What is Separation Anxiety in Dogs?

Part One

It seems like a simple question, and therefore it should have a simple answer, right? However, as is often the case, the answer is a bit more complex than we might think. The short version is that we use the term Separation Anxiety to describe problem behaviors in dogs that are directly correlated to being left alone.

A more technically correct term is “separation related behaviors” (SRBs) which is often used in research and veterinary literature. Adding further layers of complexity veterinary behaviorists and behavior training consultants often distinguish between two types: Isolation Distress and Separation Anxiety.

Isolation Distress is more common, and means that the dog exhibits SRBs when left alone without a person. A dog with isolation distress may be fine as long as there is a person with them. That person could be a dog sitter, a neighbor, a family member or even a dog daycare attendant. Technically, the term separation anxiety is often reserved for dogs that are extremely attached to one person. For this dog, even having their person leave the room can result in SRBs. The entire family could be present, but the dog really only cares that “their person” left.

In real life, however, most people use the term separation anxiety for both situations. It can be helpful if you want to describe a dog who cannot cope with being away from their one person to use the term “hyper-attached” to make the distinction a bit more clear.

Regardless of whether a dog is hyper-attached to a person or not, a dog with Separation Anxiety cannot cope with being alone. They may exhibit physiological signs of fear or anxiety. Being alone is scary, and they may engage in behaviors that are consistent with:

1) Attempting to get people to come back (things like barking or howling),

2) Attempting to get out/away (behaviors like digging at barriers, walls, doorways)

or 3) Make themselves feel better (behaviors like chewing on furniture, urinating and also barking/howling).

Physical symptoms can occur in dogs with separation anxiety (just as they do in people with separation anxiety disorder), including vomiting, nausea and diarrhea. Separation anxiety can be a disorder similar to a panic disorder- but in this case it is the dog panicking about being alone.