If you are a dog owner, it is likely you have heard the term separation anxiety before. Separation anxiety is a behavioural term for when anxious dogs become stressed and frantic every time you leave them alone in the house or just in a room. It is a well-known fact that dogs are pack animals and thrive being part of a pack.

Although dogs are now domesticated, this group mentality hasn’t changed, so most dogs prefer it when their humans are home, and the pack is together. If this situation changes they can begin to feel anxious. Different breeds of dog can be more-or-less prone to experiencing separation anxiety and dogs who have come from rescue situations may also fall into this category.

Treating separation anxiety is necessary to build your dog’s resilience and to chance your dogs behaviors for the better. Using our Vet Know-How gained from our in-house Vet’s Klinic we have pulled together information to help you and your dog through some of the issues separation anxiety can cause.

There are a couple of signs of separation anxiety in dogs. When your dog is left alone, it may show behaviours such as:

Vocalisation, such as howling or barking
Destructive behaviour such as scratching walls and doors, or chewing furniture and other items
Going to the toilet indoors 
Hyper salivating or panting
Increased heart and respiration rate

These behaviours are caused by stress and anxiety triggered by you leaving the house and can be very distressing for both us and our dogs.

There are always going to be situations where you need to leave your dog at home on their own. So, the real trick is starting early and getting your dog (or puppy) used to being left from the moment you bring them home. This way when you do need to leave the house it becomes normal and know you’ll return. To begin, try leaving your dog in a different room, if only for a few  minutes.

 Try our Vet Know How boredom busters for dogs using our Vet’s Kitchen™ Little Stars dog treats, or a toy that they can spend lots of time playin with such as a puzzle toy. When you come back into the room don’t fuss over your dog, this needs to feel normal in order to teach your dog that for you to leave the room without them is normal.

Build this up for longer periods now it’s time to start leaving the house. Choose the same place to leave your dog whilst they’re getting used to be alone, this might be a crate for puppies, a certain room or the whole house. The main messages here are to start as you mean to go on. When you return home, put your bag, keys, shoes away as normal before giving your pup attention.

Cats are solitary animals by nature, and most will have relationships with their owners and other family members on their terms. So, cats have a whole different perspective on lockdown. They may feel more claustrophobic and stressed because they are not getting periods of solitary time that they are used to. The Vet Know-how team told us that, like dogs, we can do similar things to help.

Give your cat an area in the house where they are able to go where they won’t be disturbed by you, children or other animals if you can. Placing a cat pheromone diffuser here can also help. Your cat will appreciate time alone so if you are able to leave the house it could be a good idea. Pets do need mental stimulation too, so check out our blog on boredom busters for cats and dogs for tips on ways to keep your cat mentally stimulated.

Like everyone else, we’re eager to get back to our normal routines but in the meantime following a few of the tips in this blog might make the transition back to work a little easier, for them at least.

Don’t forget, if you are isolating, we can deliver delicious nutritious Vet’s Kitchen™ pet food to your door, order online today.