Separation anxiety in dogs

Recognise the signs

• Barking, howling, or whining immediately after owner leaves — typically starting within the first 5 minutes
• Destructive chewing focused on exit points: door frames, skirting boards, carpets by doors, window ledges
• Toileting indoors in a house-trained dog
• Excessive salivation, drooling
• Pacing, circling, or restlessness captured on home camera
• Escape attempts — some dogs injure themselves breaking through fences or glass
• Excessive self-licking leading to hot spots or bald patches (acral lick dermatitis)
• Vomiting from stress
• Greeting owner with extreme frantic excitement disproportionate to how long they were gone
• Shadowing the owner closely whenever home (velcro dog behaviour)
• Refusing to eat or drink when left alone, even if food is provided

First aid steps

1. 1. Set up a home camera (baby monitor or pet camera) to observe what your dog actually does when left — many owners are surprised by the extent or patterns of the behaviour.
2. 2. Stop leaving your dog alone for the time being, while you put a plan in place — arrange dog sitters, dog daycare, or ask a friend or family member to help.
3. 3. Begin gradual desensitisation immediately: practise leaving for just 5–10 seconds, returning calmly before the dog becomes anxious. Build duration so slowly it seems pointless — that is correct.
4. 4. Teach your dog a positive association with departure cues — put your coat and keys on, then sit back down with no reaction. Repeat many times daily.
5. 5. Provide a stuffed frozen Kong or long-lasting chew as you leave — this creates a positive departure association and occupies the dog.
6. 6. Ensure your dog has adequate physical and mental exercise before any alone time.
7. 7. Consult your vet — for moderate to severe cases, medication (fluoxetine or clomipramine) significantly improves outcomes when combined with behaviour therapy.
8. 8. Contact a CCAB-accredited or ABTC-registered behaviourist — separation anxiety is one of the most complex behavioural conditions and benefits enormously from professional guidance.

While transporting to the vet

• This condition does not typically require emergency transport.
• If your dog has self-harmed (chewed paws to bleeding, cut themselves escaping), transport calmly to the vet, keeping the dog warm and the wound clean.
• Keep the car environment calm and familiar.

When it can usually wait

• Mild whining when owner leaves that stops within 10 minutes and does not involve destruction or toileting
• Dog that settles after 20–30 minutes and is found resting on camera
• New rescue dog showing mild anxiety in the first few days of adjustment

Common causes

• Sudden change in routine (owner returning to work after maternity/paternity leave or post-pandemic working from home)
• COVID-19 lockdowns created a generation of dogs unhabituated to being left alone
• Rehoming or change of household
• Death or departure of a family member or another pet
• Traumatic event while alone
• Lack of gradual habituation to alone time as a puppy
• Breed predisposition — some breeds bond intensely with one person
• Previous abandonment (rescue dogs)
• Pain or illness making the dog more clingy and dependent

What the vet will need to know

• When does the behaviour occur — only when left alone, or with certain people?
• What specific behaviours have you observed, and do you have camera footage?
• How long has this been happening?
• What changes in household routine preceded the problem starting?
• Have you tried any interventions? What happened?
• Does your dog have other anxiety behaviours (noise phobia, resource guarding)?
• Is your dog eating and toileting normally otherwise?
• Any self-harm or physical injuries?

Aftercare

• Follow the behaviour modification programme consistently — even one day of leaving the dog too long can set progress back significantly.
• Keep a diary of alone time and behaviour to track progress and share with your behaviourist.
• Medication (fluoxetine typically takes 4–6 weeks to reach full effect) — continue even if improvement is slow initially.
• Gradually extend alone time only when the dog is consistently settled at the current duration.
• Provide enrichment and mental stimulation — puzzle feeders, sniff mats, Kongs — to build the dog's confidence and independence.
• Continue to practise departure cues with no follow-through (coat on, keys picked up, dog fed a treat, owner sits back down) throughout the programme.

Prevention

• From puppyhood, practise very brief periods of separation every day — leave the room, return before the puppy notices, build gradually.
• Avoid allowing puppies to follow you to every room in the house — teach independence from the start.
• Ensure puppies spend time alone in their crate or safe space as a normal, positive routine.
• When significant life changes occur (returning to work, new baby), prepare the dog weeks in advance with gradual routine changes.
• Enrich your dog's environment with suitable toys, chews, and activities it can do independently.

Breed-specific notes

• Vizslas: famously velcro dogs — extremely prone to separation anxiety; prevention from puppyhood is essential.
• Border Collies: high-drive, human-focused — separation anxiety common without adequate mental stimulation.
• Cocker Spaniels: strong family attachment, anxiety disorders including separation anxiety are common.
• German Shepherds: loyal and people-focused — can develop significant separation anxiety especially if under-exercised.
• Bichon Frise and Maltese: companion breeds bred for close human contact — easily become over-dependent.
• Rescue dogs of any breed: prior abandonment or inconsistent care creates strong predisposition.

Frequently asked questions

Related topics

• Noise phobia in dogs (fireworks, thunder)