Non-medical Modification
One way to possibly correct separation anxiety is to recruit the help of a dog sitter who can interact with the patient and provide the necessary distractions whenever the owner leaves the house. In this way, the dog will be unable to focus on destructive behavior and will gradually become desensitized to the owner's absence.
Dogs that suffer from separation anxiety should also be enrolled in an obedience-training course so that their level of confidence both in themselves and their owner is increased. Punishment must be avoided. However, many owners inadvertently reward separation anxiety by comforting and reassuring their dogs when they return home. This should be avoided and homecomings should be kept low key.
The amount of time spent with the dog by the owner should also be decreased to a level where the dog can become less dependent on the owner for stimulation. This can be accomplished by involving friends and neighbors in the day-to-day activities of the dog. Increased play time, more frequent walks away from home, and increased personal interaction can be done by friends in order to decrease the dog's dependence on the owner.
Finally, the dog with separation anxiety must be trained to be able to relax in a variety of environmental settings, both with and without the owner. By desensitizing the dog to new situations, he or she can be trained to accept new situations that should occur in the absence of the owner.
Modification with Medication
If all else fails, certain anxiety-reducing drugs are available from your veterinarian and can be used concurrently with behavior modification. The aim of behavior modification is to eventually allow reduction or cessation of the medication once the pet's abnormal behavior has been corrected.