It can be confusing for new puppy parents to know if their puppy is experiencing separation anxiety or normal “puppy stuff” since there can be a lot of crossover between the two. Puppies inherently have separation anxiety – vocalizing to reunite with mom or get comfort or seek warmth, so it’s not really a surprise a new puppy may vocalize when they come to their new home. Puppies also naturally do many things that can be indicators of separation anxiety including:
- Vocalizing
- Potty accidents
- Destruction
- Disliking confinement
So how do we know the difference? There’s a few things we can do to try to figure out if this is normal puppy stuff or something more concerning.
Confinement anxiety: If your puppy is vocalizing or destroying their crate (or bedding inside it), start by ruling out confinement anxiety. This requires proper crate training, which takes time when done correctly.
If a puppy isn’t yet comfortable being crated, it’s perfectly normal for them to howl, bark, dig, or try to escape. To get a clearer picture of how your puppy feels about being alone, try observing them via video outside the crate, in a larger confinement area created with baby gates or an x-pen.
You don’t need to monitor for hours—often, a few minutes of video is enough to see whether your puppy settles or remains distressed. This will help you determine whether the anxiety is about confinement itself or being alone.
Housetraining: Before practicing any alone time, make sure your puppy has had a potty break. You’ll also want to ensure your puppy is mostly housebroken, meaning they’ve gone 3–4 weeks with no accidents while having free access to the home, before doing departure/alone tests. If you don’t do this, and the puppy potties during departure we won’t have a clear read on whether the accident was stress related or just normal “puppy isn’t housebroken yet.”
While dogs with true separation anxiety often have accidents when left alone, they’re typically 100% reliably housebroken when you’re home. If your puppy is still in the process of learning, potty accidents may simply be developmental rather than anxiety-related.
Destruction: Puppies explore the world with their mouths. In doing so, they inevitably get into things and sometimes destroy them. This is why puppy-proofing and management are so important. However, destruction can also be a sign of separation anxiety. To help rule this out, ensure your puppy is left in a safe, puppy-proofed space with plenty of appropriate chews and toys.
Keep an eye out for destruction of exit points—doors, windows, door frames, window sills, or flooring around these areas. This is a hallmark of separation anxiety. I once worked with a client whose dog dug small holes in the hardwood floor leading up to the front door, breaking her nails and injuring her paw pads in the process. Self-destruction is also another tell-tale sign we’re in anxiety territory.
By contrast, normal “fun” destruction looks like chewing on household items or tearing up toys, rather than desperate attempts to escape. What does fun destruction look like? Check out this video.
If you’re unsure whether your puppy is anxious, start with a soft introduction to alone time. This means brief, controlled absences where you monitor your puppy on video. Return before your puppy begins to vocalize or show signs of stress. It’s crucial that you do not let puppies “cry it out.” This approach can have serious consequences for their emotional well-being and damage your relationship with them.
If your puppy doesn’t have separation anxiety, you’ll have successfully taught them that being alone is safe and uneventful. And if they do have separation anxiety, these gradual absences are the first steps in helping them feel more comfortable—so nothing is wasted.
If you’re not sure or need more guidance, set up your initial assessment today! Also, be sure to check out my self-paced Separation Anxiety Foundations course.
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Happy training!
