Separation Anxiety, Canine-Style

[Mark-D]

The house is empty, the kids have gone back to school. Call it a sort of empty-nest syndrome, except that the remaining occupant of the home is busy chewing the remote control and the couch.

It’s not an uncommon scenario as canines across the country are “abandoned” by their best human friends come fall and back-to-school season.

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[Lissi]

It is a shame that these poor pups suffer. We get thes animals and form these bonds and dont realize that they do the same with us. When you go off to college you make new friends and move on. You tend to forget about your old pal at home because you have formed new bonds. Its kind of a sin this happens so often even though its not intended. My suggestion is that if you are planning on going away and leaving your pal behind a year before the leave start seperating yourself some so he develops more of a bond with the remaining family since they will be with him. This way when its time for the seperation its not so traumatic for your good old pal.

[EnglishCat]

We kind of have a reverse situation here. My grandaughter went off to college and her cat Pixie was always just "her" cat. She never had time or inclination to associate herself with anyone else. She was rather snooty! My grandaughter goes off to college last year. NOW, she's everybody's cat!! She lays down beside you the minute you sit down. She won't leave my daughter in law alone especially when she is trying to sleep. She visits with everyone and in general loves everybody. It actually has turned her into a very loving girl. She never seemed to suffer separation anxiety per se but she has brought all the household members into her social circle.