Can A Second Dog Help Solve Separation Anxiety?

It can be difficult if you have a dog, but you have to be gone much of the time. Some dogs are well suited to being alone for much of the time. It doesn’t bother them. Still other dogs have a hard time with it. They don’t want you to leave, and occasionally bark or howl when they’re left alone. And then there’s the third kind of dog, who not only hates it when you leave, but actively causes problems. They rip things up, bark non-stop, and generally have a hard time. What can you do for them? Is there any way to fix the problem?

You could try getting a second dog. It might seem counter intuitive, but a second dog can often solve the problems of the first dog making too much noise and causing problems when alone. Many dogs act out when they’re alone because they get nervous or scared. Just like people, nervous and scared dogs don’t always make the best decisions. After all, when was the last time you were nervous and scared? Did you do the best things, or did you make some mistakes?

Dogs are no different. If they get nervous or scared, they only have a few ways of making that known. Most of those ways involve acting out, ripping things up, and making noise. So getting a second dog can help fix the problem, because they’ll have another dog to play with.

But won’t the second dog just join them in ripping things up and barking? It is possible, so you may want to get a dog that’s already been through obedience training. It can be expensive, but if you truly want what’s best for your pet, you don’t want to leave them alone.

Plus, if the dog is only acting out because of separation anxiety, getting a second dog won’t add to the amount of problems you have. The second dog will calm the first dog, and help the first dog get rid of all that unwanted and unneeded stress. By doing so, this helps the first dog act out much less.

This is because dogs are pack animals. They often form strong bonds with those around them, and have a hard time when they can’t find the other members of their pack. The behaviors of barking and howling are simply the dog trying to find their pack mates, and so you might not experience it when you’re at home. And if the second dog is there, they won’t have as many problems with being alone. So you see, a second dog can actually make less trouble instead of more.

So if you truly love your dog, and you’re truly worried about causing them stress and anxiety every time you leave, a second dog is the way to go. Double the dogs, for double the fun and double the joy!

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Until next time,

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About the Author: Wayne Booth is owner of  in Nashville, TN.  Wayne has been teaching people how to become Professional Dog Trainers since 1990 and he is the Training Director of Canine Behavior Specialists Network.

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