Separation anxiety in dogs is more than just a topic. It’s the first step towards truly understanding how your dog is feeling. Many behaviours we see when dogs are left alone, like barking, chewing or toileting, can have different causes. Recognising the signs of separation anxiety in dogs and what each sign truly represents is vital for supporting your furkid.
What Does Anxiety Feel Like?
Dogs with separation anxiety often do more than express restlessness so recognising the signs of separation anxiety in dogs is paramount to giving them the support they need. They can pant, drool, pace, howl, dig at doors, or toilet indoors. In more extreme cases, they froze in place or visibly shake. Some may even injure themselves trying to escape. These reactions tend to begin just before or immediately after you leave, and they last until you return. This pattern is what sets separation anxiety apart from normal independent behaviour or boredom. You might also want to read the first blog in the Separation Anxiety series first that discussed what separation anxiety is, and what it isn’t.
Boredom or Real Distress?
A chewed shoe might look like vandalism, but it might not be anxiety. Restlessness or boredom often shows up as chewing what’s left in reach, especially if there are no other clear signs of fear. A distressed dog, however, often shows pronounced behaviour tied to emotional discomfort. Barking without stopping, frantic scratching, or even drooling in places they’d usually avoid.
Acccording to Purina, filming your dog when you leave the house provides clarity. Notice whether the behaviour starts well before you are gone or only after the door clicks shut. That difference tells you whether to address emotional needs or simply offer more enrichment.
Consider Context and Emotional Load
Some behaviours might feel similar but stem from entirely different motivations. A younger dog chewing up a shoe may be playful. An anxious dog might chew but also tremble or pant. Patterns matter. Some dogs only show anxiety after big life changes like a new home, illness in the family, or a shift in schedule.
What You Can Do
- Set up a camera so you can observe what’s happening when you’re not there.
- Take note of how behaviour begins, how it continues, and how it ends.
- Look for signs of real distress: frozen posture, panting, drooling, frantic method.
- Compare with behaviours that end quickly or seem exploratory.
Understanding whether your dog is anxious or simply bored shapes how you help them because separation anxiety and home-alone training are not the same thing. I highly recommend that you check out the resource on Separation Anxiety at the Pet Professional Guild Australia website.
If you’re unsure or worried that your dog’s reaction might be anxiety rather than boredom, I offer one-to-one support. We can observe your dog’s behaviour together and create a plan that is kind, practical, and tailor-made for you.
👉 Book a private consultation
Recognising the signs of separation anxiety in dogs can change the approach you take and help your dog feel genuinely calm again.
Game On!
Let’s Play!
Hxx
*written with the assistance of AI