Separation Anxiety in Dogs
By Scotty Valadao – Accredited Animal Behaviourist (ABC of SA™) – TTouch Practitioner
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The following takes a lot of work and commitment and I really would recommend that you bring in a professional to guide and help you along the way as this can become a very serious condition and almost always get worse.
As I have received numerous requests for assistance with this concern from people in outlying areas that do not have ready access to a professional, I decided to do this article in more depth in order that people can get the help they require, and also for people to educate themselves as to signs of separation anxiety so that they have the tools to stop it happening.
Although changing this behaviour is not hard to achieve, it takes a lot of time and owner commitment in order to bring about the changes, and the owner needs to keep the modifications in place in order for the behaviour not to occur again. A further difficulty is that while undergoing the modifications, it is vitally important that the dog is not left for longer than it can tolerate, which is not always easy to achieve; so if you do have to go out for a period of time, rather employ somebody to dog sit. Additionally, dogs that have suffered separation anxiety are more likely to revert to this behaviour if they incur new stresses in their lives, so be vigilant and watch for signs of this developing and address immediately.
What is important to realize is that the dog is not being mean, bad or spiteful. You are dealing with a dog wherein the stress levels have become so high that the dog is actually panicking. Stress is not just anxiety is has chemical components involved. Many dogs can handle high stress levels whilst in other dogs, small amounts of stress with cause a reaction. When the stress threshold is too high, electrochemical reactions take place and this is then termed a stress response or over stress. This, in turn creates a chemical and functional disturbance and a flood of chemicals surge into the brain. This is why it is often very helpful for the dog to receive medication to assist – the dogs fear is very real.
To engage in any type of punishment will only destroy the human/canine bond and make the dog even more stressed, as it will relate the punishment to the owner coming home, rather than the behaviour the dog engaged in whilst owner was out. Dogs live in the ‘moment’ and associate punishment with the very last thing that happened (coming to the owner), rather than with behaviours that happened when owner was out.
As I have received numerous requests for assistance with this concern from people in outlying areas that do not have ready access to a professional, I decided to do this article in more depth in order that people can get the help they require, and also for people to educate themselves as to signs of separation anxiety so that they have the tools to stop it happening.
Although changing this behaviour is not hard to achieve, it takes a lot of time and owner commitment in order to bring about the changes, and the owner needs to keep the modifications in place in order for the behaviour not to occur again. A further difficulty is that while undergoing the modifications, it is vitally important that the dog is not left for longer than it can tolerate, which is not always easy to achieve; so if you do have to go out for a period of time, rather employ somebody to dog sit. Additionally, dogs that have suffered separation anxiety are more likely to revert to this behaviour if they incur new stresses in their lives, so be vigilant and watch for signs of this developing and address immediately.
What is important to realize is that the dog is not being mean, bad or spiteful. You are dealing with a dog wherein the stress levels have become so high that the dog is actually panicking. Stress is not just anxiety is has chemical components involved. Many dogs can handle high stress levels whilst in other dogs, small amounts of stress with cause a reaction. When the stress threshold is too high, electrochemical reactions take place and this is then termed a stress response or over stress. This, in turn creates a chemical and functional disturbance and a flood of chemicals surge into the brain. This is why it is often very helpful for the dog to receive medication to assist – the dogs fear is very real.
To engage in any type of punishment will only destroy the human/canine bond and make the dog even more stressed, as it will relate the punishment to the owner coming home, rather than the behaviour the dog engaged in whilst owner was out. Dogs live in the ‘moment’ and associate punishment with the very last thing that happened (coming to the owner), rather than with behaviours that happened when owner was out.
Definition
The dog engages in behaviours such as whining, barking, digging, scratching at doors and windows, pacing, climbing up bookshelves and all types of destructive behaviour when the owner is not present. Some dogs even engage in pacing, barking, whining behaviour when they see the owner preparing to leave. Not all dogs will exhibit all of the above symptoms, your dog may only engage in destructive or chewing behaviour. |
The most common types of separation anxiety that I have come across are the destructive behaviour and the whining, howling and barking behaviours.
Degrees & Examples
Not all dogs have full blown separation anxiety or exhibit all of the above signs. This is a condition that normally starts slowly, without the owner even being aware of it, so it is important to recognize the signs. This really is a case wherein ‘prevention is better than cure’ applies.
You can have two dogs in the same house which may exhibit completely different behaviours – one dog may go and lie down and ignore the comings and goings of the owners and the other dog will stress when the owner is out.
