Do Rat Terriers have separation anxiety? In this post, we’ll examine this issue and focus mostly on the typical symptoms of separation anxiety that Rat Terriers may exhibit.
Additionally, we will touch briefly on the root reasons of our Rat Terrier’s separation anxiety and how to deal with it.
We dog owners are constantly complaining about how awkwardly our dogs behave whether we are around or not.
It’s possible that they have acted destructively while left alone, such as to urinate, defecate, bark, howl, chew, or try to flee.
All of these issues could be caused by separation anxiety. So…
Do Rat Terriers Have Separation Anxiety
Ratties do have separation anxiety and this is usually because they are being left alone for a long period of time. That said, they will become upset and may engage in destructive behaviors.
Ratties appear to experience separation anxiety and are anxious when they notice their owners getting ready for takeoff.
When they miss their owners, they display signs of anxiety or depression.
While waiting, the best method to help your Rat Terrier get over their separation anxiety is to figure out what’s causing it and teach them to like and tolerate being left alone.
The following are common signs that Rat Terriers may be having separation anxiety:
1. Rat Terriers are prone to urinating and defecating at certain times.
Your Rat Terrier will begin to urinate at a specific moment if you may have lingered too long at your destination.
They feel anxious about being away from you and left alone. You may see this pee or defecation as well.
Due to the possibility that this may result in house soiling, which may be caused by excessive excitement rather than true anxiety or absence due to the extended separation.
2. Persistence barking and howling.
If your Rat Terrier starts barking nonstop, it may be because he has been apart from you for a long time and is suffering separation anxiety.
In this situation, your Rat Terrier could have missed you and been excited to see you.
If you don’t show up when he expects you to, the howling will continue. From what I can tell, nothing except being left alone causes this continuous barking.
3. Excessive gnawing, burrowing, and destruction.
Ratties are known for being escape artists and will act out in all kinds of destructive ways when they are feeling separation anxiety.
They will begin chewing on certain items, such as window sills and door frames.
When they start destroying household items, they will start to pound on doors and doorways in an attempt to get out.
They manifest when you don’t seem to be seen to them, and they are missing you as a result of being left.
If your Rat Terrier continues to exhibit this act or behavior that has to be stopped by the owner when seen for the first time, they may start to injure themselves.
As a result, they can have cut and scraped paws, broken teeth, and damaged nails.
All of these may have occurred without your knowledge because you wouldn’t have been home to prevent them. Separation anxiety is typically the reason behind this digging and destruction.
4. Attempting to flee.
Your Rat Terrier won’t be able to flee if you keep him close by.
When Ratties is confined and left alone for a long time, he may experience the need to run away due to separation anxiety.
Rat Terriers who are worried enough to plot an escape will do so without hesitation while they are experiencing separation anxiety, which will eventually lead to their burrowing and chewing through doors or windows.
They run the risk of injuring themselves if they fail to complete the process.
Such injuries as cracked teeth, scraped and cut front paws, and chipped nails will be sustained.
Therefore, something needs to be done to completely eliminate this tendency of running away, and destructive behaviors brought on by separation anxiety because this behavior will not occur while you are nearby.
5. Moving quickly.
Your Rat Terrier may eventually start acting as though they’re nervous their movements won’t be precise due to separation anxiety.
As a result of being left alone, they will exhibit a change in behavior and start to wander up and down aimlessly.
They appear to be going in circles or walking back and forth in straight lines as they pace at times.
Other times, they appear to be moving around in an irregular manner.
However, you hardly ever see your Rat Terrier acting in this manner when you are around, as it often happens to them when they are apart from their owners.
6. Act of drinking urine.
You will observe coprophagia in your Rat Terrier as an indication of separation anxiety.
They may have the opportunity to consume their feces because they have been left alone for a time and are acting on hunger.
Rat Terriers won’t perform poorly for anything, including separation anxiety.
Since you are their only source of everything, if anything were to happen, and they began to miss you greatly, this behavior may occur.
AKC, says: Urinating and defecating in the house is a common symptom of separation anxiety.
7. When you arrive Rat Terriers start hiding or avoiding you.
Ratties usually experience separation anxiety; it’s possible that they’ve been waiting for you to arrive without success.
When they observe you, it appears that this will cause self-isolation and anxiety.
Because you are very important to your Rat Terrier, if they are apart from you for an extended period of time, they will feel fearful and start seeking for a place to hide.
They’ll prefer to hide themselves in your clothing that smells like you.
Due to their fear and stress, they will have several accidents in the house and may begin to urinate needlessly in other areas of the home.
You can take the time to plan a remedy if they are anxious since it will drive them to act out in negative ways.
Self-isolation is one of the symptoms of separation anxiety in Rat Terriers.
8. Scratching on doors and walls when nobody is there.
When left alone for an extended period of time, your Rat Terrier will start clawing the walls or doors in an effort to get away from you.
You are aware that Rat Terriers are quite active and like chasing.
When they no longer find themselves participating in any of these activities, they will want to find a way to leave the house.
This is why you should make sure they exercise frequently, so they can use their extra energy and get tired.
They won’t have any opportunity to experience loneliness, boredom, or separation anxiety by the time you may have left for work and will be resting and sleeping all alone.
