Does My Dog Have Separation Anxiety?
If your dog barks, destroys things, has accidents, or seems upset when you leave, you might be wondering whether they have separation anxiety.
Those things can be signs of separation anxiety, but they don't necessarily mean that's what's going on. The best way to start figuring it out is to see what your dog actually does when they're home alone.
The quick version
Your dog may be struggling with separation anxiety if their behavior changes when you get ready to leave or while you’re gone, especially if you see things like:
Vocalizing: barking, whining, or howling
Restlessness: pacing, repeatedly getting up, or having trouble settling
Physical signs of stress: panting, drooling, trembling, yawning, or lip licking
Focusing on your exit: watching or waiting by the door, scratching at exits, or trying to escape
Destruction or accidents: particularly when they happen in connection with being left alone
Quieter changes: becoming unusually still or watchful, or losing interest in food
The important part is when the behavior happens and what else is happening around it. Barking while you're gone isn't automatically separation anxiety. Neither is destroying the couch or having an accident. A camera can help you see the bigger picture.
The details
Start by watching your dog when you leave
The easiest way to get more information is to watch your dog on camera while you're gone. You don't need anything fancy. You just need to be able to watch what happens as you get ready to leave, walk out the door, and stay gone for a little while.
What you find after you get home only tells you part of the story. A chewed door, an accident on the floor, or a complaint from a neighbor tells you that something happened. Video lets you see what led up to it.
With video, you might see your dog relax for 20 minutes before barking at someone walking past the house. Or you might see them become worried as soon as you pick up your keys, follow you to the door, and start pacing almost immediately after you leave. Those are very different pictures.
What does separation anxiety look like?
There isn't one behavior that tells you a dog has separation anxiety.
Some dogs make their distress very obvious. They might bark or howl continuously, pace around the house, scratch at doors, destroy things around exits, or try to escape.
Other dogs are much quieter.
They might pant, drool, tremble, lick their lips, repeatedly get up and lie back down, stare at the door, or become unusually still. These dogs can be easy to miss because they aren't bothering the neighbors or destroying the house.
That's why it's important to look at your dog's whole pattern of behavior rather than checking for one particular symptom.
This is especially important with quieter dogs. A dog who isn't barking, pacing, or destroying anything can still be having a hard time. Look at their posture, breathing, movement, attention, and ability to actually settle. Quiet doesn't necessarily mean comfortable.
Pay attention to what happens before you leave
For some dogs, the problem starts before they're actually alone.
Putting on your shoes, picking up your keys, packing a bag, putting on a jacket, or walking toward the door can become signals that you're about to leave.
Watch what your dog does during that process. Do they continue resting? Follow you around? Start panting? Get up when you pick up your keys? Position themselves by the door? Have trouble settling again?
If their behavior consistently starts changing while you're getting ready, that's useful information.
Could it be something other than separation anxiety?
Yes. The fact that something happens while you're gone doesn't necessarily mean your dog is anxious about being alone.
Barking
A dog might bark because they're distressed about being alone, but they might also bark for a number of other reasons. If barking is the main thing you're noticing, here's how to figure out why your dog barks when left alone.
Watch what happens before the barking starts. A dog who has been sleeping comfortably for half an hour and suddenly barks when a delivery driver approaches the house looks very different from a dog who begins pacing and vocalizing shortly after you leave.
Destructive behavior
Destruction can happen with separation anxiety, particularly when a dog is scratching or chewing around doors and other exits. But dogs can destroy things for other reasons too, including boredom or simply because chewing and shredding things is fun.
Again, the video matters. Look at what your dog is doing before, during, and after the destruction rather than assuming the destruction itself gives you the answer.
Accidents in the house
Urinating or defecating while alone can happen when a dog is distressed, but an accident by itself isn't enough to tell you why it happened. Look at the rest of your dog's behavior and consider other possible explanations too, including simply being left longer than they can comfortably hold it.
Problems with the crate
If your dog panics when you leave them in a crate, don't assume the problem is necessarily being alone.
Some dogs struggle specifically with confinement. A dog can be distressed in a crate while doing much better when they're left loose in the house. If you're only seeing the problem when your dog is confined, don't jump straight to separation anxiety. Being alone and being confined are two different things, and some dogs struggle with one much more than the other.
In other cases, a dog may struggle whether they're confined or not. Comparing those situations can help you understand what part of the experience is difficult for your dog.
What if my dog won’t eat when I leave?
Some dogs who are distressed when left alone won't eat, even if you leave them with something they normally love. A sudden loss of interest in food can be one piece of the picture.
But not eating by itself doesn't tell you whether your dog has separation anxiety. Some dogs simply aren't interested in food when they're alone.
Watch what your dog does throughout the absence. Are they resting comfortably, or are you also seeing things like pacing, panting, vocalizing, staring at the door, or having trouble settling?
As with the other signs, look at the whole picture rather than using food as the deciding factor.
What if my dog is fine as long as someone else is home?
That's important information.
Some dogs struggle primarily with being completely alone. They may be perfectly comfortable if a partner, roommate, family member, or sitter stays with them. Other dogs become distressed when a particular person leaves, even if someone else is still home.
If you're not sure which applies to your dog, treat those as different situations and pay attention to how your dog responds to each one. It can affect what you eventually need to work on.
What if this started suddenly?
If your dog previously stayed home alone comfortably and suddenly starts struggling, think about what changed around the time the problem started.
A move to a new home, a change in work schedule, someone moving into or out of the household, or another major change in your dog's routine or environment could all be relevant. Medical issues can also contribute to changes in behavior, so it's a good idea to talk to your veterinarian—especially if there isn't an obvious explanation or you've noticed other changes in your dog.
So, does my dog have separation anxiety?
No single behavior can tell you whether your dog has separation anxiety. Instead, look for a pattern of behaviors and when they happen.
What happens as you get ready to leave? What happens after you walk out the door? How quickly does your dog's behavior change? Do they settle comfortably, or do signs of distress continue or increase? Does the same thing happen when they're loose rather than crated? Are they comfortable when another person stays behind?
Video can answer a lot of those questions.
And you don't need to keep your dog alone until they're extremely distressed just to find out what happens. Once you've seen enough to know they're struggling, you have useful information.
If what you're seeing does look like separation anxiety, the next step is figuring out what your dog can comfortably handle and starting from there.
Not sure what you’re seeing?
If you're having trouble figuring out whether your dog is comfortable alone, I can help. I offer virtual separation anxiety training anywhere in the U.S. We'll start by looking at what happens when you leave, what might be contributing to it, and what your dog can comfortably handle.
