Read About Separation Anxiety

Because dogs are pack animals, being alone or separated from their "pack" can be anxiety provoking. Being alone is dangerous in the wild. Just because your dog´s version of "alone in the wild" is "home while you are away" doesn´t change what generations of ancestral makeup have bred into your beloved pet. Here are some coping mechanisms:

1. They may display some of the same symptoms as bored dogs. Providing them with a variety of interesting toys (interesting often equals food to a dog) to play with or figure out while you´re gone and the pup is alone.

2. If your dog shows anxiety when your get ready to leave the house, spend some time doing those things (putting on your work shoes, combing your hair, getting a lunch out of the fridge) without actually leaving. You're teaching your puppy that these are just things you do, not things you do exclusively before "abandoning" him. The final thing may be opening and closing the door without actually leaving, though you should work up to this. Acclimate your dog to the routine actions in the order that you actually do them.

3. Don´t make a big deal upon leaving or coming home. Be low-key and upbeat about arrivals and departures. This will keep them from becoming "events." If you don´t make a fuss about it, your dog will learn that coming and going is just something you do, not something of particular note.

This is just a few ways to help your dog deal with separation anxiety. Scolding or punishing your dog will not change the behavior, because it is an exaggeration of natural doggy instincts. Instead, work with your dog on lessening anxiety, so that pup knows that normal coming and going doesn´t mean you are deserting them forever.