Lab Has Separation Anxiety
My Lab has separation anxiety; what can I do?
Anxiety Question:
I have a five year-old female lab. I cannot leave her at my parent’s home in the fenced yard which is a huge farm. When I go in the house she freaks out and starts jumping on the windows and sliding door until I get back out there. When I’m outside with her she is fine; she practically ignores me and plays or brings me the ball to throw.
How can I get her to stop this behavior? She never does it at home. Is she terribly afraid I’m going to leave her? None of my other dogs are like this.
Anxiety Answer:
Yes, she IS terribly afraid she is going to be separated from you. Having other dogs or people around doesn't mean the dog cannot suffer from separation anxiety, even in their presence, because the problem stems from her emotional dependence on you.
Separation anxiety is a serious and complex emotional disorder and it cannot be addressed in a simple email. It is not misbehaving - it is an emotional illness. I suggest that you do the following:
1. Read the book, "I'll Be Home Soon" by Patricia McConnell. You can order it from Amazon for about $6. It's a quick read and will give you better background on separation anxiety.
2. Get help from a professional trainer AND from your veterinarian who may need to prescribe medication for separation anxiety. Call your local Humane Society and they can direct you to a trainer who can help.
Left untreated, separation anxiety can only get worse. I hope you take quick professional action.
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