Dogs have certainly made a great difference to people’s way of life. Dogs form a legendary bond with humans thus it is not surprising if these animals are considered as man’s best friends. Dogs are truly man’s wonderful companion as aside from being loyal and affectionate they also form a strong bond with their owners. Dogs, unlike cats are entirely dependent on their owners.

Because these animals form a strong bond with the human family they would not only expect to receive attention but would also demand to be with the master at all times. Because of this, dogs are dubbed as Velcro pets. The pet’s strong bond with its owner is not always a good characteristics as it can cause separation anxiety, a condition that can make owners decide to abandon their pets. Separation anxiety is one of the reasons why dogs turn into destructive pets.

Barking, chewing, digging and house soiling comes with the territory of owning a dog. These inherent trait however can develop into a destructive behavior in dogs suffering from separation anxiety disorder. A dog with separation anxiety is a well behaved dog whenever the pet owner is around but once the owner leaves, the dog will manifest excessive canine behaviors and become destructive. Dogs with severe separation anxiety disorder not only manifest excessive and destructive canine behaviors but also mutilates its body because of panic attacks.

What are the reasons for a dog’s separation anxiety disorder? Being social creatures, dogs would always love to interact with all the members of the family. Dogs can be the shadow of the master as these pets follow their masters around. Dogs accustomed to following the owner around would have panic attacks if the owner is not seen. It is necessary for dog owners to take the role of the leader of the pack. Dogs, especially those with weak willed owners would think of themselves as the leader of the pack and consider humans as pack members lower in rank. On both cases, the dog would suffer from separation anxiety and manifest destructive behavior when separated from the master.

Abused dogs, abandoned dogs and dogs that have been transferred from one home to another commonly suffer from separation anxiety. Dogs with separation anxiety would start to be destructive as soon as the master leaves home. At the sight of the master picking the car keys or taking the coat from the rack will trigger a panic attack and make the dog starts its destructive behavior.

Sarah’s Dogs has more information about dog separation anxiety and dog first aid.