My dog is distressed when alone. Should I kennel or let her roam?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I agree with you. This is possibly separation anxiety which is actually way more common than people think. While there are behavioral medications that may help, I still prefer more behavioral modifications such as increasing the frequency of those times that you are separated to get her more used to it but more importantly, start rewarding her for when she behaves well when left alone. You can do this with praise and of course treats. If this does not work, there are medications that can be used for this purpose which your veterinarian may be able to prescribe if deemed useful at that time. Good luck and have a good night!

Hi there. Yes, it certainly sounds like she may have separation anxiety. Many dogs with this problem are much more distressed if they're confined to a small area, so I would consider leaving her loose in the house since it sounds like she does better that way. You could also try leaving her with a special long-lasting treat that she only gets when you're gone, such as a Kong stuffed with peanut butter. A natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure might also be helpful.

This does sound like Rexxy has some separation anxiety. Some things that you can do to help him are to make sure he gets plenty of exercise, especially before you have to leave for an extended period of time; put him in a crate/kennel before you leave to prevent him from being destructive while you are away; and you may want to consider talking to your vet about medication for anxiety. This may help his transition and make him be more calm in your absence. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck!

I would recommend keeping Finn crated for now while he is still getting used to his new environment. It is great that he isn't having accidents in the house and you want that to continue and crate training will help that. Keeping him in a crate while you are away will also keep him safe from harming himself on anything while he is being crazy in that first hour you are gone. If you are consistent with crating him he will learn to love his crate and feel like it is a safe space for him. And if it helps, I crate all 3 of my dogs whenever we leave the house. My oldest dog is 9 years old and very well behaved all the time but he is still crated. It helps me to know he is safe while I'm gone. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

I am sorry to hear that this is happening. It sounds like she is anxious enough to hurt herself. When dogs are this anxious I do think that medication has a place in making them feel better. I would highly encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian soon. There is a new supplement out called Solliqiun that has a lot of promise. You may consider using that first, before medication. Also, there Is a pheromone product called Adaptil that is a calming pheromone. It comes in collars and plug in diffusers. I would encourage you to purchase this as well. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Begin with crating her for very short periods of time. Gradually increase that time as she acclimates. This will take time and requires patience and consistency. Offer a special toy or treat as a distraction. Praise and reward her as she acclimates. A pheromone product, such as the Adaptil collar or DAP plug in diffuser, may help to decrease anxiety. This same method can be used to acclimate her to your absence. Additionally, you can prepare to leave several times daily then put everything away and stay or actually leave. Upon your return, ignore Lily Belle for 15 minutes or until she is calm. Do not make a big deal about coming or going. Consider a pet day care program or having a dog walker visit during the day. At her age, she should not be crated for more than 5 hours before being let out to relieve herself. This time can increase as she matures. The general rule is 1 hour of crate time per month of age plus an additional hour.

Destructive behavior like this when you're not home is usually caused by separation anxiety - some dogs will chew things when they're bored, but if there is significant destruction and it only happens when you're gone, anxiety is much more likely. If you want to know for sure, I would suggest videotaping her the next time you go out - it's usually very easy to see on the video if this is anxiety vs. boredom. There are a few things you can do to try and help her. You can try crating her, but be aware that many dogs with this problem are more anxious when they are confined - she won't be able to do as much damage to your home, but she may injure herself if she panics trying to escape. I would strongly recommend leaving her with a special long-lasting treat of some kind every time you leave the house, like a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter or something similar. You may also want to try a DAP pheromone collar along with a natural calming supplement like Composure or Zylkene to help decrease her anxiety. If you don't see improvement within the next 1-2 weeks, you should talk with your vet about the problem as she may need prescription medication to treat her anxiety, at least for a while. You could also request referral to a veterinary behaviorist for additional help if the problem is severe.