Dogs are pack animals. Your family, and all other pets in your family, are his pack. When everyone leaves for work and school, some dogs get highly upset and may become destructive or annoy the neighbors with constant barking and whining. What causes this behavior and is there anything you can do about it?
My Experience
Long ago, I had a dog named Pepper. She was part Australian Sheppard, and was a very sweet dog, although she was also very…ahem….active. I had her for 11 years, and for the first 9, she was an excellent dog. Even as a pup, she never chewed on furniture, shoes, or clothes. Each day, the whole family left for work and school, and Pepper caused no problems. After 9 years, she suddenly became very destructive. It started when she got left in the basement one day, and it stormed. Being deathly terrified of storms, she wanted to get to her usual hiding place – under a bed. So, she dug her way through the basement/kitchen hollow-core door. I came home to find the poor thing hiding under the bed, and a big hole in the door.
But this was merely the beginning. In the next 24 months, Pepper dug through doors, walls, and even the front door. She crashed through windows screens and shredded upholstered furniture. We bought her a big crate, and on her first day in it, she broke the thick plastic floor lining, and her even-thicker plastic water dish, into shards. She also broke both of her upper eye teeth off at the gum line attempting to chew her way out. We took her to the vet to get her teeth fixed, and I requested some doggy Valium. The vet told me that, without getting a doggy psychiatrist’s treatment, doggy Valium only works in about 5% of cases. And in many cases even with a psychiatrist, they just help in about 15% of cases. I have since heard better numbers than that, but back then, it left us feeling pretty hopeless.
In the last few months that Pepper lived with us, we moved into a big, brand-new home. Initially, she seemed as happy as we were with our new digs. But before long, she started her destructiveness again. She chewed on woodwork, shredded the carpet in a number of places, and destroyed a few window screens. We finally came to the heart-breaking decision that we were going to have to find her a different home, before she totally ruined ours. At 11 years old, we weren’t sure that anyone would want her. But we did find her a great home, with a lot of space to run, and someone that is home to be with her all day long.
We never could determine what caused Pepper’s sudden separation anxiety. Looking back, I think it could have started about the time we purchased a new box springs and mattress. Up till then, Pepper had always slept on the bed – not at the foot of the bed, but right up there on the pillows. It had gotten to the stage that when I rolled over onto my stomach or side at night, I’d get a mouthful of her shed hair. So when we finally got the new bed, I stopped letting Pepper sleep on it. Maybe being alone throughout the day was ok, so long as she got her cuddle time at night, and all of the destructiveness was her means of letting me know she didn’t appreciate being exiled from sleeping on the bed.
I believe Pepper’s case was somewhat unusual, but there are steps that can help with more “normal” cases of separation anxiety. Why not try these things that can help:
Food and Exercise
Give your dog a lot of exercise. An exercised dog is a happy dog, and is also a tired dog. And also a full belly is a happy belly. A dog that’s been on a nice run and gotten his belly full is more likely to relax and take a nap and sleep much of the day away. Ah, the life of a dog 
And of course, you should also make sure there is fresh water and food readily available for your dog.
Sights, Smells, and Sounds
Leave the television or possibly a radio on. It can be reassuring to your dog if he can hear human voices. Leave a window open. Dogs like the fresh air along with the outside smells, plus they can see and hear people and other animals that happen to be outside. You may have to leave it open only a crack, though, according to your dog’s behavior. Pepper would go right through a screen that was open wide enough.
Something to Do
Leave your dog some favorite toys. It will give him something to do. Toys that you and your dog have played with, and therefore have your smell on, can reassure. Ropes, nylon bones (not real ones, they can splinter and cause all sorts of problems or worse), squeaky toys, and balls are all good. The dog I have now goes out in the front yard on a 20-foot lead. I’ve seen him play with the lead, as though it were a live person or animal, when he had nothing else to do.
Answering Machines and Web Cams
Set your answering machine to screen calls, so that the caller’s voice can be heard, and call your dog a couple of times during the day and let him hear your voice. If at all possible, set up a web cam in your house and also at work so that you can look in on your pup to see what he is up to. If he’s misbehaving, call the answering machine and reprimand him. If he appears to be getting anxious, call and talk to him in a soothing voice.
Put Your Dog in a Crate
Although it didn’t work for Pepper, it may meet your needs exactly. It might sound mean to confine your dog to this type of small space each day, but it can actually be reassuring to him. A dog often comes to think of his crate as his own familiar “bedroom”. One Fourth of July, when my current dog, Bo, was just a pup, he ventured outside and heard a huge firecracker boom. He ran back inside, cowering. He came out again, and it happened again. His third time out, several loud fireworks went off at once, and Bo ran back inside, down the steps, into his crate, and curled up and hid in there. It was his safe place to go. Crating works best if your dog is used to it, or is raised from a pup using a crate.
Stay Calm
When you leave, and when you initially get home, stay calm. Your dog will recognize your vibes, and if you become nervous because he will likely be nervous or upset, your dog will pick up on it. Make coming and going no big deal.
Interval Training
Go outside for just a couple of seconds, and then come back in. Go out again, and wait a minute or two and then come back in. Vary the amounts of time that you are gone. Get your dog used to being separated for small amounts of time, and gradually increase the time. Go in or out different doors. Take your keys with you one time, and not another. Go when your dog is looking, then when he’s not. And stay calm. Eventually, your dog won’t know if you are going to leave for a long or short time. But he will begin to understand that you always come back.
I hope these tips can help you and your best friend to live in harmony. Love My Dog Blog would love to hear any stories you might have about your dog and separation anxiety, or any stories about your dog. You can also visit Love My Dog Blog for information, tips, and human dog interest stories.