Home Alone

If you added a new dog or cat to your family during the pandemic, you’re in good company. According to the ASPCA, one in five households adopted a pet in 2020 and early 2021 (that’s a whopping 23 million new furry family members!).

“During the pandemic, we were experiencing significant uncertainty, and in order to manage uncertainty, people turned to pets when human social support wasn’t available,” says Leanne Nieforth (PhD V’22), assistant professor of human-animal interaction at Purdue’s Center for the Human-Animal Bond. “So our pets came into that role of supporting us in the space we were in, with their physical and emotional presence.”

When the pandemic started waning, and people returned to the office, some pets began exhibiting unusual behavior. Here’s how to discern whether it’s separation anxiety—and what you can do about it.

What Does Separation Anxiety Really Mean, Anyway?

The pandemic may have seemed like the perfect time to welcome a pet, but it brought challenges down the line.

Disrupted routines made it difficult to establish a consistent schedule, which can lead to confusion and anxiety in pets. Limited access to training and socialization opportunities—combined with an influx of inexperienced dog owners—contributed to a perfect storm of stress and behavioral issues.

According to Niwako Ogata, associate professor of animal behavior in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, a little anxiety is perfectly normal during times of change. Getting an additional pet or making a schedule swap—such as going back to work, even for one day a week, after a prolonged period at home—is enough to bring out the worried eyes and wrinkled foreheads in any dog.

This anxiety should gradually go away after an adjustment period, which may take several months.

If your dog is having trouble adjusting to the current environment even after months, and it results in behaviors such as chewing, scratching, defecating, or excessive vocalizing, this can result in a diagnosis of separation anxiety.

There is also a category of dogs who develop anxiety due to an underlying reason—it could be an illness, sudden event or scary experience, or even older age. “We call that secondary separation anxiety,” Ogata says.

How to Deal

When your pet has separation anxiety, it can be stressful for the human (that’s you!), too. That struggle is real, say our experts. Here’s what you can do about it.

DO set a predictable schedule.

Think about it from your pet’s perspective: Here you are, available to them 24/7 for some quality time and walks, walks, and more walks—and then you go off somewhere for hours at a time. It’s enough to give even the mellowest of mutts a little angst.

“Sometimes, the reason your dog now has anxiety is simply because he didn’t have time to switch between a pandemic lifestyle and your new lifestyle,” Ogata says.

The best way to offset this is to introduce a schedule change gradually, and be consistent as much as you can.

DON’T go overboard with QT.

One common mistake is that people think they need to be glued to their dog’s side in order to “cure” the separation anxiety, but you’re doing more harm than good that way.

“You don’t need to report to your dog where you’re going and what you’re doing,” Ogata says.

Instead, just think of one thing that you can promise to your dog in terms of consistency, she advises.

“For instance, every morning, they get a walk after breakfast. From lunchtime until dinner, they’re relaxing by themselves. Some consistency makes it simpler for the dog, and then they aren’t confused or anxious.”

DO be patient.

“The problem didn’t happen overnight, and it won’t be solved overnight,” says Candace Croney, director of Purdue’s Center for Animal Welfare Science and professor of animal behavior and well-being. “It’s a difficult problem, but just be patient with your animals and be patient with yourself. These situations can be made better, and if you realize that the root issue lies in fear, you can help your animal feel safe and secure.”

DON’T wait to seek
professional help.

“Your vet is your pet’s first line of defense against worsening behavior problems, so it’s important to ask for help as soon as you notice an issue,” says Croney. “It’s also important to realize that separation anxiety is not a trainer issue—it’s a veterinary care issue. Once you have identified what’s going on, you can become an advocate for the animal you love and share your home with, and you’ve lined them up to get the support that they need.”

How to Deal

When your pet has separation anxiety, it can be stressful for the human (that’s you!), too. That struggle is real, say our experts. Here’s what you can do about it.

DO set a predictable schedule.

Think about it from your pet’s perspective: Here you are, available to them 24/7 for some quality time and walks, walks, and more walks—and then you go off somewhere for hours at a time. It’s enough to give even the mellowest of mutts a little angst.

“Sometimes, the reason your dog now has anxiety is simply because he didn’t have time to switch between a pandemic lifestyle and your new lifestyle,” Ogata says.

