Separation Anxiety is Tough for Everyone – Karen Phillips
A common question that arises during my live sessions on Better Pets and Gardens Facebook site is how to resolve issues with dogs that suffer from separation anxiety. Research into this topic has provided some interesting findings with approximately 20% of dogs identified by their owners as suffering from signs of separation anxiety. This demonstrates just how common the problem is.
When you think about it logically there can be no surprises that separation anxiety will exist in our dogs. Humans have selectively bred dogs for hundreds of years based on their temperaments so that they are ideally suited to be with us and to work for us. Therefore when we bring a dog into our lives then leave it alone all day, it is hardly surprising that the dog struggles to cope on its own.
Separation anxiety has been categorised into two different types. One type is the over-attached dog that will not cope even if its owner is in another room and the second being a dog with phobias that is otherwise fine unless exposed to something that it is very scared of. Once panicked these dogs cannot be consoled unless their owner is present to calm them down. This is a very apt description of my border collie Riot who has an extreme phobia of thunder. If I’m not home during a thunderstorm he is liable to do himself a serious injury trying to get away from the noise.
Separation anxiety manifests itself in many dogs as destructive behaviours such as the chewing of furniture, scratching at doors, defecating in the house, barking and howling. Unfortunately these behaviours are often incorrectly interpreted as a dog misbehaving or “getting back” at their owners for leaving them. This can then lead to the already stressed dog being punished which can subsequently make the anxiety even worse.
It is now known that preventing separation anxiety is actually very easy, especially started with a puppy. It can also be lessened in older dogs however it will take a lot of time and patience to over-ride the behaviour that has already developed. Preventing separation anxiety is as simple as teaching the dog that there is a good outcome associated with its owner leaving.
The standard routine for most of us when we go to leave the house is to pick up the house keys. So, to begin, pick up your house keys and then reward your dog. This very base level rewarding creates an association for your dog that when you pick up the keys something really good will follow. However, my suggestion with this step is that, rather than reward the dog with some food by just feeding it to him from your hand whilst you pick up the keys, take a food filled toy or something that the dog can chew on and give it to him on his favourite bed.
The next step would be to pick up the house keys, give your dog his treat on his favourite bed, go out through the door you normally leave the house by but then come straight back and praise the dog if he has been calm. Continue with this exercise for a while gradually increasing the amount of time you stay outside before returning. Each time, provide the dog with the treat on his bed before you leave. If your dog shows any signs of anxiety while you are doing this don’t reward him. If your dog seems to be struggling I would recommend that you go back a step before moving forward with the exercise again.
From following this process the dog learns that these events predict your return which is of course what he wants as opposed to your departure. Therefore the dog does not develop any anxiety.
