What is a dog seperation anxiety disorder? What's the best way to correct the disorder?

How long does it usually take to resolve? There is a 1yo dog that I'm interested in at the animal shelter. He has already been returned once by a lady that had tried to work with him for 3 months. He's beautiful. I feel so sorry for him.

Dogs are social animals and get anxious when they are left alone not knowing if you will come back and can act out by chewing up your belongings, going to the bathroom in the house, etc. My dog gets stressed when she is left home alone. We put her in our kitchen with a gate up and she is fine in there. She seems to know that when we put her in the kitchen that we will be back but if she has free reign of the house she gets scared when we leave. My dog doesn't seem to have severe separation anxiety and we can actually trust her not to ruin anything in the kitchen but a crate might work better for a dog with a worse case of separation anxiety. We also leave the TV on for my dog and that seems to help. You can work with the dog by only leaving for a few minutes at a time and then gradually making it longer to get them to learn that you will come back. I'm not sure how long it will take...it depends on the dog and how severe their anxiety is.This might help as well...http://www.dogseparationanxiety.net/

i saw the dog whisperer work on a dog like this.he started of by only leaving the house for a couple of seconds. if the dog barked or whined then he would do it again. he kept doing it until th dog realised that he was coming back. he then started lengnigh the time he stayed outside for.he did it every day for a week or so and the dog got better!!!this does not work for every dog though!!!

It is when a dog gets worried and tears up your house if you leave him alone for too long.I don't know how to correct it,but my dog got over it pretty well on his own.

I think that all dogs have some sort of sep anxiety. It is best to work with them and they usually get over it. There are little tricks that hcan help with this too. You can leave the tv or a radio on for it so their is noise, also sometimes when you get a new dog and they have been in a shelter environment they just want to feel like you are there so if you put a t-shirt that you wore for an hour or two in with them or a blanket that you used they have your scent with them and do not feel so alone. We adopted a puppy and doing these things does the trick. If it does not get better, talk to the vet, there are some anti-anxiety meds for dogs too if really needed.

it is where the dog hates to be alone and can destroy and chew every thing in site. he also crys,howls etc and can try to go through windows and doors.my 3 yr old border collie is like this, she has 2 other playmates but she will chew all the furniture and anything else in sight.i got her a wire pen where she stays in it while i am out.she is quite use to it and i put in raw hides and toys for her. i leave the pen door open all the time so she can go in and out when she wants and only lock her in for up to 4 hours at most when i go out.i taped her to find out which of my dogs did all the damage and it was her, she started this as a young pup and for some reason she just hates for me to not be here with her. she is very protective and doesn't like to share me with the other dogs or family members.when she acts up i just point to the pen and she will go in until i tell her to come back out, i also use a muzzel when she gets aggressive and take it off when she settles down. with lots of love and patience she has become better as she is getting older,but she still has the tendency to chew while alone.it is just in some dogs nature while they are alone and feel like we have neglected them i guess.u can take him in if u have lots of time to work with him. dogs like this need lots of attention and have to feel loved and wanted. good luck.

Separation anxiety is actually a rare disorder; it refers to a dog who becomes unhinged when you're out of sight. Most dogs don't actually have s.a. (because they're perfectly happy to run away from you when they want to); what they have is "spoiledness" - they chew, defecate and destroy inappropriately when you leave the house. It's kind of manipulative.Three months is a minimal time to work with such a dog (either one, actually). Assuming it's the second, lesser "disorder", you have to exercise them and obedience train them, but then you also have to keep a certain emotional distance. These are not dogs you should allow on the furniture, or allow to be lap dogs, because it will make it impossible on them when it comes time for you to leave.You need to crate train them - again with a different crate if the crate is a problem - and you may need to get a superstrong aluminum or steel crate, which can run upwards of $300.The drugs that are prescribed for s.a. (clomicalm) don't actually have any benefit without the behavior modification.My advice is, unless you're prepared to see it through, with professional training help (no cookie trainers) and a stiff upper lip, pass on this dog. The last thing he needs is a three-month stint with someone who will give up on him, again, because you felt sorry for him but weren't prepared to do what it takes.There are lots of normal dogs out there... I'd rather deal with aggression any day than this.Good luck.

