Dog has Separation Anxiety Disorder
My dog has severe separation anxiety;
he freaks every time someone leaves the house...
Anxiety Question:
My dog has severe separation anxiety; he freaks every time someone leaves the house (friend or stranger, even if I stay).
He is a Lhasa apso that was adopted a year ago. I don't know how to keep him from running around so panicky when someone leaves (loses bowel control/barks), even just a delivery guy.
I tried discipline, reassurance, rewards for calm, nothing works.
The panic attacks and barking are upsetting for him and me. I am stay-at-home mom to him, walk him 4/5 short walks/day, have another dog he gets along with. I just don't know what to do about this really bad separation anxiety.
Anxiety Answer:
It sounds like you are doing everything right. I'm especially impressed with the number of walks daily.
I would recommend a visit to the vet for advice. Try calling around to see if there is one that specializes in separation anxiety disorders. The vet may recommend a low, daily dose of anti anxiety medications to ease the extreme attacks initially.
I know it might sound silly, but it works. I've seen rescue dogs take as long as three years to settle into the family pack before these types of attacks minimize, then disappear.
You may want to consult with an animal behaviorist about his separation anxiety, too. They can give advice on how you should model your behavior when he acts out.
For example, if you are fretful when he behaves this way or you give him extra attention to try to calm him, you may inadvertently be rewarding him for this behavior.
I've seen owners do this quite often. They mean well, it's a normal reaction but the dog doesn't understand that he is supposed to calm down. He thinks your affection is a sign that this behavior is what you want from him.
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