Separation Anxiety
Dear Frankie,
I was adopted during Covid when I was two months old. For the first six months of my life, my human siblings and parents were always home. It never crossed my mind that we wouldn’t always live like that.
The first clue I got that life was going to change was when my sibs went back to school. But the real shocker came when my Mom went to work three days a week. From the minute she left, the same question went round and round in my head: when will she come back?
My Dad understood my anxiety, and to calm me down, he gave me extra treats and let me sit on his lap whenever I wanted.
Just when I was getting accustomed to it being just my Dad and me, I heard him tell the family he was going back to work full time.
Do you understand what that means for me? I am going to be alone, in the house, all by myself two days a week. Do dogs ever have nervous breakdowns when they are left at home alone?
Scared, Madeline
Dear Madeline,
I certainly understand your anxiety about being on your own, particularly for the first time. Your situation may not be as dire as you think. There are a variety of services for dogs who live with working families. These are just a few of the services: dog walkers who take dogs out for a run, pet sitters who come to the house to provide companionship, doggie daycares that provide dogs a place to be with other dogs.
If your parents decide you’ll be fine on your own two days a week, you might reframe how you think about the time to make it more palatable. Perhaps if you thought of the time as hours before your sibs come home from school rather than two days alone might make it easier for you to swallow. I know some dogs who pass their time alone quite pleasantly by taking long naps in a sunny spot, watching TV dog shows, the soaps, or reruns of the Westminster Dog Show.
It would help if you kept in mind that there will be many weeks during the year when your family will be at home, such as holidays and school and summer vacations. There will also be times when someone in the family will stay in bed for a day or two because they are under the weather.
From what you said about your Dad, I think he and your Mom will see that you are taken care of when the family is away.
Best, Frankie
© 2021 Geneva Woodruff
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