Dog Separation Anxiety

Most parents know that their babies and young children experience separation anxiety when they have to leave them, but did you also know that if you’re a dog or cat owner, your pet can experience separation anxiety when you leave as well?

It’s true; dogs and cats can experience separation anxiety when their owners have to leave just as surely as human children can.

There are some things you can do to help your pet experience less anxiety while you’re away.

Not only will this make for a happier pet (and owner, obviously), but it may very well also be that your furniture, your carpet, and other property that Fido or Fluffy would use to display his or her displeasure at the separation on will be “happier” as well.

For most pets, two things will help alleviate their anxiety at your absence. First, keep to as regular as schedule as you can.

If you have to be away for an extended period of time, have a neighbor or pet sitter come in and check on them, as well as take care of any physical needs.

While you’re gone; not only should the sitter or neighbor be sure to take care of physical needs such as regular walking, litter box changes, feeding, or grooming, though, but he or she should also pay special attention to your pet, talking and playing with her for at least some time every day, because your pet will likely feel at least a little gloomy when Mom or Dad is away.

The second thing that is a great help for pets when their “parents” have to be gone is to keep more than one pet for companionship.

For instance, you can have two cats and a dog, (assuming they get along), but having two or more pets that get along with each other can help alleviate behavioral problems. This is, of course, because they can keep each other company, and are less likely to be bored or lonely when they have companionship.

Finally, some people feel that pets can indeed pick up on psychic clues that Mom or Dad is thinking of them and even can tell, sometimes, when their “parents” are going to come home, so just to be sure to send your pet positive thoughts or “energy” at least once per day, preferably more, when you have to be away.

It can’t hurt, and if it helps your pet, so much the better. Certainly, it will decrease your own feelings of separation anxiety from your pet, even though you might be better at handling them.