The best way to offset this is to introduce a schedule change gradually, and be consistent as much as you can.

DON’T go overboard with QT.

One common mistake is that people think they need to be glued to their dog’s side in order to “cure” the separation anxiety, but you’re doing more harm than good that way.

“You don’t need to report to your dog where you’re going and what you’re doing,” Ogata says.

Instead, just think of one thing that you can promise to your dog in terms of consistency, she advises.

“For instance, every morning, they get a walk after breakfast. From lunchtime until dinner, they’re relaxing by themselves. Some consistency makes it simpler for the dog, and then they aren’t confused or anxious.”

DO be patient.

“The problem didn’t happen overnight, and it won’t be solved overnight,” says Candace Croney, director of Purdue’s Center for Animal Welfare Science and professor of animal behavior and well-being. “It’s a difficult problem, but just be patient with your animals and be patient with yourself. These situations can be made better, and if you realize that the root issue lies in fear, you can help your animal feel safe and secure.”

DON’T wait to seek
professional help.

“Your vet is your pet’s first line of defense against worsening behavior problems, so it’s important to ask for help as soon as you notice an issue,” says Croney. “It’s also important to realize that separation anxiety is not a trainer issue—it’s a veterinary care issue. Once you have identified what’s going on, you can become an advocate for the animal you love and share your home with, and you’ve lined them up to get the support that they need.”

When Adam Bergstedt (T’02) and Tara (Brink) Bergstedt (HHS’03, LA’03) got an 8-week-old Weimaraner puppy named Maizy in December of 2020, this wasn’t their first rodeo with the notoriously high-energy breed.

“We knew what we were getting into with a Weimaraner,” laughs Adam, an IT leader from Delaware, Ohio.

Once Maizy turned 6 months old, though, their schedules started to morph from remote to working on-site several days a week (Tara is a speech pathologist). That’s when Maizy’s anxiety reared its head.

“She’d whine, cry, bark, and lick and chew on the crate to try and escape,” Adam recalls.

Here’s what helped the Bergstedts (and Maizy) cope with, and eventually solve, the issue:

CAPTURE IT ON VIDEO

Their first step was to take video of Maizy when they were gone. This helped them to fully understand her behavior throughout the day—not just in those first anxious moments when they were leaving the house. This is a vital first step, according to Ogata.

“A video gives us a better understanding of how severe their anxiety is in the first place and also helps us assess any treatment progress and how they respond to any medication prescribed,” she says.

MAKE IT A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE

The Bergstedts freeze canned dog food and put it in a chew toy for Maizy when she’s in her crate.

“It keeps her busy while we’re gone, and now she’ll even go into her crate on her own and is excited to have her treat” Tara says.

According to Croney, this helps your dog associate that separation time with something fun.

“Magic shouldn’t only happen when they’re right by their person,“ she says. “With puzzle feeders, automatic food dispensers, their favorite toys, and hard-to-break-down chews, there are plenty of tools and tricks that you can bring out during the separation time to give your dog the idea that when they are away from you, magic can happen then and there too.”

BE PATIENT

For the most part, Maizy has adjusted well to the schedule change, and the Bergstedts only used medication for a brief period.

Their secret to success? It all goes back to patience.

“It’s important to be patient with yourself and your dog and try different things—something that works for one dog may not work for another,” Adam says. “Above all, try and make it as positive an experience as you can for your dog.”

When Adam Bergstedt (T’02) and Tara (Brink) Bergstedt (HHS’03, LA’03) got an 8-week-old Weimaraner puppy named Maizy in December of 2020, this wasn’t their first rodeo with the notoriously high-energy breed.

“We knew what we were getting into with a Weimaraner,” laughs Adam, an IT leader from Delaware, Ohio.

Once Maizy turned 6 months old, though, their schedules started to morph from remote to working on-site several days a week (Tara is a speech pathologist). That’s when Maizy’s anxiety reared its head.

“She’d whine, cry, bark, and lick and chew on the crate to try and escape,” Adam recalls.

Here’s what helped the Bergstedts (and Maizy) cope with, and eventually solve, the issue:

CAPTURE IT ON VIDEO

Their first step was to take video of Maizy when they were gone. This helped them to fully understand her behavior throughout the day—not just in those first anxious moments when they were leaving the house. This is a vital first step, according to Ogata.

