Separation Anxiety Causes and dog behavior issues

The number one cause for all dogs that are well adjusted dogs, is lack of exercise and impending boredom.

If a dog is not run off lead in the morning before an owner goes to work, it will have all that stored energy it accumulated overnight, with the expectation of a hunt for food the next day.

Everyone who doesn’t walk their dog does not do it on purpose. That is, they don’t know that dogs need daily walks for their mental and physical well being. But most people in modern times claim they are too busy to get up early and walk their dog.

Unfortunately that is the only natural way to resolve most dog’s separation anxiety.

Lesser causes of dog separation anxiety

• Change of dog living quarters
• Change of house members (kids leaving for university etc)
• Medical conditions

Obviously if a dog has an undiagnosed medical condition that can be treated by therapy. drugs then it should be, but here is the rub.

Separation anxiety – Non sustainable damaging treatments

I have personally seen far too many dogs prescribed anxiety mediation when really the only thing they need is a regular walk. The reason this occurs is like time pressured GPs they want to give an owner that will give instant benefit and that they owner will follow.

Tell most owners to walk their dog daily and they will either laugh or just nod and not do it, give the dog away eventually.

The reason why anti anxiety medication is so bd for dogs is that it has the owner come back to get the script filled regularly by the vet and will most likely set a pattern for life it it has any success rather than the real solution which is to walk the dog.

Also. like with many humans, sustained taking of anti anxiety medication often leads a dog to addiction and a change of brain chemistry that requires higher doses or at least medication for life.

Unfortunately for dogs, the pharmaceutical industry is now targeting vet clinics, with many kick backs to vets to use their products. Its big business. And owners love an instant solution, regardless of the mid and long term massive damage caused

If your dog has separation anxiety and doesn’t have a diagnosed mental disease, then you as a responsible owner owe it to your dog, to get it walked each day and work up to that being off lead, so they have a real run and learn to be social, it is not always easy, but it is far better to the alternative drug solutions.