Separation anxiety is not only aimed at the human/canine connection. Two dogs, living together, especially if purchased as puppies together, can exhibit the above behaviours when separated. This is one of the reasons why it is so important if you want to have two dogs, is to get them at least 6-8 months apart and to practice Alone Time (described below) with them in order to prevent this situation from occurring.
A dog that has had its routine suddenly changed such as an owner starting to work after a long period at home, hospital stay (either the dog or the owner), loss of family member (includes other animals) may start to exhibit symptoms.
It should also be noted that when a dog that has never exhibited any signs of separation anxiety in the past suddenly starts presenting them, that there could be a medical component such as pain or even a dental problem. If your dog falls into this category, then have a vet check to be on the safe side. This is also a possibility if the dog is a senior and has started developing symptoms, so a visit to the vet is recommended.
Dogs that tend to be fearful in general and also those that suffer from noise and fear phobia often progress onto separation anxiety, as do some dogs that are constantly demanding attention.
Signs of separation anxiety
I believe that forewarned is forearmed, so do make yourself aware of any symptoms that may signal that a problem is developing and take the necessary steps to resolve same.
Why & how, does separation anxiety develop?
There are multiple reasons as to why this behaviour may develop, some of them based on the nature aspect, and others on the nurture side of the coin:-
Degrees & Examples
Not all dogs have full blown separation anxiety or exhibit all of the above signs. This is a condition that normally starts slowly, without the owner even being aware of it, so it is important to recognize the signs. This really is a case wherein ‘prevention is better than cure’ applies.
You can have two dogs in the same house which may exhibit completely different behaviours – one dog may go and lie down and ignore the comings and goings of the owners and the other dog will stress when the owner is out.
Separation anxiety is not only aimed at the human/canine connection. Two dogs, living together, especially if purchased as puppies together, can exhibit the above behaviours when separated. This is one of the reasons why it is so important if you want to have two dogs, is to get them at least 6-8 months apart and to practice Alone Time (described below) with them in order to prevent this situation from occurring.
A dog that has had its routine suddenly changed such as an owner starting to work after a long period at home, hospital stay (either the dog or the owner), loss of family member (includes other animals) may start to exhibit symptoms.
It should also be noted that when a dog that has never exhibited any signs of separation anxiety in the past suddenly starts presenting them, that there could be a medical component such as pain or even a dental problem. If your dog falls into this category, then have a vet check to be on the safe side. This is also a possibility if the dog is a senior and has started developing symptoms, so a visit to the vet is recommended.
Dogs that tend to be fearful in general and also those that suffer from noise and fear phobia often progress onto separation anxiety, as do some dogs that are constantly demanding attention.
Signs of separation anxiety
I believe that forewarned is forearmed, so do make yourself aware of any symptoms that may signal that a problem is developing and take the necessary steps to resolve same.
- Dog follows owner around constantly and rarely spends time alone outside when owner is at home. This can vary greatly, with some dogs being happy when they can see their owner, some dogs are fin if they know that the owner is in another part of the house. Other dogs appear to be fine until the owner starts to make the normal preparations for leaving and finally some dogs only stress after the owner has left the home.
- Dog will not eat when it sees owner getting ready to eat, or when owner is out.
- Dogs goes ballistic with excitement when owner arrives home.
- Departure cue anxiety such as dogs suddenly seems depressed as owner gets ready to leave - pacing, whining, excessive licking, grooming, drooling, shaking, shivering, and restless. Many of these can also occur when the owner is absent as well.
- Elimination – here it is the case of a dog that only eliminates inside when owner is absent and the elimination is most commonly made at doors and some dogs will eliminate on the owners bedding.
- Vocalization – whining, barking, and howling.
- Destruction – chewing and scratching at doors and windows, digging, destroying possessions (very often those that contain owners scent), cushions, sofas and chairs. I even came across a dog that partially destroyed the owners 2nd car parked in the driveway, causing thousand of rands worth of damage. Here again, it is not that the dog is being mean or spiteful, chewing actually alleviates tension found in the mouth. The mouth is connected to the limbic section of the brain which is the seat of emotions and learning, and those of us that are practitioners in TTouch have observed that doing ‘mouth work’ will help to relieve tension.
- Aggression – although this not as common as the above mentioned behaviours, I have known dogs that became reactive when the owner was preparing to leave.
Why & how, does separation anxiety develop?
There are multiple reasons as to why this behaviour may develop, some of them based on the nature aspect, and others on the nurture side of the coin:-
- Breeding – genetic - a dog used for breeding that lacks confidence or exhibits fear behaviours.
