Great Dane & Separation Anxiety

Hi there! I’m a Great Dane, and I need to tell you about something that bugs us big dogs – separation anxiety. It’s basically when we get super stressed out when our favorite humans leave us alone.

So here’s the deal – we Great Danes are like the golden retrievers of the giant dog world. We LOVE our people SO much that scientists say we have more of these special brain receptors that make us bond with you humans. It’s like having extra-strength superglue connecting our hearts to yours! Pretty cool, right? But it also means when you leave, we feel it way more than other dogs.

When my human leaves me alone, I sometimes do things that might seem naughty, but I’m just scared and worried. I might chew on doors (sorry about that expensive front door, Mom), bark like I’m announcing the apocalypse, or have accidents in the house even though I’m house-trained. Sometimes I drool like a leaky faucet and pant like I just ran a marathon, even though I’m just standing in the living room, missing you.

The worst part is when my routine gets messed up. If you usually leave at 8 AM and suddenly leave at 7 AM, my whole world feels upside down! Moving to a new house or being alone for way too long also makes me feel like the world is ending.

But here’s the good news – there are ways to help dogs like me! My human taught me that being alone isn’t scary by leaving for just tiny bits at first, then gradually increasing the time. They also give me treats when I’m calm about them leaving, which makes my brain think “Hey, this leaving thing isn’t so bad!”

Trust me, you want to help us with this anxiety stuff because it can make us sick if it gets really bad. Our big hearts and tummies don’t handle stress very well!

Understanding Why Great Danes Develop Separation Anxiety

Why We Great Danes Get So Worried When You Leave

See, my ancestors were specially chosen to be the perfect human buddies. We’re basically living, breathing teddy bears – just really, really big ones! Our brains are wired to love you humans like crazy. We’ve got these special chemicals called oxytocin receptors that make us feel super attached to you. It’s like having a permanent “I love my human” switch turned on in our heads.

When we’re tiny puppies, we need lots of cuddles and proper introductions to the world. If we don’t get enough practice being alone during those critical early weeks, we might turn into nervous wrecks every time we grab our car keys. It’s not our fault – we just never learned that you actually come back!

Our stress hormones go absolutely bonkers when you leave. We start pacing around like we’re training for a marathon, and our brains basically scream “WHERE DID MY PERSON GO?!”

If you suddenly change your routine, move to a new house, or start leaving us alone for different amounts of time, we get even more confused.

When we’re panicked, we might accidentally redecorate your living room with your couch stuffing. Sorry about that! Being the size of a small horse means we can cause some pretty impressive damage when we’re freaking out. We don’t mean to destroy your favorite shoes – we’re just really, really worried about you.

The good news is that with some patience and training, we can learn to chill out when you leave. We just need a little help understanding that you’ll always come back to us! Implementing routine management techniques can significantly help us feel more secure during your absences.

Recognizing the Warning Signs and Symptoms

Hey There! Let Me Tell You About When We Big Dogs Get REALLY Worried

Woof! So you want to know how to tell if us Great Danes are being our normal dramatic selves when you leave, or if we’re having a panic attack? Trust me, there’s a BIG difference!

See, we Great Danes are basically gentle giants with the emotional depth of a Disney movie. When you grab those car keys, some of us just think “Oh, human’s leaving for a bit” and go take a nap on your favorite couch (sorry, not sorry).

But others of us? We turn into furry tornadoes of terror!

Here’s how you can tell if your Great Dane buddy has crossed the line from “slightly bummed” to “call the doggy therapist”:

• We become four-legged demolition crews – I’m talking about chewing through doors like they’re giant dog biscuits, scratching windows like we’re trying to dig to China, and turning your living room into a disaster zone. And this happens faster than you can say “I’ll be right back” – usually within 30 minutes!
• We turn into the neighborhood alarm system – Sure, we might bark a little when you first leave (we have to let the whole block know our feelings, obviously). But if we’re still howling our hearts out like we’re auditioning for a wolf pack an hour later? That’s not normal Great Dane drama – that’s anxiety!
• We forget everything we learned about bathroom manners – even though we’ve been house-trained since we were tiny (well, as tiny as Great Danes get), we suddenly start having “accidents” right by the front door. It’s embarrassing for us, too, trust me!
• Our bodies go haywire – we start drooling like leaky faucets, panting like we’ve just run a marathon, shaking like Chihuahuas in a thunderstorm, and pacing around the house like we’re training for the Olympics. This is our way of expressing stress and may indicate deeper issues with emotional well-being.

The key thing is—and this is important—we only act like this when you’re gone. When you’re home, we’re back to being our usual lovable, couch-hogging selves.

If we’re being destructive and crazy when you’re around, too, that’s probably just us being bored or maybe needing more exercise (hint, hint).

So yeah, there’s definitely a difference between “my human left and I’m kinda sad” and “OH NO OH NO OH NO WHERE DID THEY GO ARE THEY EVER COMING BACK?!”

We Great Danes might be huge, but our hearts are even bigger – and sometimes that means our worries are pretty big too!

Common Triggers That Activate Anxious Behaviors

What Sets Off Our Worries – From a Great Dane‘s Perspective

Okay, so picture this: I’m a Great Dane, and let me tell you about all the stuff that makes us big dogs go absolutely bonkers with worry!

