Punishment is never the answer to treating dog separation anxiety!

Does Your Dog Suffer From Separation Anxiety?

There's every chance your dog is suffering from a Separation Anxiety disorder rather than another dog behavior problem if:

1. Your dog gets really worked up and anxious when you are preparing to leave the house. Things like picking up your car keys or putting on your coat can trigger the behavior.

2. Your dog engages in inappropriate behavior only when you are separated (symptoms listed below).

3. Your dog follows you everywhere you go and immediately becomes distressed if he can't be near you.

4. When you arrive home your dog is over the top with his greeting and takes a while to calm down.

Why Do Dogs Suffer From Separation Anxiety?

There are many theories on this one.  In some cases, the cause or trigger can be pinpointed to a particular event, but often there appears to be no explanation for the Separation Anxiety to commence.  What I can say is that Separation Anxiety in dogs regularly occurs:

• Straight after a change in routine.  Such as your work hours changing or a family member leaves home.  Especially a change in household.  Many adopted dogs end up with Separation Anxiety.  Remember dogs are creatures of habit and any changes can be very unsettling to them.
• If you have been on vacation or unemployed for some time and have been spending heaps of time with your dog.  When you go back to work your dog becomes anxious and distressed.
• After your dog experiences a traumatic event while on his own.  If a thunderstorm lashes your home while your dog is alone, this can trigger Separation Anxiety in the future.
• If your dog is rarely left alone and becomes overly reliant on his pack.

How Does Dog Separation Anxiety Manifest Itself?

What Can You Do To Help Your Dog Overcome Separation Anxiety?

The treatment administered to your dog’s separation anxiety problem depends on its severity. You will find lots of theories and suggestions regarding the correct way to treat separation anxiety – this is just one method you could use.

4 Step Separation Anxiety Program

Aside from the 4 step program listed below, I continued to practice the general day to day duties of responsible dog ownership.  By this I mean things like providing a safe and comfortable bed, plenty of exercise and obedience training.

Step 1

Slowly teach them that they don’t always need to be close to you.  Start out by ignoring the attention seeking behavior (jumping up, barking etc.) and then do some solid practice of the down stay.  Little by little extend the time and distance you spend apart, until they are happy to be alone for up to 30 minutes.  Of course, you still need to spend lots of fun time together.

Step 2

The next step is to get them used to being outside when you are inside (recommended only with a fenced in yard.  Otherwise work with you outside and the dog inside).  Again, start off with very small periods apart and gradually lengthen the time over a couple of weeks.  If you try this Separation Anxiety treatment make sure that you don't just leave your dog outside to get all worked up and stressed. The trick is to start out leaving your dog out for a few seconds, then going out and reuniting before he shows any signs of Separation Anxiety.  Give your dog a treat or dog toy to keep his mind off missing you.  Only initiate contact with your dog when he is calm and quiet.  So it is imperative that you reunite before they too worked up.

Step 3

Eliminate the distress caused by getting ready to leave the house.  Write a list of all the triggers that start the anxiety.  Then set about desensitizing them to these triggers.  Put your shoes on, and don’t go anywhere.  Put your coat on, then sit down to read the paper.  Pick up your car keys and just carry them around with you, jingling them as you go about your business.  After a few weeks, they will start seeing these triggers as normal occurances.

Step 4

When they are calm with every trigger you have found from step 3, it’s time to leave the house.  At first, just step outside, shut the door and came back inside within 20 seconds - before they make a sound.  Again this is a slow process, similar to step 2.  Extend the time outside the front door and then graduate to starting the car, then driving around the block before you come back inside.  You can provide a tasty treat to your dog on your way out the door, something that he can work on for a while.  A Kong toy with treats in it works well because it will give them something to work on while you are out of sight.  But don’t say goodbye or make a big deal about, “I’ll be back soon!”  And remember that when you return home, you shouldn’t make a huge fuss either. Come inside, get changed, pour yourself a nice hot coffee, and then greet your calm dog.  Every experience should be viewed as good.  If you get frustrated, your dog may view your frustration as being connected with your leaving and the anxiety could get worse.

Whichever method you choose to treat dog separation anxiety, be sure to stick with it and don't expect any immediate results.  This process will take about a month to 5 weeks when done correctly.  Be patient and calm and remember that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

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