- Breeding – the breeder not separating the pups from both their mothers and littermates for short periods of time between the ages of 5-8 weeks in order to prepare them for the inevitable separation of going to a new home. The vocalization that pups will engage in when separated from their mothers and littermates peaks at 5-7 weeks, so the more a breeder prepares the pup for the separation with short periods, the better for the pup and the easier it will cope the separation. The good breeder will normally supply a special chew toy for the pup at this stage to get stuck into. This will help to change the pups perspective of the time alone to one of being rewarding, rather than punishing, and will create confidence
- Breeding – a breeder homing a dog to the wrong home e.g. a collie or hound being homed in a home where it will not receive the stimulation and exercise required (this applies especially to the working breeds).
- Breeding - pups that are removed from their mothers before 8 weeks of age. The periods between 6-8 weeks of age in a pup’s life are critical. It is the time it learns to relate to self and its littermates and the mother will teach ‘manners’. In the event of hand rearing a pup that has lost its mother, it is very important to ensure that the pup is taught to relate to other dogs and people, and not become reliant on the ‘carer’.
- Breeding - pups that are kept with their mothers up to 12 weeks of age. A pup has an approximate period which is termed the ‘window of opportunity’ between 8-16 weeks of age. During this period a pup must receive as much social interaction as possible, be taught to be alone for periods of time, which will help it to develop self confidence and lays the foundation for future years. If a pup is only taken into the home environment at 12 weeks of age, a full month of opportunity is lost.
- Breeding, in that dogs are bred to be increasingly affectionate, infantile and dependent.
- Dogs that were ill as pups often seem to present with this behaviour.
- Pups raised in an environment wherein there is not sufficient social interaction with other people and other dogs, or sufficient stimulation by way of regular walks, outings, chew toys etc. Puppy school and continued socialization assist greatly to raise a self confident pup.
- Pups raised with owners where the dog becomes dependant on the owner and does not learn how to be alone. Many people will be all over the pup 24/7 when it first arrives home, and some even take time off work to be with their pups. All this will achieve is to make the pup dependant on the owner. Rather start Alone Training from the beginning and even use a crate. Have a look at the articles on Crate Training in the Puppy section of the website for more info.
- Many rescue dogs, especially the smaller breeds appear to have a tendency to develop this behaviour. I believe this is a combination of the dog becoming too dependent on the owner (as above) as well as the dogs own insecurities from being in a shelter previously.
What can be done about it?
If you have started undertaking the modifications and suddenly find that the dog’s behaviour worsens, this is simply and extinction burst (a bit like a child throwing a tantrum). Just go back a step or two and work at where the dog can handle the situation and even do less and take the dog out for more walks. If you give up now you will only make the current behaviour worse and will, in fact reinforce the behaviour even more. |
I have found that with the implementation of TTouch in helping to change this behaviour, that the possibility of extinction bursts are dramatically reduced.
If you have engaged in these modifications and are having problems, please do feel free to contact me via the Ask the Behaviourist on the Home page for further assistance.
1 – Veterinary
If the dog is suffering from this condition, it is always a good idea to discuss the situation with your vet first as medication may be required for a period of time to help the dog cope. From previous experience I have found that medication by itself is not always the answer and does not always achieve the necessary results. What is required is for the owner to receive assistance from a professional to help them implement the changes required. Although this article does contain the basic information that is required, dogs, like humans, are all different and consulting a professional will definitely be a huge advantage and result in a quicker turnaround.
The vet may additionally suggest the use of a product such as the Good Behaviour Pheromone Collar. This is a product that looks like a flea collar and is put around the dog’s neck to wear 24/7. It contains the pheromones that a mother dog releases when giving birth which help to calm the pup. Dogs recognize and respond to these pheromones their whole lives and it is a wonderful addition to use. Additionally, when new, the collars contain the essences of Lavender and Chamomile oils which further assist the dog to relax. The collar lasts for a month and I would suggest replacing monthly for a few months.
2. Tellington TTouch
As TTouch can have a dramatic impact on a dog’s nervous system and stress levels, this is a wonderful modality to bring into play. TTouch is very easy to learn and the beauty of it is that you can work on the dog yourself in the home environment after you have learnt the basics, which will not take longer than one session. For more information on this modality www.ttouch.co.za. In fact there is never an instance when I do not use TTouch with a dog, especially one that has fear issues and believe that every single pet owner should learn the basics of this amazing modality. I have put in two very simple TTouches that you can do yourself and which will assist, but I would recommend learning how to do this, as on dog that is fearful you really do need more than just these two.
