Most pet owners at some stage need to leave home (for example to go to work). In this situation, its not uncommon for dogs to believe that their owners are gone for good, this fear comes from a condition known as Separation Anxiety. Separation anxiety is very common among animals, and in particular among dogs.

In nature, dogs live in packs. When dogs live with humans, they see their family as their pack. This can at times be a positive thing (when the dog see you as the master), or a negative thing when your dog believe he is the chief.

Dogs are very affectionate animals and in many cases they tend to worry when you are not around. They very commonly question if you will return at all when you leave – when they start to think in this way they get frantic, they might get angry and sometimes start getting destructive.

This separation anxiety can come for a variety of different reasons, there could be changes in your schedule, or it could come on if they are trapped in a traumatic situation. You may also find that this is a situation for dogs that have been abandoned and abused that you adopt from a rescue shelter, stray dogs that you and your family find in the street or dogs that were a part of a kennel. These dogs will usually be a little high strung and may spend a lot of time trying to get you to pay attention to them. If they do not get that attention they may exhibit destructive and often dangerous behaviors.

Dogs with separation anxiety tend to cause massive destruction. They will chew through furniture, destroy books and bite through cables. Sometimes they use your entire house as a toilet and other times they bark non stop. These behaviors usually only worsen as the condition drags on.

One of the most important things you can do for you dog when it is suffering from separation anxiety is to be patient and understanding of the condition. Never punish a dog if it has destroyed your belongings as this will only make the situation worse. Your dog will start to believe even more deeply that you don’t love him and that next time you leave you’ll be gone for good.

Patience is very important to the training of your dog when he is experiencing separation anxiety, you must learn commands that you can use to calm him, you must also change your routine so that he learns that the activities you normally do does not mean you are actually leaving for good. Such as when you jingle your keys, go out the door and then five minutes later come back.

This will show him that even though you left you came right back. You may also try to crate your dog as this will give him a safe place where he feels comforted. Lastly reward your dog when he exhibits good behaviors. With all of these things you will ease the effects of separation anxiety.