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Dog and Owner Behavior

© Ann Downing

You leave your cleaner-than-usual home to return to work after the New Year Holiday. That cute housebroken dog, Coco, that you got for Christmas is barricaded in your den. You come home from work after suffering a day of the "back-to-work-blues" only to find that your beautiful den is no longer beautiful. Pieces of newspaper are shredded and covering your floor. Wet spots accent your entire carpet, the pollyfoam stuffing from the decorative pillows cover your floor, and the television remote is now Coco's permanent dental record. Coco is whinning and jumping up and down, excited to see you. You, however, want to grab Coco and throw her across the room. But since you are a well adjusted person and pet owner, you don't take your anger out on the dog.

Unfortunately, not all pet owners are in control of their anger. For example, a Florida man, allegedly beat a thirteen-month-old puppy, Holly, to death. The reason given for the fatal beating was that the puppy chewed his baseball cap, according to the Animal Legal Defense Fund Action Alert. ALDFA reported that as a result of the beating, Holly sustained a broken back, resulting in her having to be euthanized. For more information, access the ALDFA link.

In both the scenario and Holly's case, the dogs could have been suffering from a condition called separation anxiety. It occurs in about ten percent of the dog population, according to Canines of America. Dogs afflicted with this condition will exhibit negative behaviors when they think their owner has abandoned them. Included in the COA list of these behaviors are "barking, chewing, salivating, urinating, defecating, vomiting, and escape behaviors such as, chewing through walls, scratching through doors, bursting out of cages, digging under fences, getting sick, or going into depression." Factors contributing to these dog's anti-social behavior are "predisposition, genetics, early learning, and owner behavior," according to the COA article. The article continues by saying that dogs are social pack animals and rely on others for protection. "A dog may lack confidence as a reslut of undersocialization, mistreatment, abandonment, and unusually long confinement." These dogs are more likely to exhibit behaviors related to separation anxiety.

Why is it important to be aware of this condition? Separation anxiety behaviors are one of the most common reasons dogs are euthanized, according to the Associated Press article. However, there are other options available. According to Steven Sundoff, FDA veterinary chief: "This is a very difficult syndrome to treat." There is an antidepressent drug available, Clomicalm, also known as clomipramine. The drug costs about a dollar a day to use. According to the Associated Press article, this antidepressent combined with therapy shows promise in improving the dogs behavior. For more information about this therapy, access the Acme Pet.com link.

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