If you have engaged in these modifications and are having problems, please do feel free to contact me via the Ask the Behaviourist on the Home page for further assistance.
1 – Veterinary
If the dog is suffering from this condition, it is always a good idea to discuss the situation with your vet first as medication may be required for a period of time to help the dog cope. From previous experience I have found that medication by itself is not always the answer and does not always achieve the necessary results. What is required is for the owner to receive assistance from a professional to help them implement the changes required. Although this article does contain the basic information that is required, dogs, like humans, are all different and consulting a professional will definitely be a huge advantage and result in a quicker turnaround.
The vet may additionally suggest the use of a product such as the Good Behaviour Pheromone Collar. This is a product that looks like a flea collar and is put around the dog’s neck to wear 24/7. It contains the pheromones that a mother dog releases when giving birth which help to calm the pup. Dogs recognize and respond to these pheromones their whole lives and it is a wonderful addition to use. Additionally, when new, the collars contain the essences of Lavender and Chamomile oils which further assist the dog to relax. The collar lasts for a month and I would suggest replacing monthly for a few months.
2. Tellington TTouch
As TTouch can have a dramatic impact on a dog’s nervous system and stress levels, this is a wonderful modality to bring into play. TTouch is very easy to learn and the beauty of it is that you can work on the dog yourself in the home environment after you have learnt the basics, which will not take longer than one session. For more information on this modality www.ttouch.co.za. In fact there is never an instance when I do not use TTouch with a dog, especially one that has fear issues and believe that every single pet owner should learn the basics of this amazing modality. I have put in two very simple TTouches that you can do yourself and which will assist, but I would recommend learning how to do this, as on dog that is fearful you really do need more than just these two.
Ear TTouch: Is one of the most important things you can do for your pet. Even a few minutes working on the ears can be beneficial. The ears (and base) contain over 200 acupressure points one of which will help to prevent a pet or human from going into shock. Also helpful for relaxation, stress, digestion, fatigue, circulation, car sickness.
How To: This can be done in several ways. First gently stroke from the base of the ear to the tip. Supporting the head with one hand hold your thumb on the outside and bent fingers on the underside and stroke outwards towards and over the tip of the ear. |
Noah’s March:
Noah’s March: Starting at the head area, slowly and with a pressure much like you would use to apply face cream (if any men reading this, ask the lady in your life to show you the pressure!), stroke the dog all around the head and neck area, paying a lot of attention to the mouth area, both inside and out. The inside of the mouth is connected to the Limbic section of the brain which influences our emotions and is the seat of all learning. Do a lot of stroking on top of the muzzle, over the top of the head and between the ears as well. This area contains many acupressure points which help to calm a dog down. Continue with long strokes down the back, on the sides and the tummy area, down the legs, as in the diagram below. What many of us don’t realize is that just by doing these simple strokes, you are working on all the meridians and acupressure points and helping your dog in a profound manner. How To:Follow the contours of the body with your hands and held flat covering all areas of the body and starting from the head towards the tail and don’t forget to include the legs and tails. If you have a dog that is sensitive in any given area, don’t ignore these areas, stroke next to them even softer and occasionally give a ‘mistaken’, very soft and light stroke over the sensitive area using the back of your hand rather than the palm (this is much less invasive). This way we are slowly desensitizing the dog to being touched in this area. |
3. Modifications
My own way of working with this condition is slightly different from other behaviourists and is one that I find has the best results for myself and my clients. I would also suggest that these modifications are brought in not all at once, but rather in stages. Trying to implement them all at once would be too stressful and confusing for the dog, rather go slowly and when you have successfully brought in the House Rules, for example, only then start the work on the Alone Time.
a) If your dog has already become destructive, then remove all items that he has being chewing on. If this is not possible (doors for example), then rather purchase a product such as Avert from your vet to apply to these surfaces. Additionally, use management to stop the dog going into bedrooms or room where destruction has already taken place.
b) We need to be aware that when we bring dogs into our homes, we create a human/canine social structure and as status is so important to dogs, it is imperative that the dog views the owner as the person in charge. When the dog sees the owner as being in charge/respected/trusted, it will be more likely to stress less, be calmer and know that somebody it trusts is in control. So my first step in modifications is to bring in at least three of the basic House Rules–i.e.
