Separation anxiety is a condition where a dog develops considerable distress when it is left on it’s own even for only short lengths of time. In some cases it may be the absence of one person the dog has bonded with that triggers the problem even though another person may be there. It is difficult to determine precisely the cause but there is no doubt that the level of anxiety can rise to epic proportions in some cases to the point where damage to property and injury to the dog can occur.The causes of this problem are thought to include the fear of abandonment which can affect dogs which have been given up to shelters and adopted from there. An owners change in routine or change in schedule such as may occur on moving house, meaning there is less time to spend with the dog are possible triggers for the problem. Be alert for signs of anxiety in your dog after any changes such as these so that you recognize them immediately and can take action.
It is clear a case of separation anxiety exists when your dog :
- constantly follows you around demanding attention.
- is not happy to be in even the next room to you if the door is closed.
gets increasingly distressed as you prepare to leave the house.
- carries out destructive chewing round doors window frames.
the chewing begins very shortly after you leave.
- poops and pees in several locations round the house.
- always shows the above behaviour even if you are gone for only a short time.
- engages in self mutilation by chewing or licking of legs, paws or sides.
- barks, whines or vocalizes in any other way such as howling.
It is important to understand that your best friend, although you might not see him as such at these times, has a problem very much like a mental illness and is not doing these behaviours just to annoy you or to punish you for leaving him alone.This being the case he should in no way be punished but rather helped to overcome his problem.
Separation anxiety falls into the severe category when major damage by chewing occurs round doors and windows as if the dog has been trying to escape by making hoes in walls. Also self inflicted injury by the chewing of legs paws and some times flanks falls in to the severe category.
An effort should be made to desensitize him to your getting ready to leave ritual and you will have one even if you don’t know it. Break down this ritual in to it’s component parts which might look like this :
- put shoes on.
- put jacket on.
- pick up car keys.
- go to door.
- open door.
- step outside.
- close door.
So you have a ritual of seven steps and your dog knows every one of them and the sequence in which you carry them out. In order to desensitize your dog to your leaving ritual you must start by going through the first step of putting on your shoes and then taking them off again after a short time without going near the door. Wait a little while and repeat. If after a few repetitions of this first step your dog is not showing any signs of becoming distressed then add the second step. So put on your shoes and your jacket and take them off again. Repeat several times and if the dog is comfortable move on to adding the next step into the practice sequence. Continue until you have been through the whole sequence to the point of closing the door several times without upsetting the dog.
Now it is time to spend a little time out side the house and increase it gradually without causing the dog distress. Once you have got the time out to more than thirty minutes it should be possible to increase it dramatically from there without problems.
It doesn’t often go as smoothly as indicated above and it is almost inevitable that there will be setbacks, but remember to take things slowly, and if necessary go back a step or two and start over. Do not punish, he is not doing this on purpose and punishment will only confuse him and may reduce the trust he has in you. Do keep your departures low key and without fuss.
There are other things which you can do. The good old stand by exercise in sufficient amounts will not only keep him fit and well but will provide mental stimulation as well. He will be more inclined to sleep and therefore less inclined to get into any destructive behaviour.
Filling kongs with food so that he has to work to get it will provide some mental stimulation and keep him busy just after you leave, which is the time when any damage is likely to occur.
Chew toys can be useful. You will need several so that you can give him say two per day and have a sufficient supply to keep changing them.
Opinion is divided on the use of crates and the effectiveness of leaving the radio on.This is probably because so much depends on the level of anxiety in the dog and whether he has been trained to a crate before. Putting the dog in a crate in a quiet place in the house may increase his sense of security will help in some cases.There is no doubt that the damage to the house will be eliminated but this is at the risk of a highly agitated dog injuring himself.
If extensive damage is being done temporary measures may have to be taken until you get your departure underway. Someone you know well, and more importantly your dog knows well, may be able to look after him during the day for a while or you could consider doggy daycare if you can find one run by people who understand the problem.
Some of the more enlightened employers are now allowing employees to take pets to work as it has been found to raise productivity in some instances. It might be a good idea to find out how other employers organize their scheme before you approach yours with your request.
The purchase of another dog to keep the first one company does not always work if they do not know one another before the problem arises, so if getting another dog is contemplated make sure you really want one as this might not be the answer to the immediate problem.
All pet dog owners should make some effort to get their dog used to their absences when they are young so as to avoid major problems should circumstances change at a later date.
