Mount Pleasant Pets 2021-22

III www.MtPl easant . Pet | www.MPVet s . Pet | www. f acebook . com/MPpet s MP PETS F E A T U R E WHAT IS CANINE SEPARATION ANXIETY? SEEKING TREATMENT FOR A MORE Peaceful Pooch Separation anxiety is a behavior disorder that affects almost 20% of dogs in the United States. Estimates show more than 50% of dogs display some level of the disorder at some point. Put simply, a dog with separation anxiety displays fear/ panic when alone. This distress ranges from low-level anxiety to abject terror. Signs include continuous barking, whining, pacing, sweating, drooling, pawing or scratching, inappropriate elimination, destruction, attempts to escape and even self-mutilation. WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN? Dogs are social animals and enjoy relationships with oth- er dogs or people. A need for social interaction is wired into a dog’s behavior. Average dogs can be flexible in the level and frequency of interaction, as well as who is involved. With a separation anxiety dog, there is little flexibility. It’s all traumatic. Time alone is met with panic. Anxiety can be a response to being left by a particular person, or it can be a response to being left alone, period. While we do not know why some dogs develop separa- tion anxiety, research shows these events present in most cases: • Multiple rehoming/moving • Air shipping, especially during puppyhood • Illness or malnutrition during puppyhood By C.C. Bourgeois, CPDT-KA, CSAT, PMCT, Owner, Lead Trainer, Wonder Dog University WonderDogUniversity.com Photo courtesy of Jeanne Taylor Photography