Chihuahuas are popular small dogs, so let’s discuss Chihuahua separation anxiety its symptoms, effects, and causes.
In this post, we’ll go over some of the most frequent Chihuahua separation anxiety symptoms you should be aware of.
Finally, we’ll go through some typical methods for helping your Chihuahuas avoid separation anxiety and avoid unwanted behaviors.
First, let’s explain Chihuahua separation anxiety in a way you can understand it before we proceed.
What is Chihuahua Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety occurs when Chihuahuas are separated from their owners for a lengthy period of time, or even when they are left alone unsupervised for an extended amount of time.
Biting, nipping, barking, self-isolation, and destructive chewing are all signs of separation anxiety in Chihuahuas.
It’s crucial to remember that keeping Chihuahuas alone at home causes separation anxiety, which may be avoided by giving them with a buddy and proper crate training.
Separation anxiety in Chihuahuas is a behavioral problem.
When the Chihuahua is left alone at home, it sets off the alarm of separation anxiety.
Chihuahuas with separation anxiety may attempt to flee, leaving scratches on your floor, wall, or door.
What Causes Separation Anxiety In Chihuahuas
The major cause of separation anxiety in Chihuahuas is when they are separated from their owners for a given period of time, or even when they are left alone unsupervised by their owners or family members for an extended amount of time.
That been said, they are other minor causes of separation anxiety in Chihuahuas which are as follows:
- Constant changes in feeding times.
- Loss of a loved owner.
- Boredom and loneliness
- Traumatic experience
- Fear
- Constant changes in the environment.
- Constant change of owner.
- Change of location or environment.
- Constant abuse by owner.
- Inability of Chihuahua to hear or poor sight.
- Lack of mental stimulation.
What are the signs of separation anxiety in Chihuahuas
Some of the most common separation anxiety signs in Chihuahuas include:
1. Constant Digging of bed, backyard and fence
Separation anxiety is one of the most common causes of your Chihuahua digging up your yard, fence posts, bed, or basement.
They dig to pass the time when they are bored or have nothing else to do; it is a technique of keeping them occupied and away from boredom or loneliness.
Therefore, if you come home one day to discover your Chihuahua digging in your yard, basement, bed, or fence base, you must intervene by attempting to resolve separation anxiety.
That is a clear indicator that your Chihuahua is bored, and ignoring it will only worsen the situation.
Read more about why Chihuahuas dig.
2. Sudden destructive chewing
The most prevalent causes of destructive chewing in Chihuahuas are depression, irritability, tension, and loneliness, all of which can be triggered by separation anxiety.
If your Chihuahua is biting everything he sees, something is wrong. It’s possible that it’s a symptom of separation anxiety.
People say you should spray locations where you don’t want your Chihuahua to chew or conceal your valuables like computer wires and I tell you to fix this behavior.
Why not identify out what’s causing the damaging nibbling and address it once and for all, rather than spraying or disguising it?
Provide your chihuahua with something to chew on if you want him to stay away from your valuables or fix the reasons for chewing.
3. Frequent potty accidents
Let’s say your Chihuahua is completely potty-trained but still has accidents when you leave the house and come home to see accidents.
This is a telling indicator that your Chihuahua is concerned about you while you’re gone and if not fixed will only get worse.
As a result of nervousness, your puppy or adult Chihuahua may begin eating his or her own feces, so keep a watch-out for this.
Despite how uncomfortable this symptom is, you may take steps to avoid it or just cure the underlying cause, which may be a cause for concern.
4. Always freezing on owner’s return or departure
Your Chihuahua freezes or gets rigid when you arrive home from work or are ready to leave because he is scared of being alone.
Freezing of your Chihuahua all of the time can be hazardous to both you and your Chihuahua since it can lead to behavioral problems like biting.
It’s a sign that your Chihuahua is angry and won’t be able to handle the situation, which might lead to a bite if your Chihuahua starts to freeze unnecessarily as you leave.
The constant freezing of small dogs, such as Chihuahuas, when their owners leave or come is a common sign of separation anxiety that should not be ignored.
5. Constant barking on owner’s departure
Excessive barking can cause despair, irritation, stress, tension, and loneliness in Chihuahuas as a result of separation anxiety.
Separation anxiety in Chihuahuas develops over time, however as previously noted, it can express itself within minutes of the owner’s departure.
Your Chihuahua may bark excessively when you go to work or somewhere else because he is afraid of being alone.
As a result, you should pay alert if your Chihuahua begins to bark considerably more than usual when you leave or enter.
6. Increased self isolation
A lot of circumstances might cause increased hiding behavior in a Chihuahua, the most prevalent of which are separation anxiety and fear.
When upset, a Chihuahua may seek sanctuary in a little chamber or a stinky piece of the owner’s clothing.
Your dog may spend hours curled up beneath the table or somewhere in the home to urinate himself.
Don’t ignore it if your Chihuahua begins to hide unnecessarily; instead, try to figure out why.
In Chihuahuas, self-isolation is one of the most evident indicators of separation anxiety.
Read more about why Chihuahuas may bite.
7. Increased clinging to owner on departure
When your Chihuahua is worried or anxious about being separated from you, he will do all he can to get out of the house and find you as you leave.
Your Chihuahua might injure himself by hitting his head and teeth against the cage bars, all in the name of pushing him to go because he’s terrified of being alone.
