4. Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety is one of the most commonly discussed dog behavior problems. Manifestations include vocalization, chewing, inappropriate urination and defecation, and other forms of destruction that occur when a dog is separated from his owner. Not all of these actions are the result of separation anxiety. Signs of true separation anxiety include:

• Dog becomes anxious when owner prepares to leave
• Misbehavior occurs in the first 15-45 minutes after owner leaves
• Dog wants to follow owner around constantly
• Dog tries to be touching owner whenever possible 

True separation anxiety requires dedicated training, behavior modification and desensitization exercises. Medication may be recommended in extreme cases, but this should be a last resort.