Why I Won’t Guess the Severity of Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety—And You Shouldn’t Either
One of the first things clients often ask after an initial assessment of a dog with separation anxiety is, “How severe is it?”
While I understand the desire to know a dog’s prognosis and recovery time, this is a tricky question to answer for two reasons.
1. Symptoms Vary Between Dogs
Anxiety symptoms are dog-specific and can vary greatly. Some dogs exhibit signs of fear and anxiety as soon as their human leaves, while others may remain calm for a few minutes before becoming anxious.
Some dogs display “big” signs of separation anxiety, like vocalizing—barking, whining, or howling. In extreme cases, dogs may go so far as to harm themselves in their efforts to escape solitude.
Other dogs may show subtler signs such as heavy breathing, pacing, a furrowed brow, or a tucked tail. But just because these dogs aren’t making a big commotion doesn’t mean they feel any less anxious than those with more obvious behaviors.
Example: Skydiving Fear
Let’s use skydiving as an analogy. Imagine two friends preparing to jump from a plane. Both are excited on the ground, but once in the air, fear sets in.
One woman might loudly exclaim, “Oh gosh, I can’t do this!” while waving her hands and pacing by the plane’s door. Her fear is obvious—she’s sweating, her heart rate is elevated, and her voice is escalating.
The other woman, however, stays silent. She retreats to the far end of the plane, curls into a ball, and closes her eyes tightly. Her fear manifests internally through rapid breathing, sweating, and eventually feeling lightheaded.
Both women are experiencing fear and anxiety, but who’s to say which one is more fearful? Just because one is louder doesn’t mean the other is any less terrified.
The same goes for dogs: whether they express anxiety outwardly or keep it bottled up inside, both types are equally valid and concerning.
2. Symptom Size Doesn’t Indicate Training Speed
Whether a dog displays big or small symptoms isn’t a reliable indicator of how quickly the training will progress. What matters most is consistent training while ensuring we stay below the dog’s fear threshold.
We can't tell a dog how much alone time they should feel comfortable with—that's something they determine. It’s up to us to listen, be patient, and take things at the dog's pace. Remember, slow and steady wins the race!
For those who haven’t started their training journey yet, but are eager to dive deeper into our training approach or seek further insights into separation anxiety in dogs, I encourage you to explore our website, blog, or schedule a complimentary discovery call with our team. Together, we can work on helping you and your dog get your freedom back.
Everdog Training is located in Boston, MA, but accepts separation anxiety clients both nationwide and worldwide.
