Codependent pets: How to reduce separation anxiety when owners leave home

It’s a story many pet owners are now familiar with: You’ve been home for months, following orders to social distance and spending more time with dogs, cats and other non-human companions. Then, the day comes to go back to the office, or the chance to escape for a vacation.

Your pet stares back at you as you leave, wondering when or if you’ll ever return again. To some animals, it might feel like the end of the world.

Pups and feline friends have perhaps become more codependent amid owners staying home virtually all the time, and leaving the house again can take a toll on them. Take it from Kim Bissing, owner of Beyond The Leash Dog Training.

“We’ve seen about 15 separation anxiety cases just in two weeks. It’s getting worse because people are starting to pick up and going back to work,” she said. “We have had about 20 new puppy owners in our six-week class and about 17 are already exhibiting some signs of undersocialization.”