How to Manage Separation Anxiety in Older Dogs
Look for defecation and urination., Look for excrement consumption., Keep an eye out for depression., Listen for vocalizations that indicate anxiety., Monitor for destructive behavior., Look for escape.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for defecation and urination.
If your doggie is house trained but suddenly starts voiding in the house, it might have to do with separation anxiety.
Your dog might poop or pee right before or right after you walk out the door.It is important to note that issues with either urination or defecation may or may not be related to separation anxiety in older dogs.
As dogs age, they often lose control of their bowels due to urinary incontinence or other medical conditions.
Urination or defecation in the house in a trained dog might also be due to a medication they recently started.
Alternately, it might be because you (and your dog) just moved into a new house and the dog wants to mark its territory.
If your dog urinates or defecates when you are around as well as when you are not, it is probably not a case of separation anxiety. -
Step 2: Look for excrement consumption.
Older dogs with separation anxiety often engage in coprophagia – consumption of their own feces.
If you come home to a smeared, messy pile of excrement, it could be because your dog was consuming it.
Check your dog’s mouth for a sticky brown smear that indicates it might have been eating its own feces., If you’re getting ready to leave, your dog might start to feel and act a bit down.
If your dog heads away from the door as you leave – almost as if it is unwilling to watch you go – it could be because your exit makes it feel sad.
Maybe your older dog was chewing a toy or playing happily with a ball until you ready yourself to head out, at which point it puts the toy aside and seems to no longer have any interest in it.
Your dog might go to its “safe place” – a dog bed, a favored spot on the couch, or some other location in order to deal with the trauma of separation., If your dog starts barking excessively when you’re getting ready to leave, your dog might have separation anxiety.
The barking, howling, or whining might occur at different times as you ready yourself to leave.
For instance, your dog might being howling when you start getting dressed for work, or when you put your dog in its pen before leaving., If your dog starts gnawing the legs on kitchen chairs or tearing up pillows, it could be because it has anxiety.
Other destructive behaviors include “digging” into the couch or carpet, which could result in the carpet or couch cushion in question being torn up., If your older dog suddenly demonstrates a desperation to escape the place where it is usually confined, it may be developing separation anxiety.
For instance, your dog may scratch endlessly at the door of the room where you usually house it, or tear and chew at the mesh of the baby gate you keep it behind when you go out. -
Step 3: Keep an eye out for depression.
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Step 4: Listen for vocalizations that indicate anxiety.
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Step 5: Monitor for destructive behavior.
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Step 6: Look for escape.
Detailed Guide
If your doggie is house trained but suddenly starts voiding in the house, it might have to do with separation anxiety.
Your dog might poop or pee right before or right after you walk out the door.It is important to note that issues with either urination or defecation may or may not be related to separation anxiety in older dogs.
As dogs age, they often lose control of their bowels due to urinary incontinence or other medical conditions.
Urination or defecation in the house in a trained dog might also be due to a medication they recently started.
Alternately, it might be because you (and your dog) just moved into a new house and the dog wants to mark its territory.
If your dog urinates or defecates when you are around as well as when you are not, it is probably not a case of separation anxiety.
Older dogs with separation anxiety often engage in coprophagia – consumption of their own feces.
If you come home to a smeared, messy pile of excrement, it could be because your dog was consuming it.
Check your dog’s mouth for a sticky brown smear that indicates it might have been eating its own feces., If you’re getting ready to leave, your dog might start to feel and act a bit down.
If your dog heads away from the door as you leave – almost as if it is unwilling to watch you go – it could be because your exit makes it feel sad.
Maybe your older dog was chewing a toy or playing happily with a ball until you ready yourself to head out, at which point it puts the toy aside and seems to no longer have any interest in it.
Your dog might go to its “safe place” – a dog bed, a favored spot on the couch, or some other location in order to deal with the trauma of separation., If your dog starts barking excessively when you’re getting ready to leave, your dog might have separation anxiety.
The barking, howling, or whining might occur at different times as you ready yourself to leave.
For instance, your dog might being howling when you start getting dressed for work, or when you put your dog in its pen before leaving., If your dog starts gnawing the legs on kitchen chairs or tearing up pillows, it could be because it has anxiety.
Other destructive behaviors include “digging” into the couch or carpet, which could result in the carpet or couch cushion in question being torn up., If your older dog suddenly demonstrates a desperation to escape the place where it is usually confined, it may be developing separation anxiety.
For instance, your dog may scratch endlessly at the door of the room where you usually house it, or tear and chew at the mesh of the baby gate you keep it behind when you go out.
About the Author
Pamela Jackson
Enthusiastic about teaching organization techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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