Anxiety disorders including separation anxiety, noise phobia, and generalized anxiety are among the most common behavioral welfare problems in companion dogs, with effective treatments available.
Anxiety disorders cause significant ongoing suffering in affected dogs and represent a major welfare problem that is frequently undertreated. Dogs with separation anxiety experience acute distress every time they are left alone, often for multiple hours per day. Noise phobic dogs may experience overwhelming fear dozens of times per year. The physiological and behavioral signs of severe anxiety — panting, trembling, hiding, self-injury — are expressions of genuine suffering that persists without appropriate intervention. Treatment combining behavioral modification with appropriate medication is highly effective but requires veterinary diagnosis and owner commitment. The misconception that anxiety is a training problem rather than a medical one delays effective treatment and prolongs suffering.