First up – when everything in our world gets flipped upside down. Moving to a new house? Total nightmare! My favorite nap spot by the window is gone, and suddenly, nothing smells like home anymore. When my humans change our daily routine, I’m like, “Wait, where’s my 3 o’clock belly rub appointment?” And don’t even get me started on when new people move in or someone leaves. My giant brain can’t handle it!

Then there are those sneaky little sounds that basically scream “HUMANS ARE LEAVING!” The jingle of car keys makes my ears perk up faster than when someone opens a treat bag. When I see my person grab their coat, I’m already planning my dramatic “please don’t go” performance. And that click of the front door closing? It might as well be the sound of my heart breaking into a million pieces.

Here’s the thing about us Great Danes – we’re basically gentle giants who turn into worried messes when left alone too long. Leave me by myself for what feels like forever (okay, maybe it’s just three hours), and I’ll start thinking you’ve abandoned me for a smaller, less drooly dog.

When my humans keep changing their schedules or bring in some random dog-sitter I’ve never met, my anxiety goes through the roof. And if I’ve been abandoned before? Well, let’s just say trust issues are fundamental for us four-legged folks, too.

Plus, I need my own safe retreat area when things get overwhelming, just like any Great Dane should. The good news is that once you figure out what makes us tick, you can help us feel way less stressed about everything!

Effective Treatment and Management Approaches

Teaching Me That Leaving Is Okay

My humans started something called “practice leaving.” They’d put on their shoes (which used to make my tummy feel funny), grab their keys, and then… only leave for like two minutes!

When they came back, I got treats and belly rubs. Then they tried five minutes, then ten. It was like a game where I learned that doors opening don’t mean forever goodbyes.

Making Departure Stuff Equal Treat Time

You know how I used to hide when I heard car keys jingling? Now those same sounds mean GOOD things are coming!

My humans would shake their keys, then give me my favorite peanut butter treat. Now, when I hear keys, my tail starts wagging instead of my heart racing.

Sometimes I Need Special Medicine

For anxious Great Danes like us, our vet friends might prescribe special calming medicine.

It’s like having a chill pill that helps our big brains relax. Don’t worry – it doesn’t make us sleepy puppies, just less worried ones!

Making Alone Time Fun

The best part? My humans leave me awesome stuff to do!

I receive puzzle toys filled with treats, relaxing music, and these magical scent-filled items that make me feel calm. Being alone went from scary to “ooh, what fun surprises did they leave me?”

Also, my humans learned that Great Danes can experience separation anxiety, which makes understanding my feelings even more critical! Trust me, with patience and consistency, even us gentle giants can learn to be okay solo!

Preventing Long-Term Consequences and Health Risks

Why I Don’t Want to Turn Into a Nervous Wreck When You Leave!

Hi there! It’s me, your giant couch potato with paws. Let me tell you why we need to work on this whole “you leaving the house” thing before I turn into a complete mess.

When us Great Danes get stressed about being alone, some pretty nasty stuff can happen to our bodies and brains. Trust me, you don’t want to deal with what comes next!

What Goes Wrong	How My Body Freaks Out	How We Can Fix It
My heart goes crazy	Stress hormones everywhere	Teach me, leaving is okay
My tummy gets upset	My body systems go haywire	Make me feel better about alone time
I get sick more often	My body can’t fight germs	Make my space more fun

Here’s the deal – when I panic every time you grab your keys, my stress hormones go through the roof. My nervous system basically hits the panic button and stays there. That isn’t good for a big guy like me!

To make things easier, it’s important to remember that positive reinforcement techniques can help me learn to cope with your absence.

We need to start practicing this leaving thing before I become a total basket case. You can start small – maybe just step outside for a few seconds, then come back and tell me I’m a good boy. We’ll work up to longer trips slowly.

You should also give me cool stuff to do when you’re gone, like puzzle toys or my favorite chew bones. And please keep an eye on how stressed I’m getting – if I’m panting, drooling, or acting weird, we might need to slow down.

The goal is to keep me healthy and happy, rather than turning into a 150-pound anxious mess who destroys your furniture!

Final Thoughts

Hi there! I’m a Great Dane, and let me tell you – being left alone is ruff! When my humans go, I sometimes feel like the world is coming to an end. My heart pounds, I might drool everywhere, and don’t even ask about what happened to that couch cushion last Tuesday.

But here’s the good news – I’ve learned some tricks to feel better when my people go away! First, my humans started leaving for just tiny bits of time, like when they check the mailbox. Then they worked up to longer trips. It’s like training for the Olympics, but for being chill.

They also gave me special toys that only come out when they leave. These puzzle toys keep my giant brain busy instead of thinking “OH NO, THEY’RE NEVER COMING BACK!” My favorite has treats hidden inside – it’s like Christmas morning every time!

My humans learned that making a big fuss when leaving makes me more worried. Now they simply grab their keys and go, as if it’s no big deal. And when they come back, they wait until I’m calm before giving me attention. Smart cookies, those humans!

The best part? Having a routine helps tons. I know that after breakfast and my morning walk, sometimes they leave for work. But I also know they always come back for dinner and belly rubs. Us Great Danes are pretty smart – we figure out patterns quickly!

Trust me, with patience and practice, even us sensitive giants can learn to be okay flying solo.

References

• https://greatdanecare.com/treating-great-dane-anxiety-problems/
• https://iheartdogs.com/7-sure-fire-ways-to-calm-your-great-danes-anxiety/
• https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/treating-dog-anxiety/
• https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/dog-separation-anxiety/
• http://greatdanerescue.com.au/Docs/Separation Anxiety.pdf