Separation Anxiety

Child-proofing || Crate Training || Toys || Separation Anxiety || Housetraining || Bite Inhibition

Common behaviors associated with separation anxiety:

Destruction
Excessive vocalization
Defecation / Urination
Attempts to escape
Depression
Psychosomatic disorders such as diarrhea or vomiting
Self-mutilation

Characteristics of separation anxiety:

Problem behaviors only occur when the dog is separated from its person/family when they leave the house, or when the dog is physically separated from them at home.
Dog may show signs of anxiety before the owner’s departure.
Dog may show an exaggerated greeting response upon the owner’s return.
Dog may follow the owner in the house like a shadow (Velcro dogs).
Dog most often engages in problem behavior associated with separation anxiety shortly after the owner leaves.

Causes of separation anxiety:

Your dog is a social pack animal who relies on the pack for protection - safety in numbers. In a natural pack situation a dog would rarely be alone.

Most puppies learn that when they are left alone, nothing bad happens to them, and that their people will come back. They learn how to entertain themselves while alone and gain confidence in their ability to be without their family for a while.

Some dogs, for various reasons, do not gain or lose the ability to spend time without their family. Some are left alone too long as puppies and become traumatized by the event. Some dogs are bounced around from owner to owner and usually end up in a shelter. Other dogs, for unknown reasons have a low tolerance for anything that causes anxiety.

How to handle separation anxiety:

First and foremost acknowledge your dog’s behavior for what it is -- anxiety. If you come home to a mess and "discipline" the dog by yelling or hitting, your dog will learn not only to be anxious while you are away, but also to worry about what will happen when you return. Your dog’s problem behaviors are symptoms of inner turmoil. Correcting for these symptoms will not work. Addressing the anxiety will.

Treatment of (mild) separation anxiety:

Confine your dog when you go away. A dog that is confined to a crate cannot damage your home. A crate, properly introduced, refer to Crate Training will provide a safe, comfortable place where the dog can relax. Limiting the dog’s movement can also act as an anxiety reducer for some dogs. Please note that some dogs with separation anxiety cannot tolerate confinement and will injure themselves trying to escape confinement, so use caution in the beginning, until you know how your dog reacts to confinement.
Plan your exit. Confine the dog to his crate 10 to 15 minutes before you leave and do not pay any more attention to him. Do not say good-bye, just leave. When you come home, keep it low-key as well. Ignore your dog until he calms down, then casually greet him and take him out to relieve himself.
Prepare a "Bye-Bye" toy. You can use a Kong or a sterilized marrowbone and stuff it with goodies such as cheese and hotdogs. The dog will be busy for some time to pry the food out. You are attempting to distract your dog with something that he will find interesting enough to concentrate on when you are leaving.
Training routine to practice: Anxiety is usually highest immediately after you leave. You will need to re-shape your dog’s behavior through reinforcement training. Leave your dog out of his crate and prepare to leave in your normal manner. Leave and close the door behind you. Come back in immediately. Keep it low key, do not say good-bye when you leave, give the dog a calm "hello" when you come back in. Tell him to sit. When he does, praise and give him a treat. Wait a few seconds, then repeat the exercise, this time staying outside a few seconds longer. Do this many times the first few days. Practice this for a few weeks, gradually increasing the time. Always remember to greet your dog calmly and to ask him to sit before he gets praise and a treat. Anytime you come back and you find signs of anxiety cut the time you stay away in half the next time and start increasing again from there.
Give your dog plenty of exercise; a tired dog is calmer than a dog that has a lot of penned up energy. Every dog should have at least one 30 minute exercise walk a day, preferably twice. Sending the dog out into the yard by himself is not a substitute for a walk. Dogs also need mental stimulation; occasionally a walk can be substituted with playtime in the yard.
Another great confidence builder is an obedience class and/or taking up agility as long as the training method is based on positive reinforcement.
Spend some quality time with your dog on a daily basis. One-on-one time spent with your dog for 15 to 30 minutes a day can help your dog feel more secure in his environment as well as help strengthen the bond between you and your dog. This quality time should not consist of babying, stroking or cuddling. Instead it should consist of doing things to build a strong leader/dog relationship and bolster your dog’s confidence. Fun obedience work using positive reinforcement, interspersed with fun games of fetch, chase or hide and seek can be very beneficial for the psychological well-being of your dog.
Anti-anxiety medication: In severe cases of separation anxiety it might help the dog to complement a behavior modification program with anti-anxiety medication. I would suggest to explore Bach Flower Essences (available at health food stores) or herbs before reaching for prescription drugs. Anti-anxiety medications are not a quick fix to cure a dog’s separation anxiety, but they will help to speed up his learning progress because of his reduced anxiety. Anti-anxiety drugs are a temporary training aide to ease your dog’s anxiety until he has learned to be more comfortable to be alone.

Please note, that the above suggestions may help with a minor case of separation anxiety. If your dog’s separation anxiety is more severe, a behavior modification program that is tailored to your dog’s needs and your individual circumstances will be necessary to treat the problem.

Rehabilitating a dog with separation anxiety requires commitment and patience from the owner. It is however well worth it, because your Velcro dog will always like to be close to you even when he has learned to accept that you have to leave him sometimes.

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