the problem is the solution is hard for most to follow. lavish more attention etc is only going to males thing worse when you do leave http://sfspca.org/sites/default/files/separation-anxiety.pdf
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Separation anxiety is often triggered by either a high contrast situation – months of the owner home all day followed by sudden eight-hour absences – or some sort of life change – rehoming, a stay at a boarding kennel, a death of a key family member or major change in routine.
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Soften the blow of your departures by providing extremely enticing stuffed toys for him to unpack. See our "Kong Toy Stuffing" handout for tips on improving your technique!
Reduce the contrast between when you’re gone and when you’re home. Refrain from smothering him with affection (see the "mental work" options above to discover other ways of interacting with your dog). Regularly interrupt his shadowing you around the house continuously when you’re home by baby-gating him into another room for short periods. This is like practicing a "semi-absence." Do many, many extremely brief (1 – 30 seconds) absences with no fanfare on departure or arrival. Increase physical exercise and mental stimulation. "
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Separation anxiety is often triggered by either a high contrast situation – months of the owner home all day followed by sudden eight-hour absences – or some sort of life change – rehoming, a stay at a boarding kennel, a death of a key family member or major change in routine.
...
Give your dog both physical exercise and mental work to do. Not only does problem solving increase confidence and independence, it is mentally fatiguing and so increases the likelihood that your dog will rest quietly when he is left alone. Teach him to play hide and seek with his toys, teach him tricks, learn to "free shape" with a clicker (enroll in a SFSPCA course and find out how!), get him involved in a sport like obedience, Flyball or Agility, let him free-play with other dogs, stuff all or part of his food ration into Kong toys, teach him how to play fetch and tug. The more activities and toys are incorporated into his life, the less he will depend on human social contact as sole stimulation.
Soften the blow of your departures by providing extremely enticing stuffed toys for him to unpack. See our "Kong Toy Stuffing" handout for tips on improving your technique!
Reduce the contrast between when you’re gone and when you’re home. Refrain from smothering him with affection (see the "mental work" options above to discover other ways of interacting with your dog). Regularly interrupt his shadowing you around the house continuously when you’re home by baby-gating him into another room for short periods. This is like practicing a "semi-absence." Do many, many extremely brief (1 – 30 seconds) absences with no fanfare on departure or arrival. Increase physical exercise and mental stimulation. "
