Separation Anxiety in dogs

Picture this: you come home to a house that looks like it’s been hit by the world’s first indoor tornado. There is stuff EVERYWHERE. Couch cushions are scattered, stuffing misplaced. Papers are shredded all over the floor. Your coffee table is demolished. Maybe there is a little poo in the corner. And who is there to greet you, ecstatic, almost frantic? Your pooch.

Congratulations! You’re the proud owner of a dog with separation anxiety! You can now live out your days in fear that every time you walk in your door, you see destruction. And you get to buy a next couch about once a week! Just what every dog owner wants…

Except, in the real world, it isn’t feasible to go buy a new couch once a week. And who really wants to clean up such a huge mess every day? No, in the real world, we have to deal with separation anxiety. There are a variety of techniques, depending on how severe your dog’s anxiety is and how he is displaying his anxiety to you. However, there is a difference between boredom and separation anxiety, although they may have similar symptoms. First, identify that it actually is separation anxiety.

How To Identify Separation Anxiety

There are a number of signs your dog is experiencing separation anxiety. If he is displaying most (or all) of these signs, he probably has separation anxiety.

• The destructive behavior typically occurs when you are not around. Whether you keep your dog in a crate or leave him free, he can be destructive, usually by chewing. You may find trash not in a trash can or legs on tables and chairs destroyed, among other things. Sometimes, otherwise house trained dogs with go to the bathroom inside. If your dog is crated, he may cause damage to the crate or possibly himself. This can be very dangerous for the dog, so please seek help if you find this to be true of your dog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Your dog follows you from room to room when you are home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

While this is not always necessarily a sign, it is a good indicator. Some dogs just like to be close to their owner.

• When you come home, your dog gets really excited. Now, I’m not talking about just a wag of the tail. I’m talking about a dog who is so happy to see you, he can’t contain himself. He’s jumping on you, frantic, can’t sit still. He may or may not be incredibly vocal, whining or yelping. All of this in addition to a tail that wagging a million miles a minute.
• When you get ready to leave, he acts out. Acting out can mean several things. In some dogs, it’s excitement; bouncing off the walls, barking, attention seeking behavior. In other dogs, it’s fear or depression. This can include hiding under things, whining, tail between the legs, ears down, etc.
• The destructive behavior occurs whether your gone for five minutes or five hours. You go outside to check the mail and wind up having a chat with the next door neighbor for a few minutes. When you come back in, your dog has been in something (maybe the trash can) he was not supposed to get into.
• You dog whines or howls when left alone. Unfortunately, this one is typically up to your neighbors to discover, unless you have a doggy cam (Like a nanny cam, but for dogs! Awesome for figuring out just how Fido got to that thawing chicken breast you put all the way on top of the fridge to keep him away from it…). It is also a typical behavior of puppies early on.

Why Do Dogs Experience Separation Anxiety?

The easiest answer to this question is the obvious one, they miss you! Dogs are pack animals. They prefer to be around one another and around their pack leaders (read: YOU). When there are multiple dogs in a family, there is a less chance of either dog exhibiting symptoms of separation anxiety, simply because they have company (Note: This is true in well established packs. However, when introducing a new dog into a family with an already anxious dog, there is a chance the new dog will feed off of the other dog’s anxiety. Then you have two destructive dogs on your hands.). What is important to realize is that your dog isn’t trying to punish you by pooping in the corner or digging in the trash. He’s in panic mode. Dogs don’t get that we have to work, have social lives, and do other things with out them. He does not understand why you’re gone, and that makes him sad, or fearful, or anxious. He’s destroying your favorite shoe because it makes him feel better; it smells like you and chewing is a soothing action. Some dogs experience separation anxiety from early on. Others may develop the behavior later in life. Here are some reasons dog may develop separation anxiety.

• The dog is away from his owner for the first time or there is a change in owner. Maybe you just rescued a dog from a shelter or maybe you just bought a puppy. Either way, this dog is adjusting to a new life and when you leave him alone, that can be a scary time.
• The dog had a traumatic experience. Now, your idea and his idea of a traumatic experience may be a little different. For example, he may consider boarding at a kennel for the first time a really scary thing. Even something as simple as a trip to the vet could trigger a negative reaction.
• There is a change in the dog’s routine. Dogs like consistency. They would be really happy if things were exactly the same, all day, every day. They like to know when to expect things. So if you take him to the park every Saturday, but your job suddenly requires you to work on Saturdays, that can throw off your dog’s whole schedule.
• There is a loss of a pack member. A pack member can be human, canine, feline, bovine…whatever! If it’s a living thing that’s around your dog daily, he’s part of the pack. Let’s say Grandma has been staying with you because it’s not looking so good. Grandma cuddles with your pooch from about 9AM to 2PM. Suddenly Grandma passes, and he doesn’t have anyone to cuddle with anymore.

