It’s a heartbreaking sight: coming home long after being away to a drooling, trembling dog with eyes wide with fear, a mess by the door, the TV remote and the couch cushions chewed to pieces.
It’s clear that what you’re dealing with is more than just typical dog mischief — this could be a dog case of separation anxiety, which can cause extreme stress not only for your dog, but for you as well.
Here are some helpful ways to keep your dog with separation anxiety safe and healthy.
What is separation anxiety in dogs?
Separation anxiety is a stress response that occurs when a dog is separated from the person (or people) with whom it has a bond.
Tina FloresKPA-CTP, CSAT, a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT), says dogs who experience separation anxiety are similar to humans having panic attacks.
“For example, a person with a fear of heights may experience sweaty palms, dry mouth and an increased heart rate when standing on top of a tall building,” she says. “Similarly, a dog with separation anxiety will have their body flooded with stress hormones every time they are left alone.”
Dog reactions can range from mild distress, such as pacing and whining, to extreme anxiety, with some dogs even hurting themselves in an attempt to escape confinement and find “their” owner.
How to help a dog with separation anxiety
The goal of treating separation anxiety in dogs is twofold: to make the dog less dependent on the owner and to help the dog relax when the owner is away from home.
Overcoming separation anxiety in dogs takes time and patience, and unfortunately there is no quick fix for stress-based behavior.
Treating separation anxiety is a complex process, so pet owners should seek out a trainer or behaviorist with experience dealing with separation anxiety, such as a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT) or a veterinary behaviorist who can prescribe anxiety medication if necessary.
Look for trainers and behaviorists who are always in the loop Positive reinforcement training techniques.
Behavior modification
The best way to help a dog with separation anxiety is to permanently change his perception of what it means to be alone, every second counts. A dog trainer or veterinary behaviorist will be your best resource for creating a behavior modification program that fits your dog’s needs.
“We use a systematic desensitization process to build understanding and confidence so the dog can remain calm until the owner returns,” Flores says, “and we often start in very small steps.” [of time] Because we want to make sure we’re building a strong foundation for our dogs to be comfortable.”
During separation anxiety training for dogs, the owner leaves the room for a period of time and returns before the dog becomes anxious. As with any behavior modification training, the dog must remain below threshold during this process, meaning that he has not begun to show stress behavior in response to the owner leaving the room.
This process should be done at your dog’s pace – gradually increase the time you are away while your dog remains calm, and decrease the time if your dog begins to panic.
Flores also stresses the importance of desensitizing people to cues that are part of pre-departure routines, like picking up your keys, putting on your shoes, grabbing your bag and opening the door.
“Dogs pick up on all of these cues, so we want to make sure we incorporate them into our training sessions in a way that shows the dog that this not only means that the person is leaving, but also that they’re coming back before they panic,” Flores says.
Do not leave your dog unattended for long periods of time
One of the main challenges in dealing with separation anxiety is that once the training process has begun, you should never leave your dog alone.
Flores said that even if you can’t be at home with your dog, you can still invite your neighbors, friends, family, and neighbors to help. Dog walkeror use daycare to help with the training process.
“Managed absences are crucial to protecting the progress we’re making during training,” she says. “For example, we may get a dog comfortable for 30 minutes, but if they’re left alone for two hours the next day, all the effort we’ve put in can be wasted. The dog won’t trust that their owner will return before they start to panic.”
Exercising your dog
Most dogs can benefit from increased exercise, especially those who suffer from a mild form of separation anxiety called PTSD. and Allowing them to rest before leaving them alone may help them calm down while you are gone.
Dogs with mild separation intolerance may benefit from playing challenging, mentally stimulating games before being left alone. Puzzle Toys Or, playing sniffing games like “find the toy” can help your dog get settled in after you’re gone for the day.
Training your dog with simple tricks can also help stimulate his mind.High fiveIt’s not just cute and fun: Stimulation prepares your dog for rest.
Give your dog interactive toys
Dogs with mild separation anxiety may even come to enjoy the ritual of receiving a treat-filled candy bar when their owner leaves the house, but Flores warns owners to be careful when they do leave the house. interactive food toys Dogs suffering from severe separation anxiety.
“If you feed your dog multiple times before you leave, the food can become a signal that something bad is going to happen,” she explains. “Once the dog has finished the food, they realize you’re still not there and they start to panic.”
Using prescription pet medications
Ariel Schoenlein, DVM, Veterinarian Quakertown Veterinary Clinic Doctors in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, say medication can be used to help dogs with separation anxiety if:
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Dogs are hurting themselves due to anxiety
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The dog is harming other animals in the house
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Dogs destroy household items if left unattended
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It reduces the dog’s quality of life and chances of staying in the home
“Medication is used in all cases as an adjunct to reduce overall anxiety and make training more successful,” says Dr. Schonlein.
There are usually two types of anti-anxiety treatments for dogs.
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Antianxiety drugs (drugs that reduce anxiety)Antiretroviral medications such as fluoxetine are usually used long-term. This type of medication takes 4-8 weeks to take effect and requires your dog’s blood to be tested annually.
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Event-specific medicationsAnti-anxiety medications such as Trazodone can be used when known triggers are likely to occur. These medications are combined with training to minimize anxiety and allow for a positive experience when leaving the house.
“Many of the dogs we work with are on some type of anti-anxiety medication, which in my experience often helps lower the threshold for separation anxiety and facilitates learning within the separation anxiety protocol,” Flores says.
Consult your veterinarian to see if your dog is a good candidate for the medication.
Can you cure separation anxiety in dogs?
Separation anxiety cannot be cured – there is no quick fix or silver bullet – but it can be managed with patience and training.
Effectively treating separation anxiety can feel like a daunting task, made even more difficult by the fact that treatment is a slow process, with progress sometimes literally made one second at a time. But working with a proactive trainer or veterinary behaviorist early on can help reduce frustration for you and your dog while working toward a better quality of life.
“Teaching your dog how to treat separation anxiety can be challenging, but having gone through this process with many of my clients as well as my own dog, I can truly say there is hope and recovery is possible!” says Flores.
