Animal Welfare Professionals

Presented by: Dr. Valarie Tynes, Shelter Veterinary Behaviorist for the SPCA of Texas in Dallas 

Separation related problems result in extreme mental suffering in affected dogs and negatively impact the quality of life of their owners as well. With time, these types of problems can severely damage and eventually destroy even the strongest of human animal bonds. Helping pet owners to understand that affected dogs are not “acting out” and that they don’t just need “more structure” or “more exercise” is imperative if we are going to solve these problems. This presentation reviews the most common clinical signs of separation anxiety, some of the “red flags” in a dogs history that suggest it may have a separation related problem and how to accurately identify the problem. Some practical approaches to treatment are also presented.