Coming home to the scene
of massive doggy destruction isn’t anybody’s idea of a good thing. Nor is coming home to puddles or piles in the
house, gouged woodwork around the windows and doors, or neighbor complaints
about barking and howling. Often owners
cite separation anxiety as being the cause of these problems.
Separation problems are
pretty common, but not all separation problems are true separation
anxiety. There are many reasons for
destructive and undesirable behavior. Separation anxiety is certainly one of them but,
before deciding that this is the problem, others must be ruled out. How do you
know if you’re dealing with the need for more training or true separation anxiety?
If the
problems occur when the owner is present, it most likely is not separation
anxiety. Medical problems or incomplete
housetraining can be the cause of the urination and defecation problems. Sometimes the dog has been allowed too much
freedom for its age and level of training, particularly if the dog is a puppy
or adolescent, or new to the home.
Sometimes the dog has been left alone for an unreasonable amount of time
and stress causes it to misbehave.
Chewing may be because a puppy is teething, or it may be because the dog
has not been taught what is his to chew.
It may be boredom or lack of adequate exercise and mental stimulation. Barking can be caused by outside stimuli – a
squirrel in the tree, birds at a feeder, a cat, the mailman, etcetera. In many cases, the problems stem from the fact
that the dog has not learned to be alone for any period of time.
A training program that gradually increases
the time the dog is left alone, while keeping it occupied with interactive toys
or chewies, can solve the problem. Suitable
confinement (crate, pen, dog-proofed room with a baby gate) may be needed before
the dog can be allowed the unsupervised run of the house. An adequate amount of vigorous exercise before
leaving the dog will also help.
Typical symptoms of separation
anxiety include destructive chewing, excessive barking or howling, attempts to
dig through flooring, attempts to escape, and urinating and defecating in the
house. Dogs with severe separation
anxiety have seriously injured themselves by crashing through windows, tearing
out toenails or breaking teeth while attempting to get out of crates.
These dogs will usually start showing signs of
stress as soon as the owner gives cues that he or she is getting ready to
leave. Getting dressed to go out,
putting on a coat, grabbing a purse and car keys – all these things signal the
dog that it is about to be left alone.
The dog may whine, drool, pace, pant excessively, tremble, or appear
depressed before the owner leaves because they have learned to associate these
cues with being left alone.
Separation anxiety can be
the result of several factors. A change
in homes is a frequent cause. Dogs who
had a home and then wound up in a shelter or rescue may be traumatized enough by
the loss of their homes to suffer from separation anxiety after they are
adopted. The more homes a dog goes
through, the worse the problem. They cling
to their new family or person, not wanting to be left alone because of past
experience. A drastic change in schedule
can cause it.
If the owner had been home
most of the day and then gets a job requiring her to be gone for long periods
of time, the problem may occur. Moving
to a new and unfamiliar home can be a trigger.
A “velcro” dog that is rarely away from its owner is a prime candidate
for the problem. Absence of a loved
family member may bring about separation anxiety.
Lessening or
eliminating the problem requires careful training, counter conditioning, and
sometimes even prescription medication. It
is not something that can be improved overnight and will often require
professional assistance by a trainer, behavior specialist, or veterinarian with
expertise in behavior problems.
As with so
many problems, separation anxiety is often much easier to prevent than to cure.
By Dorothy M. Miner
Dorothy Miner is a long-time dog
obedience and tracking instructor, judge of canine events, and author. She teaches weekly classes for the Allen
Oakwood Correctional Institution’s PETS Program and provides training and
consultation under the banner of “Sidekicks” and “Training for Dogs and Their
People.”
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