Separation Anxiety in Dogs 2025: How to Spot It & What Helps 🐶✨

By Dr. Duncan Houston BVSc

Your dog can’t bear to see you leave the house—and the destruction (or barking) that follows proves it. Separation anxiety isn’t just frustrating, it’s distressing for your dog and often misunderstood.

I’m Dr. Duncan Houston, veterinarian and founder of Ask A Vet. Here’s how to identify separation anxiety in dogs, and what works to treat it—from behavior therapy to medications.

🔍 What Is Separation Anxiety?

• An emotional panic response when a dog is left alone or separated from their bonded person
• Can occur within minutes of departure
• Most common in rescue dogs, velcro dogs, or those with past trauma

🚩 Signs of Separation Anxiety

• Destructive behavior (chewing furniture, doors, blinds)
• Excessive barking, howling, or whining when alone
• Toileting indoors—even if housetrained
• Pacing or attempting escape (scratching doors, windows)
• Heavy panting, drooling, or trembling before departure

📽️ How to Confirm It’s Anxiety (Not Boredom)

• Set up a pet camera to monitor behavior after you leave
• Bored dogs tend to settle down after a few minutes
• Anxious dogs often escalate quickly and stay agitated

🧠 What Causes Separation Anxiety?

• Change in routine (return to work, moving house, new baby)
• Past abandonment or rehoming trauma
• Not enough independent confidence-building as a puppy

✅ What Actually Helps – Vet & Behaviorist-Approved

1. Independence Training

• Practice short “exits” at home (leave for 10–30 seconds, return calmly)
• Encourage your dog to settle away from you while you’re home

2. Desensitize Departure Cues

• Pick up keys, put on shoes—then sit back down
• Unpair your routine so these signals lose meaning

3. Create a Calm Exit Environment

• Use white noise, soft music, or calming pheromone diffusers (Adaptil)
• Leave enrichment toys or puzzle feeders for distraction

4. Don’t Make a Fuss Coming or Going

• Ignore your dog for 3–5 minutes before departure and after arrival
• This reduces the emotional spikes around separation

5. Calming Supplements

• Zylkene, Calm Chews, and L-theanine products can help mild cases

💊 When Medications Help

• Moderate to severe cases may benefit from vet-prescribed meds (e.g., fluoxetine, clomipramine)
• These reduce panic while you build behavior training

🐾 Long-Term Training Tools

• Work with a certified force-free trainer or veterinary behaviorist
• Success takes consistency and weeks to months—not days

🔗 Support from Ask A Vet

• Snuffle Ball – Keeps dogs busy and mentally engaged during departures
• Ask A Vet – Get custom anxiety plans and talk to a vet about meds or calming products

📋 Summary Excerpt

Separation anxiety is a medical and behavioral issue. A vet explains how to identify it, what truly helps, and how to give your dog the confidence to cope when you’re away.

❓ FAQs

• Q: Will my dog grow out of separation anxiety?
  A: Rarely. Without training and support, it usually gets worse over time.
• Q: Can I crate a dog with separation anxiety?
  A: Sometimes—but only if they are already crate-trained and find it comforting. Otherwise, it may worsen panic.
• Q: Do I need meds?
  A: Not always—but for moderate to severe cases, medication can dramatically reduce suffering and improve training outcomes.