Why Does Your Dog Cry When You Go Out?
The busy life and the fast pace of the city keep us on the street most of the time. There are few times in the day that we can dedicate to our dogs, so sometimes they get very sad and start to cry, but what is really behind this behavior, why does your dog cry when you go out?
Our furry friends are extremely sociable, so they don’t usually get along with loneliness very well. In addition to crying, they can develop aggressive behavior, which tends to damage the house. Consequently, it becomes very important to be aware of the causes and contribute to the management of your loneliness.
How does loneliness affect dogs?
Normally humans, and even pets, enjoy small doses of solitude each day, but never too much. Most people don’t like to be alone all the time, and neither do our dogs.
The lack of free time reduces leisure time with our pet. This eventually leads to very negative consequences, both physical and psychological, for the animal. If your dog cries when you go out, one of the undisputed causes could be constant loneliness.
These companions, during the time they are alone at home, present inappropriate behaviors to attract the owner’s attention. Aggression, destructive behavior, repetitive movements, howling, barking and continuous crying are some of the most common ways in which the dog expresses its feelings.
It is important to differentiate between anxiety caused by loneliness and separation. The latter occurs when the dog distances itself from its mother, siblings or a certain person with whom it has a strong bond, and maintains its state of stress, even when accompanied by other relatives.
Reasons why your dog cries when you go out
Like their closest ancestors, wolves, dogs are social animals that generally live in groups in nature. Even when they are in a domestic environment, they cannot disassociate themselves from this instinct, so they adopt us as part of their social circle, a new pack.
The dog cries when he is completely alone, as a result of a natural tendency to be sad and, in extreme cases, to suffer from the aforementioned separation anxiety.
The possible traumas you may have suffered from in the past are another trigger for the development of this erratic behavior. Abandoned puppies often have a hard time before they are adopted, so the fear of feeling alone makes them nervous.
One more reason why the dog cries when you go out is the bad habits acquired because of the owner. Pampering our friends and not providing them with proper education that allows them to deal with loneliness leads to excessive attachment, which we must avoid in order to maintain a healthy relationship with them.
separation anxiety
Fear motivates such behaviors. Our dog feels threatened, in danger, so it activates its alert state, which leads to the destruction of objects, crying and despair.
This state of uncontrollable anxiety for our pet is natural in animals used to living in groups. The truth is that at least 15% of the dog population suffers from this condition. If we don’t pay enough attention to its behavior, the dog can go into a state of unhappiness, sadness, stress or anxiety.
Tips to prevent your dog from crying
It is very important that your partner learn to be alone. If your dog cries when you go out, you should educate him so that he doesn’t suffer stress and you should keep him entertained while you’re not home. Make different toys – bones, teethers or brain games – to manage your pet’s anxiety, this is one of the first steps.
A comfortable, warm and peaceful environment will help to make him feel more secure. A soft, even cave-shaped bed will give you a space of refuge, which will encourage your stability. It is sometimes advisable to leave a radio on so that the dog does not feel bad about the absolute silence.
Walking down the street before you go out is another good activity if your dog cries when you go out. The exercise will tire him out and he will sleep while you are away. If you’re going to be away for a long period, feed it right after the physical activity to avoid stomach upsets and lower levels of anxiety in the animal.
A great option, if you have the conditions and the desire to do so, is to adopt another dog, so that both can interact. But this is something that shouldn’t be done on impulse. We must consider all factors inherent to one or another animal. The timing of the presentations between them must be respected for the adoption and relationship to be a success.