1. Ignoring your dog when you arrive home, then calling, asking for a sit and rewarding with a treat and praise.
2. Ignore all demanding attention. Attention is given on your terms or not at all.
3. Work to earn – no more freebees!
Bringing in the balance of exercises that appear in the House Rules articles, will not do any harm and will increase your pack standing as well, but do this slowly allowing the dog to be successful at one, before bringing in another. In the fast world we live in nowadays, we expect instantaneous results – with separation anxiety, it is essential to work at a pace the dog can cope with, otherwise you are just adding in more stress.
c) Change your thinking! We, as humans have a habit of labelling things i.e. ‘my dog has separation anxiety, or my dog is aggressive’ etc. Coming from a background of being a Louise L Hay practitioner, I know how much impact positive and negative thinking can have, and so I suggest to my clients that they begin a simple affirmation of ‘every day in every way you are getting better and better’. Every time you look at the dog, think of the dog, interact with the dog, either say out loud or to yourself this simple phrase. As simple as this may sound the constant affirming of this sentence does bring results. This is based on work that Dr. Emile Coue did in France in the early 50’s. He ran a clinic and had 50% of the patients repeat this phrase to themselves for only two minutes per day. The other 50% did not take part. At the end of a two week period, there was a dramatic improvement of health in the 50% of patients who had undergone this exercise.
At the same time, start to notice the small increments of improvement that do occur and pat yourself on the back for all your hard work! We so often expect instantaneous results, and especially in situations such as separation anxiety, it can take time – so do make notes of the improvements and realize that progress is being made. I often suggest to my clients that they start a ‘dog diary’. Then you can note down the changes and see that you are actually making progress.
d) Simultaneously, start talking your dog out for a walk daily (twice if possible). This will give the dog something else to think about rather than your presence. It has been proven that simply by stimulating a dog with scenting exercises can impact dramatically on the behaviour as well as affect the serotonin (happy hormone) levels in the brain.
If you are lucky enough to have a situation in that you have somebody who works for you, or a friend that can help, then take them with you on these walks. Initially you will hold the lead and when the dog is relaxed on the walks, start to give the other person the lead and let them walk a few steps in front of you. Building up the time period the other person holds the lead will give the dog confidence and allow it to get used to the other person.
When the dog is comfortable with the other person holding the lead the whole walk, then stay at the door and let the other person walk the dog away from you. Don’t allow them to go too far initially, always within your sight and returning to you before the dog stresses. As the dog builds up confidence, the distance can be increased until the dog is happily walking only with the other person. A nice way to build the dogs self confidence and lessen its dependency on you, the owner.
On the walks look for ways to build the dogs confidence further by finding things the dog can jump over, go under etc – almost a mini agility walk. Don’t always walk the same route; look for different places to walk.
e) Further stimulation can be done by starting to scatter the dogs food on the floor or in the garden or making use of one of the ‘food toys’ available and put its daily rations in this.
Look for toys such as Kong’s and put in a bit of peanut butter (organic if possible as large amounts of peanut butter can be toxic to dogs) and jam in a bit of biltong on top. Have a look at the article on Toys and 50 Ways with a Kong for further ideas. The more inventive you are, the more this will stimulate the dog and take its mind of the owner.
Another aspect to consider if your dog will handle it is to start doing obedience work or agility at a good training school, and even try building a small agility course in your own back yard, using buckets, poles, different surfaces for the dog to walk on etc. In TTouch it has been found that many fearful dogs baulk at walking on different surfaces, and as they are gently introduced to these, the confidence grows more. The more you build the confidence the easier it will be for the dog.
f) After completing the above 3 points, now is the time to start Alone Time training. Again start very slowly and if your dog follows your every move, then start to walk into the kitchen (for e.g.) to make a cuppa tea and close the door behind you. Turn on the kettle and walk back into the room, all the while ignoring the dog. Then walk back into kitchen when kettle has boiled and again shut the door behind you. When you take laundry to the bedroom, close the door on the dog, when you go to the toilet, go alone. When I say do this a lot, I really mean do it a lot – not just 3 or 4 times per day, but over and over. Gary Player once said “the more I practice the luckier I get”. Remember no interaction with the dog when you do this – no talking, looking at it etc, just a straight walk out the room and straight back in.
You are starting to leave the dog for very small increments of time that it can cope with. Think of it like this – would you follow your boss around the office? As pack leader it is up to us to decide where we go and who goes with us. A simple exercise like this will once again raise you up in the pack hierarchy; very gradually getting your dog used to being without you and build its self confidence.
Very gradually build up the period of time until you can leave the room for about half an hour. Again, at the risk of repeating myself, please don’t go too fast, it is crucial with a dog suffering from this condition that you never ask the dog to do too much. A good idea is also to stagger the time period. If you have worked up to the dog being left for 5 minutes with no problem, the next time reduce the time period to one minute and continue to stagger. Too constantly increase the period the dog is alone can lead to stress. Always return to the room before the dog stresses.