When left alone, most dogs find a familiar spot and go to sleep. However, a dog suffering from separation anxiety will become extremely anxious. Not understanding where you or your family has gone or if you will ever return, the dog exhibits behavior which may include chewing, barking, salivating, urinating, defecating, vomiting or escape behavior, such as chewing through walls, scratching through doors, busting out of cages or digging under fences if left outdoors. In some cases, the dog simply gets sick, perhaps due to some form of depression. Separation anxiety in dogs is the fear or dislike of isolation, which often results in undesirable behavior. Separation anxiety is one of the most common causes of canine behavioral problems. Treatment for separation anxiety varies from dog to dog. Here are some things you can do to assist in the modification of this behavior, or the prevention of it.When it is time to leave, just leave. Do not say "Good bye" to your dog with hugs and kisses. In fact, ignore your dog for five minutes before you go. Paying too much attention will make your dog feel more insecure when the attention is abruptly withdrawn.Prepare a "Bye-Bye" chew-toy. Get a “KONG”, fill it with goodies such as dried liver pet treats, beef jerky, peanut butter, cheese or other things your dog really likes. Keep it hidden and take it out when you leave each day. Place it near your dog just before you close the door. When you arrive home, poke the goodies left in the bone out so your dog gets them. Then put the bone away. The bone only comes out when you leave. We are attempting to distract your dog with something that he will find interesting enough to concentrate on your leaving. Hopefully, he will appreciate the bone so much that he will look forward to it coming out in place of getting upset with your leaving.Crating your dog during your times of absence has two positive results. First, a dog who is confined to a carrier or crate cannot do damage to your home. Secondly, a crate, when properly introduced, will act as a safe, comfortable den where the dog can relax. Limiting his movement also acts as an anxiety reducer for most dogs.Tune a radio to a talk station; put it on in a room you are often in, the bedroom is usually a good choice, and close the door. The dog will hear the human voices from your room and may not feel so alone. I have had some clients tape record their own voices and play the recording in place of the radio program. Dogs know the sound of your voice all too well. And remember, since the dog is most anxious just after you leave, a one-hour recording will most probably do.With most dogs, the hardest time for them is immediately after you leave. Their anxious (and sometimes destructive) behavior occurs within the first hour after they are left alone. It will be your job to reshape your dog's behavior through reinforcement training. Leave your dog out of his crate, put your coat on, and walk to the door and leave. Come back in immediately. Greet your dog calmly. Tell him to sit. When he does, reinforce this behavior with a food treat he enjoys. Wait a few minutes and then repeat the exercise, this time remaining outside a few seconds longer. Continue practicing leaving and returning over the next few weeks, always remembering to return, greet your dog calmly and command him to sit before offering a treat. When a dog has a strong leader, it has a calming effect on him. He feels safe and taken care of. In the absence of a strong leader, your dog feels obligated to assume that position in the social hierarchy of the family pack. Since a leader must control all that goes on, his inability to control your leaving causes him stress and anxiety. Obedience training is the best-organized method of establishing yourself as a strong leader.A dog that is lacking exercise is more likely to have stress and tension. Tiring a dog out with a long walk, run or with play goes a long way in reducing stress.In severe cases the owner may also have to take steps to weaken the dog's dependency upon a person. This requires the owner to ignore the dog for a period of time, sometimes up to three weeks. This will not break the bond between owner and dog but it will decrease the dog's extreme dependency and allow it to tolerate its owner’s absence without anxiety. Ignoring your favorite pet may be difficult but it is important to keep in mind that a much more healthy and happy relationship will result. It is important to remember that your pet is not bad or trying to make life miserable-although it sometimes may feel that way! Your pet is the victim of a disorder that can be treated. Prognosis for recovery is excellent if you are willing to spend time working with your pet.