Separation Anxiety

Signs of Separation Anxiety

• Barking, Howling, or “crying” when you leave
• Destruction of furniture, carpeting, walls, doors, windows, and anything else within the dog's reach
• Exhibiting “stress” signals as you prepare to leave

• panting
• pacing
• barking
• whining
• yawning
• jumping

• Urinating or defecating inside
• Excessive chewing or licking on themselves
• Chewing and clawing the inside of a crate

Symptoms vary from mild to severe forms of separation anxiety

Causes of Separation Anxiety

• Making it a big deal when you leave or arrive home
• Developed during a puppy's “fear period”
• Being in a shelter/kennel environment for a long period of time
• Improper crate training
• Reinforcing separation anxiety behaviors (usually without knowing it)

Managing Separation Anxiety

• Exercise
• Obedience Training
• Proper Crate Training
• Utilizing food puzzles and altering feeding schedules
• Proper departure and arrival techniques
• Prescription Medication (Veterinary Intervention)

Exercise

• A dog that has lots of energy will be more prone to SA behaviors
• Before leaving take your dog for a good walk, jog, bike ride, fetch, or any exercise that will leave them physically tired
  • exercise needs will depend on breed, age, and physical fitness level of the dog
• Make routine exercise a daily part of your dog's schedule even if you will be home all day.  If you can't hire a dog walker.  Leaving your dog in the backyard, with another dog, or at the park does not count as exercise unless your dog is engage in a physical activity.
  
  
  
  
  

Obedience Training (utilizing marker/clicker training philosophies)

• Teaching your dog basic obedience behaviors will provide your dog with a working relationship and necessary mental stimulation
• These basic obedience behaviors are great to start with
  • Sit
  • Down
  • Stay
  • Come
  • Focused Walk
• Continue training your dog finding new tricks to challenge them with
• This mental stimulation is necessary for your dog's development and helps reduce stress and build self-confidence

Proper Crate Training

• Crate Training is important in dogs with SA to prevent dogs from destroying and getting into things that could be dangerous to them
• Crates also provide a “den like” space and keep your dog in a small more confined area that can help provide a sense of security
• It is important to have a properly sized crate for your dog as one to small or large can be dangerous

Food Puzzles (Routine Feeding Schedule)

• Food Puzzles make great special toys to provide your dog with while they are crated and left alone
• It is important to use food puzzle toys that are safe (you have supervised your dog with the toy and they are not able to damage it and cause harm to themselves)
• Start with VERY high value foods (stuffed Kongs with canned food and freeze), healthy training treats for Kibble Nibbles, Bob-a-Lots, or Kong Wobblers and eventually move to lower value treats or their regular dog food
• Keep your dog on a routine feeding schedule so that they will be hungry and excited over the food puzzle
  • If you leave for work in the morning instead of giving your dog a bowl of food provide them with a food puzzle that will meet their nutritional needs for that feeding
• Do not feed your dog or do a lot of food reward training right before departure

Refer to our handout on Dog Toys and Safety as a guideline to toys that may be best suited for your dog's size and chewing ability

How to Depart Your Home with a SA Dog

• Do NOT make a fuss about leaving
• Don't pay attention to your dog for 10-15 minutes prior to leaving
• Provide your dog with a food puzzle in their crate before starting your departing routine
• Make your departure quick and quiet
  • Have your shoes, purse/wallet, keys at the door and ready to go
  • The quicker and quieter your departure the better

How to Arrive Home to Greet Your SA Dog

• If your dog is capable of waiting to go out and use the restroom wait until they settle down before letting them out of their crate (5-30 minutes)
• Train your dog to “sit” or “down” before they are allowed out of their crate
• Once your dog is out of their crate do not pay them any attention other than putting them on a leash and taking them outside to use the bathroom
• Ignore your dog for the first 15 minutes or until your dog is in a relaxed state
• Have your dog “sit” before providing them with attention and praise

Additional Techniques

• If it is safe to do so place a piece of clothing such as a t-shirt that has been worn in the crate with your dog so that they have your smell close by
  • You can also put a towel fresh from the dryer (not too hot!) in the crate with your dog
• Play soothing classical music or ambient noise for your dog while you are gone, this can help reduce stress from noises outside their crate, room, or house
• Give your dog a favorite toy before you leave

Prescription Medication and Veterinary Intervention

• For dogs with severe separation anxiety it is sometimes necessary to seek veterinary intervention and the use of drugs
• All medications have side effects and it is best to use this option as a last resort or only for dogs that have severe SA and pose a danger to themselves

Aversion Training

• For some dogs specific training can be used to create an aversion to potentially dangerous or life-threatening behaviors
• This training does NOT fix the root cause of the dog's SA but can prevent or eliminate dangerous SA behaviors

Separation Anxiety requires daily dedication from the owner to help the dog over come this behavior issue and length of training needs will vary between dogs

Case Study Midnight: Handling a Food Aggressive Dog

Midnight is a 3-5 year old Mastiff mix that was rescued from a negligent home where he was not fed regularly, left outside in a small space, and attacked by other dogs.  This dog failed the food aggression portion of the local humane society's admission test on temperament twice (the second time after the rescuer worked with the dog for several weeks following guidelines from a dog training book focusing on food aggression).  He displayed a high level of food aggressive behavior by growling, showing his teeth, and lifting his head from the bowl to direct his aggression at the "fake arm" with his aggression increasing the longer the "fake arm" was near the food bowl.  Based on his severe level of food aggression he was not even capable of being acceptable into their behavior modification program.  Here are the videos of Midnight's progress throughout his 3 week stay in our home at K9 180.

Day 1 of Training and Entry Evaluation

Day 3 Into Training

Week 2 of Training

Week 3 of Training

Final Day of Training and Exit Evaluation 

At the end of Midnight's training he produced a small growl at the humane society's temperament evaluation around canned food but relaxed quickly allowing the "fake arm" to move around in his food bowl.  Midnight has passed their temperament test and is now able to be admitted into the rescue where he will continue a behavior modification program to work on any remaining food issues before being adopted.