Separation anxiety in dogs: signs and step-by-step training

Reading time 6 min · Level 1: Why the symptom happens

The short answer: Separation anxiety means a dog panics when it is left alone. It howls, barks, pants, scratches at the door or wees indoors, and none of it is spite. The solution is almost always training in very small steps, where the dog is never left for longer than it can stay calm. Start by filming your dog when you leave, so you know what actually happens. If the dog injures itself, or the problem appears suddenly in an older dog, it should see a vet.

What separation anxiety is, and what it is not

Many dog trainers and behaviourists prefer the term separation-related problems, because a dog can react to being left for several different reasons and the reactions can look very different¹. What they have in common is that the dog feels bad about being alone. It is not deciding to punish you for leaving. It is struggling to cope, and the behaviour is how it shows it.

Agria lists signs that can point to separation problems¹:

• The dog follows you as you get ready to leave and reacts as soon as you put on your coat or pick up your keys.
• It becomes restless, paces back and forth or stands at the door for a long time.
• It pants even though it is not hot.
• It whines, barks or howls.
• It scratches at doors and windows or destroys things.
• It wees or poos indoors, sometimes on your belongings.
• It stops eating while you are away.
• It greets you with exaggerated, almost euphoric relief when you come home.

How common is it?

It depends on how you measure. In a large Finnish survey of 13,700 dogs, around five per cent showed separation-related behaviour. The same researchers refer to earlier studies that reported 14 to 20 per cent³. The gap mostly tells us that definitions vary. The study also found large differences between breeds, which suggests genetics plays a part³. So your dog is not alone in this, and it is not necessarily down to something you did wrong.

Is it really separation anxiety?

Not everything that happens while the dog is alone is panic. Before you make a plan, it is worth ruling out other explanations:

1. Boredom. A young dog that has not had enough exercise or nose work may chew furniture because it is fun, not because it is afraid. It is often calm when you get home.

2. Not fully house-trained. A puppy or a recently rehomed dog may simply need to go out more often.

3. Fear of something else. Noises in the stairwell, thunder or the neighbour's building work. The dog is afraid of the sound and happens to be alone when it happens.

4. Pain or ageing. Older dogs can suddenly find it harder to be alone. Age-related cognitive decline becomes more common with age, and pain, illness or reduced sight and hearing can also make a dog less secure².

The simplest way to find out is to film. Set up a phone or camera so it can see the door and the dog's usual spot, and watch the whole recording. When does the reaction start? Straight away, after ten minutes, or only when a door bangs in the stairwell? Agria recommends exactly this, and getting help from someone with behaviour expertise to interpret the signals².

How to train, step by step

Find the threshold. The film shows how long the dog stays calm. Start below that time, even if it is only a few seconds.

Leave and come back before the worry starts. Repeat short sessions several times a day. Increase the time a little at a time, and only when the dog has been relaxed several times in a row. If it struggles, go back to a shorter time.

Take the drama out of it. No long goodbyes and no big fuss when you come home. Put on your coat, jingle your keys and then sit back down on the sofa, so the cues stop meaning that something difficult is about to happen.

Train resting, not just being alone. A dog that has learned to lie down and relax on its spot finds it easier to fall asleep once you have gone. Once the dog is sleeping, the time can often be extended faster¹.

Arrange a dog sitter in the meantime. The hard part of the plan is everyday life. If you have to work a full day while you are training on ten minutes, the dog gets left beyond its threshold anyway. A dog sitter, doggy day care or a neighbour can be the difference between progress and standing still.

Puppies should get used to being alone very gradually, with short sessions when the puppy is tired and has been outside, and someone there when it wakes up⁵.

When to see the vet

As soon as possible if your dog injures itself when alone, for example broken claws, sores in the mouth or bleeding paws after scratching at the door. Also if a dog that used to cope with being alone suddenly does not, especially if it is older. There may be pain or illness behind it².

Within a few weeks if the dog still reacts strongly even though you have trained carefully. For more severe problems, training may need to be combined with a veterinary assessment and sometimes medication¹. Vets are encouraged to take separation anxiety seriously from the first visit, because untreated problems can lead to dogs being given up⁴. Ask about a behaviour consultant who can make a plan for your particular dog.

What you can do in everyday life

Give your dog something to do before you leave. A walk where it gets to sniff, or a short scent game, makes it easier to rest. A chew or a puzzle toy can work for dogs that are calm enough to eat.

Think about time. Sweden has no rule on how long a dog may be left alone, but the Swedish Board of Agriculture advises that dogs should be let out at least every six hours during the day, and puppies and older dogs more often. Six hours is advice on toilet breaks, not a recommended time alone².

Be careful with crates. A dog in a panic can hurt itself trying to get out. Do not shut a dog in a crate unless it already feels safe there.

Change one thing at a time. Note what you try and watch the films again after a few weeks. Progress often shows more clearly on film than in how it feels.

Frequently asked questions

Does separation anxiety go away on its own?

Rarely. If the dog is left again and again until it panics, the problem tends to get worse rather than better. With gradual training, on the other hand, you can often get a long way.

Will getting a second dog help?

Not necessarily. Many dogs with separation problems miss a particular person, not company in general. A second dog is a big decision that should be made for its own sake.

How long can a dog be left home alone?

As long as it stays calm and secure, and never longer than allows it to be let out at least every six hours during the day². For a dog with separation anxiety the answer at first is often minutes.

Should I tell my dog off when I come home and it has destroyed something?

No. The dog does not link the telling off to what it did while alone, and its worry about the next time you leave only grows.

That was the short answer. If you have a question about your own pet, email us at info@herbiovet.se. We reply within one working day.