Separation Anxiety And The Modern Dog Parent's Dilemma

Photo from Center for Canine Behavior Studies Recently I posted a piece titled "Separation Anxiety and Leash Aggression..." You may wonder, what the two have common? The answer is loads, at least from your dog's paws. Leash aggression, while appearing defensive: "My dog is a bully," is most often a reaction to fear. A dog who may seem ferocious is just as likely to be lashing out because he's being dragged into another dog's personal space, unable to retreat. Separation Anxiety (SA) occurs when a dog is fearful of being left alone. According to Nicholas Dodman, DVM, author of Pets on the Couch, 15% of our 78 million dogs suffer from this condition. In both cases, when a dog's stress triggers, it's a powerful motivator and a not-so-pretty scene. Just think of it in human terms. Consider a kid, or even an adult who suffers panic attacks, perhaps due to a fear of the dark, flying, bugs, or even meeting strange dogs or people. Now imagine, tying this person down, so they're unable to get away. Do you get the picture? In today's blog I'll focus on SA; my next blog, fear-induced leash aggression. In both situations, it is fear of the unknown and your dog's inability to separate from or socialize naturally with others that cause what is to you, their frustrating behavior. A dog's reaction to being left on their own can be extreme. Dogs caught in this state may: Pace Whine, howl, bay or bark excessively Eliminate or mark repetitively Chew destructively Dig or work fev...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news