Dog Suffering from Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is a tricky psychological phenomenon to deal with. However, with patience, you can kick your dog’s anxiety to the curb. Before we dive deep into the root cause, it’s important to know that having symptoms of separation anxiety does not mean your dog suffers from it. In fact, physical illness can often trigger a temporary episode of separation anxiety. So, it’s important to rule it out before you start your training process. In this article, you will learn six useful techniques to stop separation anxiety.
Causes of separation anxiety
Certain breeds are more prone to developing separation anxiety than others. However, if you have a puppy on your hand, separation anxiety is a normal part of development. In most cases, the symptoms will go away with maturity. However, as soon as the first sign of separation anxiety shows up, it’s important to set up a good foundation so your pup can tolerate being alone. Now, let’s dive deep into the causes of separation anxiety in adult dogs.
What Triggers Separation Anxiety?
- Past traumas as in the case of abandonment, death, breaking and entering, and physical abuse.
- Being in a high-stress environment. For instance, a shelter.
- A change of environment.
- Boredom.
- A sudden change in their daily routines.
- Being left alone for an extended period of time.
- Fear and distrust.
- Aging.
Symptoms of Separation Anxiety
- Excessive barking until you’ve returned.
- Physiological responses such as panting, drooling, trembling, and pupil dilation
- Pacing and whining as soon as you do the leave-your-house routine.
- Unwanted Urination and defecation in the house when you are not present.
- Chewing and digging.
- Constantly follow you around the house.
- Intolerant of being alone.
How to Stop Separation Anxiety
There are many effective techniques out there that can help reduce symptoms of separation anxiety. It’s important to note that all of these techniques are not miracle remedies. It does require time and lots of practice before you actually see the final result.
Provide Mental Stimulation When You Leave
The main cause of separation anxiety is distrust. Your dog simply does not trust that you will return. Let face it, we’ve domesticated dogs to be our companions, so it’s not a surprise if all your dog wants to do is to be in your presence. Hence, prior to you leaving, give your dog something to munch on to keep them occupied during the day. But you might ask “what if my dog shows no interest in the things I give them?” Well, you’ll need to give them something very special. It has to be something that your dog can get only when you leave the house. Think about it, if you give your dog something they have access to every single day, they’ll be more preoccupied with the sight of you leaving than by the sight of the toy. To make them excited about their toy, you may use the following method.
Step 1. Lay down a bone or a toy for your dog to play around with and be present when your dog is enjoying their toy.
Step 2. After 5 minutes, remove the toy or the bone away from them.
Step 3. Give the toy or the bone back to them by jingling your keys. Allow your dog to enjoy it for another 5 minutes before you remove it.
Do this practice every day and remember, the stimulation you give your dog before you leave the house has to be something your dog will not have access to all the time.
Crate Training
Crate training is a very helpful technique in allowing your dog to have a safe haven to retreat to in times of stress. It’s also a great way to train them to be independent. Leave your dog in their crate for 10 minutes a day and get them used to independence for a short while. To learn more about how to make your dog love their crate, you can find more information here.
Use Supplementation
When my dog Juju suffered from separation anxiety, the first thing I did was to purchase a thunder shirt. A thunder shirt helps to calm anxiety by applying gentle pressure that acts similar to being hugged. Studies have shown that thunder shirts or anxiety wraps can reduce anxiety by up to 80%. Although thunder shirts have a calming effect, it’s not 100%. On top of using thunder shirts, you may also play some calming music for your dog when you are away. The music simulates the environment of someone at home, and this can be very soothing for your dog. If you want to take it up a notch, you can also purchase a cheap at-home Wyze cam with two-way talk to keep tabs on your dog when you are away.
Reconditioning by Prepping Ahead of Time
As soon as you grab your jacket, keys, and put on your shoes, your dog starts to pace in a state of panic. It’s important to not feed into your dog’s hyperactive energy by engaging with them. The best way to tackle this pre-leaving anxiety is to recondition them. Let’s see how we can do that.
Step 1: Have a hand full of treats and feed one to your dog.
Step 2: Grab your keys without leaving and give your dog a treat. Repeat this process multiple times until your dog is no longer hyperactive when they hear the sound of your keys.
Step 3: Now, pretend to put on your jacket and grab your shoes, and as soon as you do that, give them a treat and remain still. Don’t leave the house yet! Repeat this process until your dog is no longer anxious at the sight of you putting on your jacket and grabbing your shoes.
Step 4: Give them a treat and their special leave-the-house-only toy. Step out of the house and close the door. Come back in before they have a chance to bark. Give them a treat and repeat the process.
The above technique helps to recondition your dog’s normal anxiety triggers. However, you need to consistent and practice practice practice! In time, your dog will know to trust that you will always be back.
Physical Exercise Before You Leave
I cannot stress more about the importance of physical exercise. The most troublesome aspect of separation anxiety is the constant barking and the destroying of the house. The reason? Well, your dog probably has too much energy to expel. A tired dog is less likely to care about you leaving and more focused on resting. So before you leave, go out for a walk or play with your dog. Remember, a tired dog is a good dog.
Hire a Dog Sitter
Dog sitters can be invaluable when it comes to keeping separation anxieties at bay. There are many helpful dog sitters out there that can take care of your dog when you are at work. Pet24Care is an app where you can find trusted sitters. All dog sitters on the Pet24Care platform go through a careful screening process to ensure the quality of the care provider. If you are like me, who is obsessed with my dog, you can even see your dog’s walks on a real-time map and receive live updates about your dog’s day.