Separation Anxiety is the inability of a dog to adjust to being separated from its human caregiver or canine companion. Its severity can range from relatively mild to extremely severe.
Separation Anxiety, also known as separation-related distress, is one of the most common behavioral problems in pet dogs, and it is estimated that one in four dogs will suffer from Separation Anxiety during their lifetime.
According to Beaver, as many as 85.9 percent of dogs showed moderate to severe separation-related behaviour. The finding suggests that isolation has an emotional impact on dogs, many of whom are unable to cope with separation.
Many dog owners do not realize that the ability to cope with the separation of the attachment object is an act of acquiring, and the skills we have to gradually teach our dogs, just as we teach our babies and young children.
There are many signs that your dog is experiencing separation anxiety. In minor cases, these signs can be very subtle and easily ignored, and in moderate to extreme cases, these signs will be very obvious.
- Panting
- Rhythm
- Drooling
- Increased heart rate
- Excessive whining or barking
- Not eating when left alone
- Destructive scratching and/or chewing
- Shivering
- Sweaty paws
- House soiling
- Trying to escape the home or backyard
If you notice your dog exhibiting any of the above signs when alone, be sure to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to confirm a diagnosis of Separation Anxiety or rule it out. Some signs of Separation Anxiety, such as excessive barking, destructive chewing, and attempts to escape the home, can be the result of boredom or even related to a medical issue.
Separation Anxiety can be triggered by a number of different events or situations that are often related to a change in normal routines. These events or situations include:
- Puppy going to a new home
- Being alone for the first time
- Being surrendered to an animal shelter
- Adopting from an animal shelter
- Moving
- Changes in the owner's work schedule
- Family members moving away
- Owner traveling
- Staying in a foster kennel (especially for the first time)
- Death in the family
- Quick cure for Separation Anxiety in Dogs
Most dog owners want to know how to cure Separation Anxiety quickly; however, the reality is that there is no quick fix. Overcoming Separation Anxiety takes time and patience, as well as consistency in management and training.
Prevention is the best cure. Teaching your puppy how to gradually cope with separation and associating it with positive experiences will help prevent them from developing Separation Anxiety.However, if your dog already has Separation Anxiety, you can still help them overcome it.
The first step in helping your dog get rid of Separation Anxiety is to make an appointment with a veterinarian or qualified behaviorist. They will determine the severity of Separation Anxiety, whether anti-anxiety medication is recommended for successful treatment, and provide you with a training and management program to work on Separation Anxiety.
When Separation Anxiety is at moderate to extreme levels, medication can be very beneficial in promoting behavior change. This is because medication reduces anxiety and allows learning to take place. Without medication, behavior change may not be successful because highly anxious dogs are often unable to learn and remember information.
There are many training exercises that can help your dog overcome Separation Anxiety.Let's see how short and long term Separation Anxiety training for dogs works.
Here are some short-term management and training tips to help reduce Separation Anxiety:
Avoid leaving the dog alone. The purpose of this is to avoid any further negative experiences from being left alone, while teaching your dog to associate separation with positive experiences.
Start teaching your dog that being separated from you in the house can be a pleasant experience. You can do this by using the sit-stay exercise, where you first ask your dog to sit and then say “stay”. Next, take a step away, wait three seconds, and walk back toward your dog. If he stays down, say “good girl/boy” and immediately reward him with a high-value treat. Repeat several times. If your dog succeeds and doesn't break the hold, gradually increase the distance and time you spend with him so you can get out of sight for longer periods of time. It's important to reward him each time he succeeds. If at any point it breaks the stay, it means your dog is not at that level. Go back to the previous step where it succeeded and keep building from there. Practice in different rooms of the house and in the backyard. With time and persistence, your dog will learn that being separated from you is also a positive experience.
Feed your dog meals in a room or area away from you. This will also teach them that being separated from you is also an enjoyable experience, as they will associate separation with eating (a primary reinforcer). You can also help them learn to associate separation with a pleasurable experience by giving them high-value chewy snacks, licking pads, or educational toys during the day (eating high-value snacks).
Here are some management and training exercises that need to be done over time to enhance your dog's ability to cope with separation:
Gradual desensitization and reverse conditioning. Begin desensitizing your dog to separation by leaving the house for a period of time that is short enough not to cause anxiety (e.g., 1 to 2 minutes). Before you leave, give your dog a high-value and long-lasting chew treat, educational toy, or licking pad. Repeat this several times a day and gradually increase the separation time if your dog is able to cope at the previous level.
Avoid consistently long separations. Instead, make sure to intersperse shorter separations between separations to prevent your dog from anticipating longer separations and possibly feeling anxious as a result.
Reduce the contrast between when you are at home (when your dog is happiest) and when you are not (when your dog is less happy) by not making a fuss when you leave the house. Casual goodbyes when you leave and greetings when you come home, rather than overly enthusiastic goodbyes and greetings, will help your dog understand that your coming and going isn't a big deal.
Separation Anxiety is a common behavioural problem in dogs. The ability to cope with the separation of attachment objects is a learned behavior and there is no quick solution. As a social species, dogs don’t know how to be alone like human children are born. We have a responsibility to teach our dogs how to cope with separation through a combination of good management and training. The desensitization and countercconditional effects of separation can teach dogs to endure separation gradually. In severe cases, anti-anxiety medications can be prescribed to promote behavioral change.
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