Solving and Coping With Separation Anxiety

What is separation anxiety?

Separation anxiety is a nervous condition in dogs, which occurs when the owner leaves. Symptoms of separation anxiety vary, as it involves mental distress, rather than a disease, but most commonly include:

• Excessive vocalisation - barking, howling, crying, whining, whimpering, etc..
  

• Urinating and defecating in the house - may be voluntary or involuntary.
  

• Destructive behaviour - chewing, digging, knocking objects over, etc..
  

• Escape attempts - trying to break out of the house/garden.
  

• In severe cases, self-mutilation - chewing paws, legs, tail, etc..
  

• High level of excitement upon owner's return - jumping, crying, involuntary urinating, hyperactivity, play biting, etc..
  

• Distressed body language as owner prepares to leave - licking lips, ears back, hackles up, tail down or tucked in between the legs, salivating, panting, pacing, etc..
  

What causes separation anxiety?

Very often, owners do not recognise separation anxiety. They may blame the dog's sudden destructiveness on lack of training or simple bad behaviour. Some owners get their dogs neutered or spayed to solve the problem - this is not likely to work, as hormones are not likely to be involved in separation anxiety.

There are several factors which may contribute to separation anxiety. These include:

• 
  A change of environment - moving house, leaving kennels (common with rescue dogs), etc..
  

• The death or departure of a family member.
  

• Drastic change to schedules - owner spending more time at work, walks at different times, etc..
  

How do I know if my dog is exhibiting signs of separation anxiety?

It's often a good idea to rule out other problems, such as lack of training, as the symptoms of separation anxiety can occur in other circumstances. The key thing to look out for is in the name - 'anxiety.' This doesn't just mean cowering and whining; anxiety can also display itself in overexcitement.


How to deal with separation anxiety

For the milder cases of separation anxiety, counter-conditioning can help. This involves changing the negative association of being alone in the house to a positive association. For instance, giving your dog stuffed Kongs to keep them occupied can help (please be aware that some larger dogs may be able to bite through Kongs, so it isn't always a good idea to leave them unsupervised with a toy). You can also use treat dispensers or other special toys. These toys should be given to the dog only at times when you leave, so that he can associate them with being alone.

For dogs with more severe cases of separation anxiety, this may not work quite so well, as dogs may not eat when they are very distressed. In these cases, gradual desensitisation can be more appropriate.

Gradual desensitisation involves starting with a small amount of separation (leaving your dog alone for a couple of minutes a few times each day, if necessary) and gradually building up the time the dog is left alone over a period of a few weeks. It's very important to take note of your dog's reactions, though - try leaving a camcorder or similar on in the house to monitor your dog behaviour. The length of time your dog is left for should be adjusted according to how he reacts. If he panics after being left for only five minutes, try a shorter amount of time to start off with. Remember to leave some time between sessions, so that your dog has a chance to calm down completely after each one.

Tips:

When you return home and your dog becomes overexcited, try not to join in. If possible, sit down on a chair/sofa and wait for your dog to calm down. Giving a lot of fuss and praise straight away may just excite your dog further and reinforce the anxiety.

Some dogs will recognise signs of their owners getting ready to leave; putting on coat, shoes, brushing hair, etc.. In these cases, the anxiety builds up before the owner has a chance to leave, so they can't jump straight into desensitising. One way to deal with this is to start 'getting ready' at random times during the day - brushing hair, for instance, if this is what triggers the anxiety. When the dog realises that his owner brushing their hair doesn't necessarily mean that they're leaving, he may start to calm down.

If your dog still has trouble with you leaving the house for only a few seconds, try leaving the room instead and gradually building up to leaving the house.

Some dogs cope well with crating, but please be aware that others may become more distressed, so it depends on the dog and the way he is introduced to it.

Ensure that your dog gets plenty of physical and mental exercise to reduce general anxiety levels.

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