7 Ways You’re Accidentally Setting Your Puppy Up for Separation Anxiety

Oops. Are you raising a Stage-5 Clinger? 😬

Separation anxiety in puppies is one of those problems you don’t realize you’re creating—until you find your slippers chewed up, your dog howling at the window like you're never coming back, and your neighbors giving you that look.

Here’s the truth bomb:
Most puppy separation anxiety starts because we’re accidentally reinforcing it. Yep, even if you’re doing your absolute best.

So before your sweet little floof turns into a full-blown Velcro dog who panics every time you leave the house, check out these 7 surprisingly common mistakes—and what to do instead.

1. Making a Big Deal When You Leave (or Come Back) 🚪 

“Bye-bye baby! Mommy loves you!!”
Cue the guilt, the drama, the puppy panic attack.

If every departure feels like a breakup and every return is a reunion scene from a soap opera, your puppy learns that people leaving = emotional event.

How You Fix It:
Start acting like a chill roommate instead of a reality show contestant. Quiet exits. Low-key hellos. Normalize the boring.