When you have built up the time period to a fair stretch of time, keep practising this daily, so that the dog gets used to you being apart from it. I would suggest practising this in all different areas of the home, in order that it does not become habitual with only one room being used for this exercise.
g) If you have a back garden then do the above exercise here as well, unless it is a garden in front of the door which you normally leave by. Just walk out the door, stand for a few seconds then return. Again you will work at increasing the time period and distance you go away from the door into the garden.
h) Your dog by now should be getting pretty good at being alone for short periods of time within the house, and we can now take this exercise further. Invest in a raw Femur bone from your butcher, in fact buy a few and freeze them rest. A bone such as this is excellent as the dog is not likely to break off and swallow pieces. When not in use, just pop it in a plastic bag in the fridge.
Take out the bone when the dog is with you and offer to the dog. As the dog really gets stuck into it (about 4/5 minutes), then pick up the bone and return to the fridge. About a half hour later, offer the bone again and repeat the first part of taking the bone away when dog is really enjoying it. Do this 6/7 times during the course of a day (more if possible). By the end of the day, this bone will have become the most important thing in the dog’s life.
The following day, show the dog the bone and if you have a back garden, pop the bone outside with the dog and return inside shutting the door. If you live in a flat, then put aside a room to practise this in. Only leave the dog a minute initially, and then take away the bone as in the first part. Do this over and over during the day. The following day you can start building up the time period, but as I have said repeatedly, do this very slowly and take the bone away before the dog stresses or looses interest. We are now changing the dog’s perception of being alone from a stressful event to a pleasurable event. It is vitally important that the dog does not have access to this bone at any other time.
i) Now comes the time to start getting your dog used to you leaving the home. As dogs (and we humans) are creatures of habit, the first thing you will do is to change your routines i.e. if you always leave your bag or keys on the kitchen counter, change the location. If you always use the front door for leaving, then start using the back door. In fact the more you change your habitual leaving home leaving patterns the better.
j) This exercise can be done using the dogs new favourite bone, or without it. It is entirely up to you, but I would suggest trying it both ways to see what is more effective with your own dog.
Get yourself ready to leave, without interacting with your dog and walk out the front door. Stand there a few seconds then walk back into the room and put your belongings down and make yourself a cup of tea, or similar. Then stand up and repeat the procedure. Do this over and over (and did I say over??) until the dog is not at all phased as to what you are doing. If you are using the bone, then take it away when you come back into the room.
Build up the time period slowly until you can stand at the front door for about 5 to 10 minutes with no reaction from the dog. Now is the time to take this further. Repeat the above procedure, but this time walk out the door, shutting it behind you. A few seconds later, walk back in and repeat the sitting down procedure etc. Even though you may have build up to a five minute wait at the door, you are now changing the goal posts and it is essential that you again shorten the time, and in this case I would say to a few seconds, even going out, shutting door and coming straight back in. If at any time the dog is not coping, simply go back a step and stay at this particular time period (remembering to stagger) until the dog is coping well – this cannot be rushed!
k) It is at this stage that I bring in a further reward for the dog. When you are successfully going out the door for a few minutes with no reaction from the dog, then start to have a game of ball, tuggies etc when you do return after greeting the dog in the House rules manner of ignoring till settled. I suggest you select the dog’s favourite toys for this and only use for this purpose and don’t let the dog have access to it at any other time. The dog is now being double rewarded – you are home and having a game with it. Don’t go overboard, play for a few minutes then say ‘finished’ and place the toy in the same position. This now needs to be done every single time you return in the house, and you may well find that after doing this for a few days that as your dog will ignore you when you walk back in the door and run to where its favourite toy is kept!
From henceforth, it is just a matter of practice and building up the time period. I would definitely suggest keeping the basic House Rules in place as well as the Alone Time Training on a daily basis.
As stated previously, if at all possible do get in the help of a professional.
My own way of working with this condition is slightly different from other behaviourists and is one that I find has the best results for myself and my clients. I would also suggest that these modifications are brought in not all at once, but rather in stages. Trying to implement them all at once would be too stressful and confusing for the dog, rather go slowly and when you have successfully brought in the House Rules, for example, only then start the work on the Alone Time.
a) If your dog has already become destructive, then remove all items that he has being chewing on. If this is not possible (doors for example), then rather purchase a product such as Avert from your vet to apply to these surfaces. Additionally, use management to stop the dog going into bedrooms or room where destruction has already taken place.
b) We need to be aware that when we bring dogs into our homes, we create a human/canine social structure and as status is so important to dogs, it is imperative that the dog views the owner as the person in charge. When the dog sees the owner as being in charge/respected/trusted, it will be more likely to stress less, be calmer and know that somebody it trusts is in control. So my first step in modifications is to bring in at least three of the basic House Rules–i.e.