“A video gives us a better understanding of how severe their anxiety is in the first place and also helps us assess any treatment progress and how they respond to any medication prescribed,” she says.

MAKE IT A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE

The Bergstedts freeze canned dog food and put it in a chew toy for Maizy when she’s in her crate.

“It keeps her busy while we’re gone, and now she’ll even go into her crate on her own and is excited to have her treat” Tara says.

According to Croney, this helps your dog associate that separation time with something fun.

“Magic shouldn’t only happen when they’re right by their person,“ she says. “With puzzle feeders, automatic food dispensers, their favorite toys, and hard-to-break-down chews, there are plenty of tools and tricks that you can bring out during the separation time to give your dog the idea that when they are away from you, magic can happen then and there too.”

BE PATIENT

For the most part, Maizy has adjusted well to the schedule change, and the Bergstedts only used medication for a brief period.

Their secret to success? It all goes back to patience.

“It’s important to be patient with yourself and your dog and try different things—something that works for one dog may not work for another,” Adam says. “Above all, try and make it as positive an experience as you can for your dog.”

What About Our Feline Friends?

Cats are generally left out of the separation anxiety discussion, overlooked in favor of their more needy companion animal siblings. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t keeping a beady eye on your comings and goings—and have certain feelings about it.

Linda A. Mohr (MS HHS’73) should know. As the author of Tatianna: Tales and Teachings of My Feline Friend, she’s had nine cat companions over the years.

“That’s a lot of hellos and goodbyes,” laughs Mohr, a writer and retired professor who lives in Missouri.

Even though she was accustomed to the company of felines, she didn’t realize how her frequent travel was taking a toll on her cat—until her friend clued her in.

“I didn’t know my cat was having problems until my girlfriend stayed at my place when I was gone,“ she says. “When I got back, she said, ‘Do you know what your cat does when you leave? She cries and meows for hours!’”

Mohr got her cat a companion, which solved the anxiety issue. Since then, she’s developed a routine so her cats aren’t upset by the sudden appearance of a suitcase.

“I look at it like a sweet parting and a sweet hello,” she says. “I leave quietly and don’t make a big production out of it and jingle my keys or make noise.”

She also leaves a T-shirt or soft sweater at the foot of the bed where they like to sleep.

While Mohr reports that every one of her cats has been different, there’s one thing they all have in common: They do pay attention to her daily routine.

“My cats used to assemble at the door when I’d come home after a day at work,” she says. “My partner said they’d go there every day right before I would return home.”

Dog Is My Coworker

When we talk about separation anxiety, we tend to focus on the animals left behind. But it turns out that humans experience a little angst when away from their animals, too.

Croney can relate. During the pandemic, when she was home working with her cat and dog, she found that she enjoyed having them around her all day.

“They would keep me company and would interrupt in ways that were quite welcome,” she says. “I’m a poster child for getting caught up in work and losing track of time, but the beauty of these two is that they’re on a schedule and would keep me on one, too. They reminded me to take my eyes off the computer and take a break. So after months and months of doing that, I was a little sad to go back to the office, and it was harder than I expected.”

Once she did return, though, she incorporated what she’d learned about stepping away from the computer every so often.

“Even though I don’t have that built-in reminder when I’m at the office, I do try to take a minute to get up and go say hi to someone down the hallway or take a break,” she says. “Being around my animals while I worked taught me that you shouldn’t be so engrossed in your own work that you aren’t taking care of your own needs.”

The increased post-pandemic human-animal bond hasn’t gone unnoticed by employers.

“In an effort to promote employee well-being, more companies are beginning to incorporate pets at work and are offering pet insurance or daycare benefits,” says Nieforth. “As a result, we’re seeing benefits in terms of improved connection and communication between coworkers and also improved feelings about their work in general.”

Of course, bringing your dog to work doesn’t work for everyone—or every dog.

“As we see more organizations adopting pet policies, it’s important that they have a clear protocol in place and an assessment beforehand,” she says. “There are ways that organizations can be really strategic in making sure that they are promoting the safety of their employees and their pets while also extending the opportunity to those that may be a good fit.”