If your Chihuahua attempts to flee the house every time you leave, don’t ignore it; it might escalate to unpleasant behavior issues.
This is a major problem since it means your Chihuahua is terrified of being alone, which can cause separation anxiety.
8. Whining on owner’s return or departure
Your Chihuahua may whine at any moment if he is sad, scared, or suffering from separation anxiety, especially when the owner leaves or returns.
If the stressor is anything like loud noises that your Chihuahua can’t get away from, whimpering will almost always be followed by pacing.
It’s most likely stress if your Chihuahua isn’t yelling because he has to go outside or is in discomfort.
When dogs are stressed out as a result of separation anxiety, they might lose control of their natural whimpering.
However, it is a sign that something is wrong with your Chihuahua’s surroundings.
Anxiety can manifest itself in a variety of ways, one of which is whining.
Read more: Can Chihuahuas Be Left Alone (11 Helpful Tips).
How To Prevent Separation Anxiety In Chihuahuas
If your Chihuahua already has separation anxiety, consult your veterinarian or set aside time to spend with your Chihuahua.
Separation anxiety in Chihuahuas can be avoided or alleviated in a variety of ways, including those listed below.
The following are some of the most frequent strategies for treating, stopping, or preventing separation anxiety in Chihuahuas:
1. Provide A Stress-Free Environment
Make the setting for your Chihuahua as relaxing and pleasant as possible.
You should bring the same bed, blanket, or mat with you while creating a possibly stressful environment for your Chihuahua.
Even if stress levels are low, reward your Chihuahua for calming actions on the mat on a regular basis to educate your Chihuahua to link the mat with relaxation.
They have a safe place to go when they leave the house, go to the vet, or are confronted with anxiety triggers.
2. Hire a pet sitter
To avoid separation anxiety, hire a pet sitter for your Chihuahua if you’ll be gone for most of the day.
A pet sitter for your Chihuahua will cost between $20 and $35 depending on your state, agreements, and who would sit your Chihuahua.
As a result, while you are gone, the pet sitter will visit your Chihuahua on a regular basis till you return.
3. Make a daily schedule for your Chihuahua
Set aside time for your Chihuahua and yourself to play, walk, play games, and dine.
Your Chihuahua will be more at ease since he will always know what to expect.
Because he will be busy for the majority of the day, your Chihuahua will never be bored or notice your absence.
Create and keep to a daily routine that works for both you and your Chihuahua, and delegate as much as possible to your Chihuahua.
If it’s time for a meal, don’t skip it in favor of something else; instead, practice until your Chihuahua feels comfortable.
The majority of your worries will be relieved if you and your Chihuahua develop a schedule that works for both of you.
4. Pet cameras are a good investment
Purchasing one of the remote webcams available on Amazon or at any pet store is a fantastic way to reduce separation anxiety in Chihuahuas.
You’ll be able to view and talk to your dog while you’re at work. This might offer you a significant amount of relief.
These dog cams have excellent Amazon ratings and might be a good option if you intend to leave your dog alone at home for a long period of time.
5. When leaving, turn on the radio or television
Another popular method for minimizing separation anxiety in Chihuahuas is to teach them to connect serenity with watching TV or dog programs.
You may show your Chihuahua a variety of dog shows to help them relax and watch while you’re away.
Obtain as many dog movies as possible and let your dog select the ones that will keep them occupied and quiet.
Teach your Chihuahua to sit and watch dog shows on TV while you’re busy with other things.
By doing this, your Chihuahua will love watching animated dog shows and will remain calm when you are gone.
6. Get another chihuahua
Because they were deliberately created to be a human companion and live primarily on human connection, Chihuahuas are prone to separation anxiety.
If you aren’t always around, getting a second companion pet as soon as possible is one of the best, if not the best, strategies to keep your Chihuahua from developing separation anxiety.
If you have another pet, your Chihuahua will be less likely to develop separation anxiety.
You might purchase a second companion pet for your Chihuahua to help with separation anxiety.
7. Pet dispenser is a good investment
There’s no doubting that Chihuahuas adore treats; thus, you may use this to your advantage, but only in moderation to avoid obesity.
This is a great way to keep your chihuahua amused while you’re away from home; chihuahuas love treats and food, so you can use those to keep them entertained.
Excessive treats can also be a problem for Chihuahuas, as they can cause health problems.
As a result, moderation is required; you can design the dispenser to give your Chihuahua treats over a certain period of time.
Begin the reward dispenser training at home so that the treats will fall when you leave your dog to sit.
One prize at a time will keep him occupied for a while.
You and your dog can test out a few different combinations to see which one works best for you.
Chewy offers a recommended treat dispenser, and Amazon also has this one.
8. Desensitization And Counter-Conditioning
Teach your Chihuahua that separation has its benefits. Begin by leaving him for little periods of time, gradually increasing the time you spend away from him.
Consider giving your puppy a high-value reward that he appreciates and that you only use for critical lessons and incentives if he is already conditioned to go into stress mode when you leave him.
If you give him a special reward just before you leave, he may begin to anticipate it.
You may also make your puppy’s departure less painful by desensitizing him to the indicators that you’re going.
With the information provided on this page, I hope your concerns about Chihuahua Separation Anxiety were resolved!
Read more: Why Do Chihuahuas Cry So Much (7 Reasons & Tips)
