Behavior: Separation anxiety

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The term gets tossed around casually, but separation anxiety is a very serious matter. True separation anxiety is your dog's panicked response to being left alone. The results--including the destruction of your belongings and the deterioration of your dog's mental and physical health--can be devastating.

Separation anxiety is very different from misbehavior. It's a misconception that when your dog digs up your prized orchids or urinates on your favorite rug, he's seeking revenge for having been left home alone. The best-case explanation for such behavior is that he's bored, and the worst is that he's in a state of serious panic. But the good news is that, with effort, separation anxiety is treatable.

Causes

Separation anxiety can result from suffering a traumatic experience, such as a major earthquake or becoming lost in unfamiliar surroundings. Sometimes the death of a person or another pet in the household can trigger the onset. In many cases, no single event causes it--some breeds are simply genetically predisposed.

What the problem looks like

Separation anxiety almost always includes one or more of the following behaviors when you're not at home:

• Destructive behaviors, such as chewing pillows or furniture, mutilating plants, or relentless scratching at doors and windows
• Constant barking, whining, or howling
• Urinating or defecating indoors
• Intense, persistent pacing
• Attempting to "escape" a room or crate to the point of self-injury
• Physiological responses, such as dilated pupils or excessive panting

Disorder versus misbehavior

Not all unwanted behaviors qualify as separation anxiety; in fact, most do not. If you come home  [Continued]