Separation anxiety problems are diagnosed in around 15% of all behavioural cases. When left alone, most dogs will find a familiar spot and go to sleep. However, a dog when suffering from separation anxiety may become extremely anxious. Not understanding where you or your family have gone or if you will ever return, this dog may exhibit behaviour which can include chewing, barking, salivating, urinating, defecating, vomiting or escape behaviour such as chewing through walls, scratching through doors or exit points, breaking out of cages or trying to dig their way out of gardens and enclosures.

In some cases, the dog can become extremely ill, stop eating, or suffer from depression. I often find single dogs kept in kennels can become morose or lethargic. This can be a major problem with some of our working dogs who are often kennelled and therefore do suffer accordingly. I personally believe that if you intend to kennel your dog then you really should have more than one dog in that environment.

Dogs are conspecific that means that they can generally only form a true pack with their own kind, They do create a loose pack type alliance with us and are integrated into our family unit, however that normally does not happen when dogs are not allowed indoors and are restricted to a kennelled area. These dogs do need the companionship and company of other dogs when in this situation. If we were to look at it in human terms, it would be equivalent of solitary confinement.

Possible Causes

Factors at the root of Separation Anxiety can include, genetics, insufficient early learning and handling, lack of socialisation and owner behaviour, sometimes we reinforce an overbonding relationship that causes the dog stress when we are not around. This type of dog will follow you everywhere and that includes the toilet. We can often exacerbate the problem by making a big scene when we leave. Was it Shakespeare that wrote,