Separation anxiety affects about 15% of dogs, but other animals aren't immune. Cats, birds, bunnies and other pets can experience it, too.
More people are receiving COVID-19 vaccinations and may be away from home more often or may return to offices, school or start to travel. That raises a big question for pet lovers: Will their animals — especially young ones — become anxious being home alone after a year of 24/7 human companionship?
"Some puppies have probably never been alone for more than an hour or two while the owners went to the grocery store," says Minnesota dog trainer Denise Nord. "Being alone and possibly crated is a skill we need to teach our dogs."
Watch to see if your pet shows signs of separation anxiety when you're away. For dogs, that can mean barking or whining, scratching at doors or windows, or other destructive behavior.
Cats may urinate not just outside the litter box, but on their person's clothes or bedding — an attempt to soothe themselves by mingling their own scent with that of their favorite human. Birds vocalize or toss items around in their cage.
If you're not sure about how your pet behaves when you're gone, set up a pet cam to see if — as well as what, where and when — certain behaviors are occurring.
Even better, start now to prepare pets for being on their own more often or for longer periods.
Begin by tweaking your pet's expectations.
"Separate all the signals that you're leaving from your actual departure," says behavior consultant Alice Moon-Fanelli.
Dress as if you're going out (trust us, your dog or cat knows the difference between sweats and work clothes), then work at home. Alter other "leaving" cues — such as picking up your keys, grabbing your wallet or purse and putting on your shoes. But don't leave the house.
Then begin to gradually accustom your pet to your absence.
"Start going out for short periods of time, such as five to 15 minutes, and coming back in," says behavior specialist Wailani Sung, director of behavior and welfare programs at the San Francisco SPCA. "Leave tasty treats or puzzle toys for pets to work on. Over the course of a week, do two to three short absences, and then gradually increase the length of time you're gone."
Absences can include taking something out to the car or going for a walk without your dog. When you come back in, whether you were gone for one minute or one hour, go about your normal routine, keeping interactions with pets calm and quiet.
Think ahead and introduce puzzle toys before your schedule changes. Your dog, cat or bird should already be familiar with them by the time you head back to the office.
Create a new routine. Nord suggests taking your dog for a walk or other exercise in the morning before you leave so it's ready to settle down with a puzzle toy or take a nap by the time you go. If you can, come home at lunchtime to take it out, hire a pet sitter or dog walker to come by, or schedule a dog day care visit.
Schedule kitty playtime or bird interactions the same way. Leave treat balls filled with kibble for cats or puzzle toys for your bird. Birds also like things they can tear up, such as boxes or magazines.
Find a way to make your departure fun.
"My dogs always get a treat when I leave the house," Nord says.
If you already know your pet has separation anxiety, transition at a slower pace, Sung advises. In severe cases of separation anxiety, seek the guidance of a veterinary behaviorist or certified applied animal behaviorist.
"When their whole world revolves around you and then you go, there's a pretty big chasm there," Moon-Fanelli says.
You can find blog posts and videos on managing separation anxiety at fearfreehappyhomes.com.