Reasons Why Rat Terriers Do Have Separation Anxiety
Numerous factors may cause your Rat Terrier to experience separation anxiety, often without your knowledge, which raises more concerns than it answers.
When you must have left your Rat Terrier alone for an extended length of time without any means of bonding with the family members, it is usually the source of their separation anxiety.
In the moment, the following are some certain causes of separation anxiety in Rat Terriers:
- When left alone for the first time, Rat Terriers experience separation anxiety.
- When separated from their companion, Rat Terriers feel separation anxiety.
- If they may encounter a traumatic experience, Rat Terriers are prone to having separation anxiety.
- If there is a change in routine, Rat Terriers can also experience separation anxiety.
- When there is a change in ownership, Rat Terriers may experience separation anxiety.
- When there is a new occurrence, such as the loss of a family member or a beloved pet or the birth of a child, Rat Terriers might experience separation anxiety.
- They could have separation anxiety if there’s having plans to move to another apartment.
- Rat Terriers may inherit their parents’ anxiety problems and natural anxiety, which might explain why they experience separation anxiety.
Meanwhile, in light of this, there are a few other factors to think about that need to be clarified and may cause separation anxiety in Rat Terriers.
However, there are situations when this separation anxiety is confused with another issue that might result from a medical condition, such as;
- Rat Terriers become bored.
- When they are experiencing adverse drug effects or when they are experiencing health issues.
- When they are not being enough stimulated physically or mentally
- Continual barking in response to shocks, such as those brought on by loud noises or strange sights.
- When they are unable to play with their favorite toys because of excessive chewing.
How You May Prevent Separation Anxiety In Rat Terriers
It’s true that we can’t constantly be with our Rat Terrier. There are times when we must leave them behind and get to work.
Additionally, there are instances when we must visit them at home. Depending on the situation, we may even decide to take a few weeks off and adopt a new pet.
Currently, we are noticing a lot of separation anxiety in our Rat Terrier, which can sometimes cause them to get confused due to the nature of our activities.
To put it another way, there will come a moment when we must leave our Rat Terrier as their friend because of a sudden change in our schedule.
Well, in this post, we’re going to provide ourselves with some tips on how to help our Rat Terrier be ready for these adjustments.
Here are our best suggestions for assisting our Ratties in settling into their new routine:
- First, establish a new routine and stick to it; otherwise, your Rat Terrier may resist the sudden change once you start to spend less time at home.
- Establish a period of time when they can be alone without you, and be sure to fill in the time you miss them each day.
- Make sure your Rat Terrier is set up such that they may be on their own and won’t ever wander off whether you are around or not. You may also expose them to a new, comfortable space where they can be secure and spend some time apart from you.
- Plan your time with your Rat Terrier and learn how to pay attention to them in case you aren’t there anymore.
- Make an effort to play with your Rat Terrier alone.
- Regardless of whether you are present or not, try to be consistent with your Rat Terrier. Don’t constantly pay your Rat Terrier attention; instead, give it some time before you leave that is acceptable for you. Do the same thing when you return so that you may offer your Rat Terrier a warm greeting.
Tips On How You Can Treat Separation Anxiety In Rat Terriers
If you don’t teach your Rat Terrier how to adjust on their own when you have to go to work, they will always miss you.
If you can’t figure out why your Rat Terrier panics and becomes anxious about you whenever you go to work, don’t go punishing them.
Following these suggestions can allow them to reduce separation anxiety rather than punishing your Rat Terrier, which could result in the worst portion of the behavior:
- The only thing you can do is figure out a way to leave something behind for your Rat Terrier to play with, such as an article of clothing that smells like you.
- Teach your Rat Terrier to obey and pick up on your commands, such as “stay” or “I’ll be back.”
- Take your Rat Terrier for a walk before you go to work, for example, in the morning. This will help keep them weary throughout the day, and they will calm down and rest until you get back.
- Make sure to keep them occupied by providing visual and audio stimulation, and turn on the TV so they can watch it. This will assist and keep them occupied.
- Additionally, you may keep the curtains on your windows so that when they look out, they won’t have any separation anxiety.
- You should provide your Rat Terrier with stimulating and enrichment items to keep their minds engaged. They won’t become bored when playing with those toys, since they will be entertained.
- Given the state of your job, you might as well enroll your Rat Terrier in a dog daycare center. They will help you care for your Rat Terrier and keep them happy till you get back.
- Additionally, your Rat Terrier won’t feel lonely or bored while you’re at work with the assistance of a dog walker. By the end of the day, they will be energetic and busy thanks to the assistance of a dog walker.
- With the assistance of a friend or family, even the neighbors, your Rat Terrier may be kept company while you are gone and so get socialized.
- Ratties are park animals, therefore you should try to socialize them with other canines so that they can feel less anxious while you’re away.
- Make sure your Rat Terrier participates in your daily life as one important item you shouldn’t neglect. They won’t ever experience separation anxiety if you include them in all family activities and trips.
Final Thoughts
Once you’ve tried everything to identify the cause of your Rat Terrier’s separation anxiety without success, ask your vet to visit.
Exercise some patience with your Rat Terrier, as they will eventually adjust to the training you have given them, so don’t go punishing them right away.
Contact your neighborhood veterinarian or the nearest Animal Emergency Service hospital right once if your pet is hurt or unwell.
