New research unpicks root causes of separation anxiety in dogs

"Separation anxiety in dogs should be seen as a symptom of underlying frustrations rather than a diagnosis, and understanding these root causes could be key to effective treatment, new research by animal behaviour specialists suggests.

Many pet owners experience problem behaviour in their dogs when leaving them at home. These behaviours can include destruction of household items, urinating or defecating indoors, or excessive barking and are often labelled as 'separation anxiety' as the dog gets anxious at the prospect of being left alone.

Animal behaviour researchers have now identified four key forms of separation anxiety, and suggest that animal behaviourists should consider these underlying reasons as the issue that needs treating, and not view 'separation anxiety' as a diagnosis.

The team, led by scientists from the University of Lincoln, UK, identified four main forms of distress for dogs when separated from their owners. These include a focus on getting away from something in the house, wanting to get to something outside, reacting to external noises or events, and a form of boredom."

Full article HERE

Whilst acknowledging that the social dog can be very upset if forced to live a solitary life for many hours of the waking day, I also believe that 'separation anxiety' is an over-worked term for what is bad behaviour, or simply a dog who is a round peg in a square hole.  

However, there's no dubt that we are into an age where all too often, all the members of a household are out during the day, either at work or at school, leaving the dog, often a 'I want' dog of completely the wrong breed for the circumstances.   So what's going on is labelled 'separation anxiety'.   My main breed(s) - hounds - do NOT do well living a solitary life.   They are pack animals and are way happier living within a busy family situation.  

We didn't have a dog (hound) until we were financially able for me to stop working full time.   Which I did for 6 months before going back for 3 hours in the middle of the day.   He wasn't impressed and went back to peeing around the house.  I took him with me and he stayed in the car, with staff visiting him, walking him.  The carpark was close by and tree covered (shade) and that summer wasn't a hot one.   Once I could stop working at all, I did.   Had it been otherwise, there'd have been NO DOG.  Quite literally.   Sadly people want it ALL these days and I wish they'd get a cat rather than a dog, so far fewer dogs would be in an unsuitable home, and unhappy.

Research?   It's there for all to see without that, I suggest.

Such a sensible post. Thank you Mamabas.

And I don't mind confessing that my darling Megan, whose 6th and 7th generation are with me as I write, was taken on when I had far too many work and family commitments than i admitted to the breeder and was optimal at that time. She was left in the kitchen, which she duly chewed up and took to barking at every seagull that landed near the house. She also dug holes in the wall next to the front door. My husband eventually gave up repairing these. The fact that she became the perfect dog and is still much missed ( she died aged 16+) is no credit to me. Once i gave up my ridiculous work /home schedule she became the much loved and universally admired dog she was meant to be. God, how I miss her.

Interesting! I do wonder if these things are made worse by people who get a pup and expect it to somehow miraculously be okay alone with no preparation at all.

In a “natural” situation a 9 week old puppy that is alone is a dead puppy - so it’s totally understandable why they cry and panic when everyone leaves, especially after they’ve already been through the trauma of leaving mum and siblings and the only home they’ve ever known. How are they supposed to know they are safe unless we teach them?

I don’t think River was a particularly insecure puppy but I literally spent weeks pretty much glued to him when he first arrived. At the start I couldn’t even go to the loo without him crying, so he came with me into the bathroom. I worked very hard to teach him that I always come back when I leave (tiny intervals at first, gradually getting longer), so now at 9 months he’s happy to settle in his crate and sleep until I get back.

I know that if I’d just left him to cry he’d be an absolute wreck by now.

Too many just get a pup and don’t prepare it at all for their return to work in a week or whenever. Poor dog is just settling in and then their new family gets ripped away, no wonder they panic and start behaving “badly”.