate or bed that you can give her. If she doesn't have food allergies consider giving her a Kong filled with food (there are recipes online) and keep the radio or TV on for her. If she likes other dogs you can even sign her up for doggie day care and drop her off there for the day. I wish you all the best!

Poor pup! Barking and vocalizing while you're gone is usually a sign of separation anxiety - this is similar to a panic attack that occurs every day when you leave the house. Shock collars should never be used to treat this problem, as this will only increase his anxiety and make things worse. I would strongly recommend consulting with your veterinarian about this problem, as most dogs with significant separation anxiety issues will need prescription medication in order to make any headway with treatment. If your regular vet isn't well-versed in behavior, you could also consider making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist for a full evaluation and treatment plan - you can search for one in your area here: www.dacvb.org In the meantime, you could try a DAP pheromone diffuser as well as a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure to help with his anxiety. These will not be as effective as prescription meds, but may help to take the edge off a bit until you are able to see the vet.