Canine Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is a common problem encountered by dog owners. It can be a very frustrating problem and is one of the most common reasons people give their dogs to shelters or have them euthanized. There are some techniques that can be very helpful in solving the problem of separation anxiety, and can be used to save your relationship with your dog.
Separation anxiety (SA) is the distress and fear your dog feels when left alone. Usually this problem occurs with a dog who was abandoned and subsequently adopted, but it can happen with any dog. A dog suffering from separation anxiety will exhibit a variety of behaviors to alleviate the stress they are feeling when you are gone. These behaviors include barking, whining, destruction, salivation, and elimination. If your dog only exhibits these behaviors when you are gone, then it is most likely suffering from separation anxiety. It is important not to confuse normal behaviors (i.e. a puppy who is not house-trained eliminating in the house) with the behaviors of the truly anxious dog (i.e. an adult dog eliminates in the house every time the owner is gone, but never when the owner is present.)
If you suspect separation anxiety in your dog, first you should take him to your veterinarian to see if there are any underlying health problems contributing to the behaviors. If it truly is separation anxiety, you can begin behavior modification therapy. In some cases of the extremely anxious dog, your vet may recommend drug therapy to help calm your dog and let you get through the first few steps of behavior modification. Commonly prescribed drugs include tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (such as Prozac). Serotonin is thought to influence social attachment behaviors, so it is though that increasing serotonergic activity may decrease SA behaviors. Your veterinarian may also recommend other anti-anxiety medications.
The most important treatment for your dog is behavior modification therapy. The drugs are intended as an aid in reducing the anxiety level in your dog so that you can begin behavior modification. Some important steps are to ignore the dog for at least 20 minutes prior to your departure, and never reward anxious behaviors. For instance, do not console a barking/whining dog; this will just reinforce to him that what he is doing is the right way to get your attention. It is also important to find and eliminate any pre-departure cues that set your dog off. If grabbing your keys is what initially tips your dog off that you are leaving, start picking up your keys before you go sit on the couch, go to the bathroom, etc. The goal here is to convince your dog that the keys (or whatever object) do not necessarily mean you are leaving. Sometimes, distracting the dog before you leave may also be helpful. A Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter can provide a very good distraction. If the dog is interested in the Kong, he will not even realize you are leaving! Do not make a big deal over your dog when you come home. The best thing to do is to ignore him for at least 10 minutes. These dogs are often extremely excited when you come home, and will stick to you like glue when you are around. We need to change that mentality.
The final step will be to try gradual departures. Try leaving your dog for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes and then extending the amount of time from there. A dog who is comfortable with the shorter time periods can often easily make the jump to longer periods. This will probably be the hardest step, and is where the drugs may be required to calm your dog.
Separation anxiety can be a very frustrating problem, but with some hard work and patience, you and your dog can overcome it. In some cases, you may need to use drugs to help calm your dog, but behavior training is always the most important. General obedience training is also very useful, as it will improve your dog's self-confidence. Hopefully, you can overcome this problem and be left with the loving companion you always wanted!