Many furry friends suffer from anxiety when they are left alone at home and, as an immediate reaction, they tend to destroy furniture, bark very loudly, lick or bite themselves obsessively, wait obsessively behind the door, or perform repetitive movements. Separation anxiety is quite common and it can be corrected so that both humans and dogs (and even some cats) suffer as little as possible.
After quarantine, and progressively, many of us will be returning to work. This means we will be spending much less time at home, and therefore it may trigger anxious behaviors in our four-legged friends (who, faced with such a drastic change, may see their routines affected).
This canine distress appears when they are left alone at home, when they are confined to a room (but people are still in the house), or when their favorite person leaves. Sometimes the anxiety starts minutes before their human leaves the house; other times it appears after the dog has already been alone for several hours and suddenly gets scared for some reason, or it may also arise due to schedule changes (for example: if the owner usually comes home at 5 and one day arrives at 8, panic-like behaviors may appear). The exact amount of time varies depending on each dog, as does the way they face that anxiety.
To help you in this possible situation, we give you 6 tips that you can put into practice, and that will help you prevent or intervene if you detect symptoms of separation anxiety.
1_Do not encourage their nervousness
Do not say goodbye to them or feed their nervousness with words or phrases like “I’m leaving, but I’ll be back soon,” “be good at home,” “byyyyeee!” and similar expressions that they undoubtedly know are farewells or synonymous with “I’ll be alone.” Especially if you notice they are already nervous as they watch you getting ready to leave. They already know you are going, and it’s not necessary to trick them with common practices such as silently grabbing the keys so they don’t hear the noise, or putting on your coat outside the house so they don’t make associations. They know what is happening.
2_Do not fuel their agitation
When you return home after work, give them a short greeting so they know you’ve seen them and that you’re happy. But don’t be excessively enthusiastic or increase their agitation with jumps, shouts, and hugs. Attention: it’s not about ignoring them, it’s about greeting them calmly! When they are more relaxed, you can then call them and give them more attention.
3_Create a space for them
If you notice that when left alone they are afraid, create a small space where they feel safe. If in your absence they know they have a pleasant and comfortable corner, they will be able to retreat there and sleep much more peacefully. A comfy bed, a blanket, and some of their toys will help them play, rest, and distract themselves more easily.
4_Toys always at hand
It’s important that in your absence they know how to entertain themselves, so a couple of their favorite toys can help reduce anxiety little by little. You can also take advantage of these moments to give them new toys or ones they don’t normally play with. This way, they’ll have something new and interesting to spend time on. Interactive toys like Kong (stuffed with food), chew bones, or other games that require them to use their intelligence to obtain something can be great allies for non-stop entertainment.
5_Do not punish them
If, when you come home, you find pee, poop, or some destroyed furniture or plants, don’t punish them. Remember that they don’t know what’s happening, and the damage may have been done hours earlier. Even if our furry friend adopts a submissive posture and we interpret this as guilt, they don’t understand why they are being scolded. It’s very important to understand that they don’t do these things to take revenge or punish us for leaving — there are no hidden intentions in their behavior.
6_Tire them out before leaving
Before leaving them alone at home, make sure they are tired both physically and mentally. How? With a long walk, running, letting them interact and play with other dogs, sniffing, playing with you at the park, and finishing with a good dose of affection. This way, their energy level will be lower, they’ll be more tired, and they’ll be able to sleep more easily.
It’s not an easy situation and requires a lot of patience on your part. However, if you see things getting complicated, ask your trusted veterinarian or ethologist for help so the situation doesn’t worsen. On the other hand, if your furry friend will spend a lot of time alone at home, remember that you also have the option of daycare services (which can last up to 10 hours) or occasional dog-walking services.
