Dogs are what they call a man’s best friend. They are called this because unlike most other animals they are loyal to their owner. It’s a give and take relationship that a man shares with his dog. A man has a companion that looks to him for comfort and vice versa. It’s an attachment that can be beautiful and just what the doctor ordered. However, this loving bond that we create can also have some negative health implications. For dogs, if they are faced from any sort of separation, whether short or long, it can lead to separation anxiety.

While missing someone is a natural reaction to separation, it is when the missing turns into stress that a problem arises. Separation anxiety is caused by a breaking of a deep attachment. A dog will act in an un-orderly fashion when confronted with such a situation. They react in such a way because they have become dependent on you as an owner and companion. They are passive aggressive. Another possibility is that the dog fears for you and thinks about the implications that this separation will have on you.

The signs that your dog is suffering from separation anxiety are usually obvious and drastic. The dog will not be able to control his excretion and will litter randomly even though he is litter trained. He may also exhibit severe symptoms like weeping, messing up things around the house, and more.

A notable point to consider about separation anxiety is that it usually occurs in younger dogs. It is also quite possible that your older dog will suffer from the same because as it gets older it becomes more dependent on you.

Dogs who live in shelters or are removed from their territory may be the most prone to such anxiety. They feel like they cannot control their environment and this threatens them, not to mention scares them.

There are definitely measures that an owner can take to help prevent or to stop your dog from suffering. There is no point in yelling or scolding a dog when it acts abnormally. It is a neurological problem and affects their bodies without them even knowing what is happening at times. The ideal thing would be to compensate for your dogs dominance or passivity.

If your dog is dominant, you need to spend more time with it and let him know who is in charge and that you don’t need to depend on him. This may even mean yelling at your dog when it does something wrong.

If you have a passive dog then you need to let it be alone more often by letting it do things on its own without your help. The first few times a dog tries doing anything on its own, it may look at you in surprise or wonder. You will have to help initially. However, learn to let go slowly and know where to draw the line.

Dogs are living creatures and contrary to popular conception, have feelings of their own. In such a situation, it is obvious that they will also feel emotions that can be compared to what humans feel. Separation anxiety is curable and can be taken care of to ensure that your relationship with your dog is a strong, safe and stable one. Time is the greatest healer in this situation.

Jonathan Pitts

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