What is
it?
Separation anxiety
is a serious behavioral issue that the dog panics upon the departure and absence
of his guardian.
It is extremely sad to see dogs
with full-blown separation anxiety as even the mildest departure triggers can
cause severe emotional and behavioral responses such as:
1. Chewing to get out of crate or flipping the crate over
2. Destroying door jambs or escaping the home
3. Licking limbs until raw
4. Wearing down nails in attempts to dig out of home
5. Excessively panting, pacing or soiling
6. Jumping through closed windows
Many dogs that are labeled to
have “separation anxiety” may simply enjoy destroying the house or need some
confidence building exercises. This does not imply a dog who exhibits extreme
vocalization such as screeching, howling or barking, occasional soiling,
destruction, escape attempts, loss of appetite, despondence or over-excitability
over your comings and goings does not need help. It is, however, important to
understand what causes your dog's negative emotional responses during isolation
and his triggers before designing a behavior modification
plan.
Crates aren't the culprit but
some dogs learn to associate them with their guardian's absence. There is still
little research on whether the act of confining actually increases anxiousness.
However, for the dog with separation-related issues, the crate is a scary place
because he goes there every time his absolute favorite person or people leave so
he fights when he's put there or makes a lot of commotion when he's in there.
For the short-term, until your dog learns that the crate is a 'happy place', you
will need to find a safe, alternate option while you are
away.
What Causes
It?
Unfortunately, there is still no
scientific answer on the actual cause of separation anxiety. There are some dogs
that may be more pre-disposed to anxious behavior due to a 'clingy' personality.
If your dog is one who followed you around the house from the moment he came
into your life, without a lot of elaborate departure cues, there might be a
genetic explanation for his behavior. It's important to look at what your dog is
actually doing when left alone. If it's only soiling, chewing or barking it may
be another behavioral issue. True separation anxiety is rare and you might be
able to resolve your dog's issue with some leadership and frustration tolerance
exercises.
What Can I
Do?
Even
if your dog does not have full blown Separation Anxiety, it is very concerning
to see our furry friend pace, bark or whine when left alone. Here are a
few ways to make alone time less stressful:
1.
Add an extra
walk or some training games
before you leave. A tired dog is less likely to
worry about your departure.
2.
Find something
AMAZING that you only give your dog when left alone. Some dogs drool over
peanut butter in a Kong, some get it all the time so find it a low valued
reward. If your dog is the former, give the peanut butter Kong to your dog right
before you leave. The moment you come back inside, it goes away. It is
imperative to use something that your dog goes nuts over
, this is the only way to overpower your dog’s need for
you.
3.
Plan for some
separation time when you are home. Your dog can go to the crate, another
room or a dog bed but purposely make time in the evening to be away from your
dog for 15-30 minutes. If this is too much for your dog, contact a local trainer
to help you with a desensitization
program.
