This is a problem that happens when dogs are typically left alone. There is no explanation on why dogs suffer from this, but the symptoms of this behavior is digging or scratching at the doors when their owners leave them. They may howl, cry or bark for a period of 15-20 minutes to get their owners to return.

Separation anxiety is very common when a dog has rarely been left alone, or after a long period when the dog and owner have been together, on a vacation for instance. How do you know when your dog has this problem?

* He follows you from room to room when you are at home.
* He reacts to you when you are about to leave the house. This may be in the form of excitement, depression or anxiety.
* He does not like to spend time outdoors by himself.
* He greets you with a lot of frantic enthusiasm when you come home.

Dogs usually get over this separation anxiety, but in some cases it takes longer than normal and the symptoms are severe. In these cases use the following tips to improve the situation:

* Leave your dog with an article of clothing that smells like you.
* Keep your arrivals and departures “low-key”. When you come home, deliberately ignore your dog for a couple of minutes then pat him calmly without showing much excitement.
* Establish a “safety cue” – a word or action that you will use every time you leave that tells the dog you will be back.

Sometimes the problem can be solved by getting another dog. Never punish your dog for his actions – this may actually increase the separation anxiety. There is no real training for this – just love and patience.