Senior Dog Comfort & Care

1 in 7 dogs in the United States suffers from separation anxiety. A dog with separation anxiety will start to act anxious often before you even leave them alone. When they’re by themselves, they may bark, howl, chew on furniture, have potty accidents, or even lick themselves raw. It's a full-blown panic attack. In less severe cases, a dog may simply be unable to rest while you’re gone, staring at the door hoping for your return or constantly pacing. That can be tough on an old dog’s joints!

There are some things you can do right away for your anxious senior. Make sure to keep your comings and goings low-key. Provide lots of enrichment activities to help reduce chronic stress and burn energy. While full treatment requires an intensive behavior plan, many dogs (especially seniors) significantly improve with the help of calming supplements or anti-anxiety prescription medications.

To resolve separation anxiety, a behavior consultant will walk you through what’s called systematic desensitization, which helps your dog learn that your leaving is no big deal. There is help for this heartbreaking condition, and it’s never too late to start.