🐾 The Hard Side of Love: Dogs and Separation Anxiety

Hello friends, it’s me, Typhoon. 🐕

I finally got my paws on Mom’s phone. 📱 It was just sitting on the counter, doing nothing, so I thought it would be the perfect time to borrow it. Don’t worry, I’ll give it back… eventually.

Now, before Mom notices (don’t want to worry her), I want to talk about something personal. Not treats, not toys, not even squirrels (though that’s tempting). I want to tell you what happens when Mom walks out the door and I can’t follow.

Separation anxiety… woof 🐶 sounds fancy, doesn’t it? But to me, it’s simple: when Mom leaves, my world tilts. It’s like the sun hides behind the horizon — suddenly everything feels dark and sad. My heart races so fast it’s hard to breathe, because it’s not just that I’m alone… it’s that she’s not there. Her footsteps, her voice, her scent — they are what bring me joy. And when she’s not home, or even if I can’t see her, nothing feels right.

That’s how I became what humans call a Velcro dog. I follow Mom everywhere. Once, when she left me behind, I decided I was NOT staying put. I dragged my crate across the room like a turtle shell, scraping the floor until it looked like a battlefield. Another time, I took things further: two whole walls demolished. No drywall left — just dust, pawprints, and a hole big enough to peek through. Mom called it destruction. I called it… open-concept design. 🤷‍♂️

Since then, I’ve gone everywhere with her. Nail and hair appointments, where people whispered, “What a good boy.” Even to an MRI once — I curled up right in the room. People said, “He can’t stand to be away from you, can he?” And they were right. Because it’s not about training or duty. It’s love. Every breath, every glance, every step beside her is my way of saying: wherever you are, that’s where life begins for me.

🌙 And then there’s bedtime…

That’s when I clock in for my most important shift: Chief Bedtime Inspector. First, I patrol the blankets to make sure they’re tucked in just right. If Mom isn’t covered, I paw and tug until she passes inspection. Next up? Pillow duty — stomping, circling, and fluffing until they meet Malinois standards.

Then I face my greatest enemy: the glowing boxes. 📱💡 Mom calls them “phone” and “iPad,” but I know them as the evil eye-burners. I nudge once. Twice. And if she ignores me? Full paw-slam enforcement until she gives in.

Only when the blankets are tucked, the pillows fluffy, and the screens silenced do I curl up at her side, satisfied with a job well done. Some call it bossy. I call it love with a curfew. ❤️

📖 What the Science Says

After all this, I started to wonder: was I the only one who loved this hard? So I did some digging (the research kind, not the backyard kind 🐾). And guess what — I found an article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (2021) that explained it perfectly:

Separation anxiety is one of the most common behavioral problems in dogs. 17–20% of dogs show signs of it — that’s as many as 10.8 million dogs in the U.S. pacing at doors, howling, or shredding pillows into snowstorms. Researchers even compare it to panic disorders in people — overwhelming, all-or-nothing fear responses.

So when you see us pacing or shredding, it’s not because we’re “spoiled.” The article explained that genetics, trauma, changes in routine, and even how our humans respond can all play a role.

💔 Why It Matters

That’s what makes separation anxiety such a heavy topic. It isn’t just about chewed shoes or scratched doors. For many pups, it’s the reason they’re surrendered to shelters — or worse, never make it out. Behind every shredded pillow or mournful howl, there’s not “bad behavior” but a heart that simply loves too much.

And here’s the truth: every dog is different. Our past, our routines, even the way we see the world shapes how we cope when our humans leave. For me, it’s not just anxiety; it’s love that runs deep. And Mom? She does everything she can to make me feel safe, understood, and never alone. Separation may look different for every pup, but for us, it’s always been love flowing both ways. ❤️

So the next time you hear about separation anxiety, don’t think “problem.” Think love — big, messy, overwhelming love.

Love might make me anxious, but it also makes me whole. If you’ve ever loved someone so much it hurts to be apart… then you and I aren’t so different. 💛

— with love,

Typhoon 🐾