You Can Help Lessen The Severity Of Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety

If you own a dog experiencing separation anxiety, you know it can be frustrating and result in unwanted behavior.  Online and off, there are many articles written concerning it and how to deal with it, but I feel it is important to continue to get the word out that you and your dog shouldn’t have to suffer forever from this.

Maia, my pit/lab mix, came into my life with this problem.  At least she only resorts to barking when left alone, but some dogs will literally do very destructive things if left alone for any length of time.

In most cases separation anxiety appears to be prevalent in dogs who are rescued from a crowded shelter or have been abandoned or placed from one adopter to another. One other instance that might cause separation anxiety is when there is a very frightening event in a dog’s life while by itself, such as a a natural disaster or even being tormented by neighborhood kids throwing rocks or sticks at your dog.  This kind of trauma will then be associated with being left alone and could then turn into separation anxiety.

Maia came to me from a a family who was moving into a home that didn’t allow dogs.  She obviously had a strong bond to the couple.  Maia ran from one window to the next after they left her with me, hoping they would return for her.  After a while she realized they weren’t coming back and became totally bonded with me.  Maia was nearly two when she came into my life.  Although I don’t know what her first year of life was like, being left by her family seemed to make her worry that I too, would leave her.  She goes almost everywhere with me since I run my own mobile dog grooming business. 

If your dog shows any of the following behaviors when left alone, he or she may be in the grips of separation anxiety:

1.  following you everywhere throughout the house when you are home                               
2.  barking relentlessly if she can’t find or be with you
3.  urinating or defecating in the house when left alone even though house-broke
4.  demolishing furniture, window frames, door frames, etc.
5.  running through the house in a state of panic when left alone

Dogs are pack animals and like to be with other living creatures, whether they be other dogs, humans or even another species.  However, to a dog suffering with this overwhelming anxiety, it does not always help that there is another dog or buddy left with the dog who is suffering.  Even when I leave Maia with her good buddy, Buster, she is more concerned about the fact that I am not there, or that she is not with me.

Trying to help a dog work through separation anxiety may seem overwhelming at times, but with time and patience, you can help your dog realize you are not abandoning her.

The first thing you can do is give your dog some exercise before you have to leave.  Walk around the block, throw a ball, work on obedience training.

Once the exercising is done, set aside a little time each day to work with your dog.  Even on a rainy day, you can start working with your dog inside your home.  If your dog does not like being away from you at all, start by going into a room by yourself and closing the door.  Wait just a few seconds and then nonchalantly come out and continue moving throughout the house shutting a door between you and your dog until he or she starts relaxing.  If she is whining, barking or scratching at the door, try to ignore her as you go about this exercise.  If at all possible, try to time when you open the door with the brief moment your dog is calm or quiet, rewarding that behavior by reuniting with her.

After doing this for awhile, you can move on to an outside door, leaving your dog inside.  Keep the time you are gone to a minimum and keep it very low key., even if your dog makes huge progress.  The temptation would be to really praise your dog for being quiet, but that may cause her to lose her calmness because you would be making a big deal over her progress.  Ultimately your goal is to have your dog totally comfortable with you leaving her alone for however long a period of time.   As you progress, stay away for longer lengths of time.

Always try to make your departures as quiet and uneventful as possible, maybe leaving a kong filled with treats and just saying something like “You stay here.  I’ll be back.” or “See you later.”

I don’t think giving your dog a sedative is a good idea, mainly because there are times when sedatives can have side effects and can possibly even make your dog worse. 

There are, however, tools you can use along with the training process.  One of those is the Thundershirt Anxiety Wrap.  Another is the Original Anxiety Wrap. Both of these are snug body wraps that put pressure on pressure points that calm an overly excited dog.  Although it may not work to completely turn your dog around, using it along with the training exercises could significantly lessen the stress your dog feels when you leave it alone.

When working with your anxious dog, be patient and consistant.  Take some time to work with her and perhaps look for a trainer in your area who could give you more help and ideas on how to rehabilitate your dog’s separation anxiety.