The changes that occur among senior dogs are not limited to physical changes – there is a thing called psychological change as well.
One example of this is separation anxiety. A dog with no issue of separation anxiety in the past could get agitated over an owner leaving the house. This could happen in the dog’s senior years.
We could only assume that a senior dog gets anxious when the person he depends on, suddenly leaves the house, and he’ll be left alone, even for a while. The dog’s distress could possibly come from pains and ailments that come with age, or even from cognitive dysfunction.
Your old dog may develop symptoms of separation anxiety, but there’s no point on worrying – you can still correct it.
All you have to do is to help your dog stay calm, relaxed and comfortable, even if you’re away.
Here are some of the things you could do:
· Schedule regular physical activity for your dog
Your dog may be a senior, but he could still play! Try to give your dog some time to play with you, every single day.
You don’t have to do frisbee – you can just play a simple play fetch game using a toy. This will allow him to have mild physical exercise and some mental stimulation, that would both help with your dog’s anxiety.
If your dog’s too tired from stimulating physical activities, he won’t be spending much energy from worrying from your absence.
· Doggy daycare or pet sitter
If your dog was a social creature when he was young, there is really no need for you to prevent your dog from socializing during his golden years. Let him play with other dogs in the neighborhood.
Alternatively, you can have him enrolled in a doggy daycare so that he could spend quality time with his doggy friends.
This will help him spend his energy at playing with others so that by the time you leave for work, he won’t have enough energy to be anxious from your absence.
If you think your dog won’t be happy with other dogs, you may simply hire a trusted kid in the neighborhood to do some pet-sitting or pet-walking for you while you’re away. The sitter’s company will help your dog take his mind away from you leaving, and will therefore not worry too much.
· Create a sanctuary for your dog
If somebody’s scared, he tends to hide in a place he deems safe and secure. This holds true even for senior dogs.
You may “build” a doggy sanctuary (or safe place) for your dog whenever he’s scared or anxious. His space may be filled with his most favorite things, like his favorite blankets, bed, and his toys.
To give him an extra sense of security through his sense of smell, you may also include your shirt or any article of clothing your dog could smell. Your scent will make your dog feel as if you’re physically close to him, even when you’re not.