Help your dog to
cope with being
alone
Separation
anxiety refers to
the distress that
some dogs feel in
the absence of a
person (or less
often an animal) to
whom they feel
highly
attached. The
anxiety can be
expressed in one or
more ways including
vocalization
(barking, whining),
destructive
behaviour,
salivation, pacing,
house soiling,
escaping or
depression.
These
undesirable
behaviours need to
be prevented from
recurring in the
short term.
Anxiety is a
cascade type of
phenomenon – once
you get upset it is
easier to become
more upset very
quickly. The
memory of the
unpleasant
experience and the
last time anxiety
occurred would make
the same situation
even more stressful
for the dog on the
next
occasion.
Hence the need to
avoid these
episodes when ever
possible until
there is time to
implement longer
term strategies
which will enable
the dog to cope
with separation
with out
distress.
Here
are some short term
strategies that can
help your dog
cope.
Denning
and
“Dog-sitting”
Some
mildly affected
dogs may accept
confinement in an
exercise pen,
crate, cubby or
den. It is
ideal if an item
such as an unwashed
sweater can be
placed with the
dog, together with
appropriate chew
toys such as
Kongs. Some
dogs may prefer the
car and settle
better there.
However be aware of
the heat on warm
days and in some
cases the dog is
very
destructive.
Another
alternative is
access to a place
closely associated
with the owner such
as a couch or
bed.
You
may have a friend
or neighbour who is
willing to check on
the dog at certain
intervals or
temporarily
“dog-sit”.
“Doggie Daycare” at
a veterinary
hospital or
boarding kennels
can be a great help
at those times
early in the
programme when you
just have to
leave.
Departure
Routines
Many
dogs will readily
identify departure
routines and use
them as cues to
become
distressed.
Ideally we need to
try and identify
ways that will
relax the dog and
help him tolerate
your departure
better. It is
useful to carry out
activities such as
picking up keys,
putting on a
uniform or packing
a briefcase but
then staying
home.
Practice these mock
departures many
times.
Alternatively, you
might be aware of a
cue that helps your
dog relax eg
putting on joggers
indicates a short
departure for a
morning jog.
You
might put the
joggers on and got
to work. This
can help to ensure
that the dog is
unable to reliably
predict which
activities precede
your
departure.
Relaxation
Cues
On
days when you are
leaving for very
short periods only,
you can start to
develop some
specific cues that
indicate your
return is
imminent.
These could include
such things as a
particular piece of
music playing, a
special rug or
blanket, a novel
toy etc.
These signal to the
dog that the
departures are
“safe” and that you
will be back very
soon and can be
provided during a
desensitization
programme.
These items must be
removed at other
times or they
will lose
their
significance.
Greetings
and
Departures
Greetings and
departures should
be
down-played.
The dog should be
ignored 15 minutes
before you leave
and for 15 minutes
after you
return. This
helps to avoid the
intense highs and
lows that are
contributing to the
anxiety levels your
pet is
experiencing.
Setting a light or
a radio on a timer
programmed to come
on 30 minutes
before your arrival
home can help to
defuse the sudden
nature of your
return.
Guilt
In
the case of dogs
with separation
anxiety we often
come home to find
precious things
destroyed or urine
or feces on the
carpet. Our
bodies get tense
and we speak with a
loud stern
voice. Dogs
are very sensitive
to body language –
it is a large
part of their
communication with
each other.
You think your dog
looks “guilty” for
what he has done,
but in reality he
is just responding
to your angry body
language and
submitting to your
authority.
Some dogs will
cower even before
you have the
opportunity to
assess if any
damage has been
done. This is
because they have
learned from past
experience that you
are displeased if
there is any
destruction or
soiling, not as a
result of guilt
about making the
mess. In
fact, your dog
would show exactly
the same reaction
if another dog were
responsible for the
problem.
Punishment in
these circumstances
will only make him
more anxious and
the signs of
distress will get
worse.
Remember he is not
doing this out of
spite but because
he is anxious about
being left
alone.