Loki Misses JT: Dealing With Separation Anxiety

Since JT started working at PetDoors.com last year, Loki has kept a special place in his heart for him. Afternoon popcorn, Tuesday tamale husks….their memories together fill Loki with such joy! When Loki found out JT was going away for the summer, he was heartbroken. Who could replace him? No one! No one else would lift him up in their arms for cuddles or share those lovely popcorn pieces with him. How could Loki go on? All of us began to notice a change in Loki’s demeanor (some do separation anxiety, if you will) and didn’t know what we could do to help.  We’ve documented Loki’s distress in the video below (get your tissues ready everyone!):

Summer dragged on for Loki, he missed his friend JT! Witnessing dogs with separation anxiety certainly is upsetting enough, and Loki's big, sad eyes while searching for his friend only made matters worse. Signs of separation anxiety in dogs present in a number of ways depending on the dog. Loki spent his summer wandering the office in search of JT, flashing heartbreaking puppy-dog eyes at everyone in his path (typical behavior of dogs with anxiety related to missing someone). As day after day went by without a trace, he became increasingly unsure if JT was ever coming back, worsening the apparent dog separation anxiety. But then we showed him a calendar that marked the day JT would return to the office. Loki was so happy and his dog anxiety symptoms quickly dissipated! He could not wait for the day his friend would return to make popcorn and play games with him (the best anxiety relief for dogs like Loki).  

Luckily, Loki had many other friends at the office during the summer to keep him occupied. He was never short on tummy rubs to help him through this tough time. However, if your dog has separation anxiety that seems out of the ordinary when you leave the house, dropping them off at doggy day care or providing them with access outside when you leave can make a big difference. Many customers call us in need of a pet door and expert advice because their dog has issues with being kept in the house for long periods of time, leading them to chew furniture, shoes, walls, baseboards, etc. Quite Literally eating them out of house and home (one of the signs of anxiety in dogs). This can be detrimental to your dog and lead to health problems from ingesting things that are absolutely not on the recommended food list.

We also have people who call us because they have locked up the doggie door to keep their pet outside, causing their pup some serious anxiety. We have heard so many stories over the years of doggys pawing and chewing up the flap to get inside with you. Dogs are highly social creatures, so we can't blame them for wanting to come inside with us. Even more heartbreaking this can be more traumatic for rescue pups that have been left before and think that every time you leave you might not come back for them. Separation anxiety in puppies from a shelter often stems from a ear of abandonment, which we definitely want to avoid as pet owners. There are plenty of things that you can do with your pet to help them deal with the stress they feel when you leave. Wondering how to help dogs with separation anxiety when it starts to interfere with both your lives? Here are some Tips to Help Your Pet Cope With Separation Anxiety.