Why is my 5-month-old puppy so clingy? Is it separation anxiety?

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

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Your description sounds most suspicious of generalized anxiety. There may have been something that spooked your dog recently to cause the behavior change, making him want to be near you all the time and causing him to seek reassurance. However, given his breed, it's also possible that he's just got too much pent-up energy - many high energy breeds can develop either anxiety or boredom if they aren't given an outlet for their energy and a way to tire themselves out. I recommend making sure your dog has a way to RUN his energy off daily. (with his breed and age, a walk probably won't cut it). You can take him running, or if he's ball motivated, throwing a ball is a great option to get him running. Fenced in dog parks are good options too. If tiring him out doesn't help reduce his clingy behaviors, I recommend consulting your vet and having them do a physical exam and likely some screening bloodwork. Sometimes panting, whining, and being generally clingy are the dog's way of telling us that something's not right, which can be the first sign of a disease or health problem. I hope this helps!

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!

This does sound like Rexxy has some separation anxiety. Some things that you can do to help him are to make sure he gets plenty of exercise, especially before you have to leave for an extended period of time; put him in a crate/kennel before you leave to prevent him from being destructive while you are away; and you may want to consider talking to your vet about medication for anxiety. This may help his transition and make him be more calm in your absence. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck!

No one knows the exact cause of separation anxiety in dogs. It can occur at any in any breed or gender. Dogs with a history of abuse or a traumatic separation from their owner are at increased risk of developing SA. Thankfully, there are medications and behavioral modification techniques that may lessen the degree of anxiety and decrease the chances of destructive behavior or self harm. You can find additional information in the PetCoach educational Center. I have included a few links below for your convenience. 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/treatment-options-for-separation-anxiety-in-dogs/

Congratulations on your puppy Coco. It sounds like she may be dealing with stress and maybe even separation anxiety following the departure of her siblings. This should calm down over time, over the next month I would expect her to feel more and more settled. I will suggest a few ways to help her cope below. I am very sorry that you are experiencing these issues with Coco. I will suggest a few tactics to help you both have some peace. The key is to helping Coco feel safe and secure at home, increasing exercise to help with anxiety and also increasing mental stimulation. Allowing her to stay with her mother as much as you can while she adjusts Increased exercise (think fetch indoors) Chew toys Puzzle toys Interactive games like fetch and hide and go seek Leaving the TV, a fan or a White House generating machine on DAP- dog appeasing pheromone releasing diffusers Thunder coats Here are some further resources to help you, but also feel free to ask me any for their questions here on the forum. https://www.petcoach.co/article/10-ways-to-stimulate-your-dog-s-brain/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-ways-to-make-sure-your-dog-feels-safe-in-your-home/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/10-signs-your-dog-is-stressed/

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Yes, dogs can have seperation anxiety if away from their companion dog(s). Since Sienna is still young, some of it may be a bit of jealousy or fear of missing out. I would recommend trying to make sure that she is ok without him, just in case there is a time when they would need to be seperated for a bit (illness or veterinary visit) that she is ok on her own. As she is fairly young, it would be much easier to prevent full blown seperation anxiety by working with her now. But I'm so glad that Sienna has had such a positve impact on your male dog's anxiety.