How To Treat Separation Anxiety

How can you fix something when you’re not there to observe the problem? It may seem like an impossible task, but there are ways to treat separation anxiety. For minor cases, you may only need one of these. For more severe cases, you might try all of them.

• Obedience training. If you’ve never done any training with your dog, this is a great first step. A lot of the time, a dog is fearful simply because he’s not entirely sure of his role in the house. Some basic obedience lessons are beneficial in establishing you as the head of the household, which can alleviate a lot of stress the dog is feeling. The more you practice and work with them, the more confident they will become.
• When you leave or come home, make it not a big deal. Don’t cuddle your dog, talk to him in a baby voice, love on him, etc. if he’s in an anxious state. If you do this, you are reinforcing the behavior, saying it’s okay for him to feel the way he is. Instead, when coming home, ignore him for the first few minutes until he is calm. Ask him to sit and only pay attention to him when he is in a relaxed state. When leaving, give him something else to focus on so that it is a positive experience. A peanut butter filled Kong is my dog’s favorite treat and, if frozen, can last for about an hour (depending, of course, on your dog’s tenacity for peanut butter). Give him that 5-10 minutes before you leave and he will stay distracted. This way, he associates you leaving with happy things. In addition to that connection, the longer he is distracted, the less time he’s anxious about you being gone.
• Figure out your dog’s trigger. Whether you realize it or not, you have a routine when you leave your house. It may involve a ton of things in any order, like showering, eating, taking the dog out to the bathroom, putting on your coat, picking up your purse/keys, etc. If you can figure out what your dog’s trigger is (i.e. What is it that you’re doing the moment your dog starts behaving anxiously?), you can try doing that randomly to desensitize your dog to the action. For example, if the trigger is picking up your keys, pick them up for a few minutes and walk around with them, then put them back down. Do this 10-15 times daily until your dog no longer notices you picking up the keys. If the trigger is going into his crate, put him in his crate for ten minutes and leave the room. Come back and let him out. If he is calm when he’s let out, great! Tell him how good he is! This is a behavior you should reinforce. For more crating tips, check out our article Crate Training Your Dog or Puppy. Keep in mind, separation anxiety is a serious issue, and you may have to do this a few times with multiple triggers.
• Leave your dog with something that smells like you. Dirty laundry works best for this technique. However, this may not end the behavior altogether, so keep in mind that the article of clothing you leave might not be in tact when you return. Thus, I recommend leaving an older t-shirt or towel, something you don’t mind having destroyed.
• Desensitize your dog to your leaving. This can be a long process. In most severe cases, you may only be able to start out with a few minutes. But, if done correctly, you can work your way up from there. Using techniques described above, pretend to leave you house EXACTLY like you would if you were going to work, dinner, etc. If your dog’s destructive behavior starts immediately when you lock the door, lock the door for ten seconds and then unlock it and come back in. Repeat this process as many times as necessary, slightly increasing the time spent outside each time. Ideally, you want him to not even start to feel anxious. This teaches your dog that it’s okay, you will come back. Some owners like to establish a safe word or phrase with this technique, i.e. “return” or “I’ll be back”, that they say right before they leave. Again, this can be a long process, especially if your dog exhibits destructive behavior immediately.
• Give your dog a safe place when you’re gone. Safe place can mean either a crate or a room. It can either be a place where he can’t cause destruction or a place where it is okay/safe for him to destroy things. For example, a laundry room with fresh water and nothing to destroy is a great place to leave a dog who chews on his crate. If your dog’s case isn’t so severe, a crate is likely the safest place for him. Remember, some dogs can cause harm to themselves when left in crates alone, so be sure that your dog isn’t one capable of that. Leave him some toys that are distracting. You can find these online and in pet stores around town. There are many different styles and levels of difficulty.
• EXERCISE!! This is the easiest way to cure a ton of common behavioral issues in dogs. A tired dog is a happy dog. A 15-20 minute walk before you leave will not only give your dog a chance to burn off excess energy, but also he has the opportunity to use the bathroom. He will then be less likely to soil inside.
• Try a calming aid. There are several over the counter aids you can purchase at pet stores. Some of them are synthetic, others are natural. If you have a more severe case, try talking with your veterinarian about some prescription calming aids he can give you. There are several types, from devices that you can plug into a wall, to pills and drops, to liquids that you spray on fabric (like the dog bed, a t-shirt you leave with them, a bandana around their neck, etc.)
• DON’T punish the dog. Negative reinforcement is NOT effective in treating separation anxiety. Your dog is not punishing you for leaving him alone by soiling in the house or chewing on furniture. By punishing the dog, you will simply turn a fearful, anxious dog into a more fearful and anxious dog. Now, not only is he afraid of being alone, but the dog is afraid that when you come home, you’re going to yell and scream at him.
• Be patient. This is not something that can be solved over night. It takes weeks, sometimes months, to rid dogs of separation anxiety. It is very important that you remain consistent with your own behavior to train him out of his behavior.