1. Ignoring your dog when you arrive home, then calling, asking for a sit and rewarding with a treat and praise.
2. Ignore all demanding attention. Attention is given on your terms or not at all.
3. Work to earn – no more freebees!
Bringing in the balance of exercises that appear in the House Rules articles, will not do any harm and will increase your pack standing as well, but do this slowly allowing the dog to be successful at one, before bringing in another. In the fast world we live in nowadays, we expect instantaneous results – with separation anxiety, it is essential to work at a pace the dog can cope with, otherwise you are just adding in more stress.
c) Change your thinking! We, as humans have a habit of labelling things i.e. ‘my dog has separation anxiety, or my dog is aggressive’ etc. Coming from a background of being a Louise L Hay practitioner, I know how much impact positive and negative thinking can have, and so I suggest to my clients that they begin a simple affirmation of ‘every day in every way you are getting better and better’. Every time you look at the dog, think of the dog, interact with the dog, either say out loud or to yourself this simple phrase. As simple as this may sound the constant affirming of this sentence does bring results. This is based on work that Dr. Emile Coue did in France in the early 50’s. He ran a clinic and had 50% of the patients repeat this phrase to themselves for only two minutes per day. The other 50% did not take part. At the end of a two week period, there was a dramatic improvement of health in the 50% of patients who had undergone this exercise.
At the same time, start to notice the small increments of improvement that do occur and pat yourself on the back for all your hard work! We so often expect instantaneous results, and especially in situations such as separation anxiety, it can take time – so do make notes of the improvements and realize that progress is being made. I often suggest to my clients that they start a ‘dog diary’. Then you can note down the changes and see that you are actually making progress.
d) Simultaneously, start talking your dog out for a walk daily (twice if possible). This will give the dog something else to think about rather than your presence. It has been proven that simply by stimulating a dog with scenting exercises can impact dramatically on the behaviour as well as affect the serotonin (happy hormone) levels in the brain.
If you are lucky enough to have a situation in that you have somebody who works for you, or a friend that can help, then take them with you on these walks. Initially you will hold the lead and when the dog is relaxed on the walks, start to give the other person the lead and let them walk a few steps in front of you. Building up the time period the other person holds the lead will give the dog confidence and allow it to get used to the other person.
When the dog is comfortable with the other person holding the lead the whole walk, then stay at the door and let the other person walk the dog away from you. Don’t allow them to go too far initially, always within your sight and returning to you before the dog stresses. As the dog builds up confidence, the distance can be increased until the dog is happily walking only with the other person. A nice way to build the dogs self confidence and lessen its dependency on you, the owner.
On the walks look for ways to build the dogs confidence further by finding things the dog can jump over, go under etc – almost a mini agility walk. Don’t always walk the same route; look for different places to walk.
e) Further stimulation can be done by starting to scatter the dogs food on the floor or in the garden or making use of one of the ‘food toys’ available and put its daily rations in this.
Look for toys such as Kong’s and put in a bit of peanut butter (organic if possible as large amounts of peanut butter can be toxic to dogs) and jam in a bit of biltong on top. Have a look at the article on Toys and 50 Ways with a Kong for further ideas. The more inventive you are, the more this will stimulate the dog and take its mind of the owner.
Another aspect to consider if your dog will handle it is to start doing obedience work or agility at a good training school, and even try building a small agility course in your own back yard, using buckets, poles, different surfaces for the dog to walk on etc. In TTouch it has been found that many fearful dogs baulk at walking on different surfaces, and as they are gently introduced to these, the confidence grows more. The more you build the confidence the easier it will be for the dog.
f) After completing the above 3 points, now is the time to start Alone Time training. Again start very slowly and if your dog follows your every move, then start to walk into the kitchen (for e.g.) to make a cuppa tea and close the door behind you. Turn on the kettle and walk back into the room, all the while ignoring the dog. Then walk back into kitchen when kettle has boiled and again shut the door behind you. When you take laundry to the bedroom, close the door on the dog, when you go to the toilet, go alone. When I say do this a lot, I really mean do it a lot – not just 3 or 4 times per day, but over and over. Gary Player once said “the more I practice the luckier I get”. Remember no interaction with the dog when you do this – no talking, looking at it etc, just a straight walk out the room and straight back in.
