After I got adopted, I loved being around my new family so much that I hated when they left me. When I would get left alone, I would get nervous and would do start doing bad things. I would sometimes chew on stuff I knew I wasn’t suppose to, dig & scratch at doors, windows and carpet, whine and bark… a lot and even have an accident or two around the house. My mom was getting really upset with me until she realized that I had separation anxiety. I guess that means that I panic and freak out when I’m left alone.

My family did a lot of things to help me thru my anxiety. They started by not make a big deal about leaving and coming home. When they came home, they would wait a few minutes before giving me a pet or two instead of paying attention to me right away. It helped me to see that them coming and going isn’t a big deal. My mom started leaving me with an old sweatshirt that smells just like her. I love to cuddle up with it and it makes me feel like she’s right there! They also started to say the same thing every time they left the house. After a while, I started to realize that every time they said it, it meant they were leaving for a little while then coming back. Best of all, my mom got me this super cool Kong toy that holds a treat. It’s something that I can chew on forever and it takes me a while to get the treat out. She says that it helps keep me busy while they’re gone but I think it’s just because she loves me that much!

I’m glad she realized I had separation anxiety and that I wasn’t being a bad dog on purpose. With the help of my family, I’ve gotten my anxiety under control! Now that they don’t have to spend all that time picking up my mess, they have more time to spoil me with love!