You are starting to leave the dog for very small increments of time that it can cope with. Think of it like this – would you follow your boss around the office? As pack leader it is up to us to decide where we go and who goes with us. A simple exercise like this will once again raise you up in the pack hierarchy; very gradually getting your dog used to being without you and build its self confidence.
Very gradually build up the period of time until you can leave the room for about half an hour. Again, at the risk of repeating myself, please don’t go too fast, it is crucial with a dog suffering from this condition that you never ask the dog to do too much. A good idea is also to stagger the time period. If you have worked up to the dog being left for 5 minutes with no problem, the next time reduce the time period to one minute and continue to stagger. Too constantly increase the period the dog is alone can lead to stress. Always return to the room before the dog stresses.
When you have built up the time period to a fair stretch of time, keep practising this daily, so that the dog gets used to you being apart from it. I would suggest practising this in all different areas of the home, in order that it does not become habitual with only one room being used for this exercise.
g) If you have a back garden then do the above exercise here as well, unless it is a garden in front of the door which you normally leave by. Just walk out the door, stand for a few seconds then return. Again you will work at increasing the time period and distance you go away from the door into the garden.
h) Your dog by now should be getting pretty good at being alone for short periods of time within the house, and we can now take this exercise further. Invest in a raw Femur bone from your butcher, in fact buy a few and freeze them rest. A bone such as this is excellent as the dog is not likely to break off and swallow pieces. When not in use, just pop it in a plastic bag in the fridge.
Take out the bone when the dog is with you and offer to the dog. As the dog really gets stuck into it (about 4/5 minutes), then pick up the bone and return to the fridge. About a half hour later, offer the bone again and repeat the first part of taking the bone away when dog is really enjoying it. Do this 6/7 times during the course of a day (more if possible). By the end of the day, this bone will have become the most important thing in the dog’s life.
The following day, show the dog the bone and if you have a back garden, pop the bone outside with the dog and return inside shutting the door. If you live in a flat, then put aside a room to practise this in. Only leave the dog a minute initially, and then take away the bone as in the first part. Do this over and over during the day. The following day you can start building up the time period, but as I have said repeatedly, do this very slowly and take the bone away before the dog stresses or looses interest. We are now changing the dog’s perception of being alone from a stressful event to a pleasurable event. It is vitally important that the dog does not have access to this bone at any other time.
i) Now comes the time to start getting your dog used to you leaving the home. As dogs (and we humans) are creatures of habit, the first thing you will do is to change your routines i.e. if you always leave your bag or keys on the kitchen counter, change the location. If you always use the front door for leaving, then start using the back door. In fact the more you change your habitual leaving home leaving patterns the better.
j) This exercise can be done using the dogs new favourite bone, or without it. It is entirely up to you, but I would suggest trying it both ways to see what is more effective with your own dog.
Get yourself ready to leave, without interacting with your dog and walk out the front door. Stand there a few seconds then walk back into the room and put your belongings down and make yourself a cup of tea, or similar. Then stand up and repeat the procedure. Do this over and over (and did I say over??) until the dog is not at all phased as to what you are doing. If you are using the bone, then take it away when you come back into the room.
Build up the time period slowly until you can stand at the front door for about 5 to 10 minutes with no reaction from the dog. Now is the time to take this further. Repeat the above procedure, but this time walk out the door, shutting it behind you. A few seconds later, walk back in and repeat the sitting down procedure etc. Even though you may have build up to a five minute wait at the door, you are now changing the goal posts and it is essential that you again shorten the time, and in this case I would say to a few seconds, even going out, shutting door and coming straight back in. If at any time the dog is not coping, simply go back a step and stay at this particular time period (remembering to stagger) until the dog is coping well – this cannot be rushed!
k) It is at this stage that I bring in a further reward for the dog. When you are successfully going out the door for a few minutes with no reaction from the dog, then start to have a game of ball, tuggies etc when you do return after greeting the dog in the House rules manner of ignoring till settled. I suggest you select the dog’s favourite toys for this and only use for this purpose and don’t let the dog have access to it at any other time. The dog is now being double rewarded – you are home and having a game with it. Don’t go overboard, play for a few minutes then say ‘finished’ and place the toy in the same position. This now needs to be done every single time you return in the house, and you may well find that after doing this for a few days that as your dog will ignore you when you walk back in the door and run to where its favourite toy is kept!
From henceforth, it is just a matter of practice and building up the time period. I would definitely suggest keeping the basic House Rules in place as well as the Alone Time Training on a daily basis.
As stated previously, if at all possible do get in the help of a professional.