Separation Anxiety in Dogs; Causes and How to Treat

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(Free-Press-Release.com) September 2, 2011 -- What exactly is Separation Anxiety in Dogs?
Dogs are naturally social creatures and want to be part of a family - whether that’s one person or six. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what causes the fear of being separated because there are many reasons a dog can be insecure when alone. Being removed from his mother and litter too early could be one cause and for other dogs, there may have been a recent change in the dog’s environment.

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Separation Anxiety in Dogs; Causes and How to Treat

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The symptoms include very anxious and nervous behavior such as pacing, whining and following people from room to room. This behavior usually starts when the dog picks up on cues indicating he is about to be left alone. A dog experiencing true separation anxiety will not eat in their owner’s absence and may become destructive and vocal until the owner returns home.

Treatment
As with all behavior modification, you want to address the problem rather than the symptoms. Therefore, punishment will not work because the behavior is based on the anxiety or fear of being left alone. Punishing an anxious or insecure dog will only lead to more insecurity and anxiety. Treatment should include training that builds the dog’s confidence in the absence of people, starting with the very first departure cue.

No Long Good-byes

Be sure to keep your good-byes to a minimum. In fact, the less you do to indicate you are leaving, the better. You don’t want to make a scene of your departure because your dog will pick up on these words and immediately pair them with you leaving, thereby adding to his anxiety.

Make a list of all the things you do before leaving the house. Perform one of these items without leaving the house and act as if nothing happened. If your dog responds with calm behavior, calmly praise them. Repeat this performance with something else on the list. The idea is to start desensitizing your dog to these cues.

Obedience Training

Basic obedience training including sit and stay will not solve separation anxiety by itself; however, it will give your dog more confidence. Requesting a sit before interacting with your dog or before feeding them teaches him that he must earn things through work rather than through begging or displaying erratic and anxious behavior. Teaching your dog to stay while you walk away can also decrease his anxiety about you leaving him. If your dog is taught that you will return, he will begin to feel more confident about being left alone.

In addition to your dog’s treatment, consider hiring a dog walker or taking your dog to daycare several times a week. Research merchandise that aids in calming and soothing an anxious dog such as Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP), which releases calming scents into the air. Another option is a body wrap such as a Thundershirt™ that wraps tightly around your dog’s body and has a proven calming affect.

For the complete article on Separation Anxiety in dogs – the causes and treatment go to http://www.dcpettalk.com/2011/08/29/separation-anxiety/

About the author
Eryka Kahunanui is a relationship coach and owner of Kahuna’s K9s dog training in Prince Frederick, Maryland. She is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CPT) and an Animal Behavior College Certified Dog Trainer (ABCDT). She is dedicated to teaching dogs and their owner’s life skills and raising awareness about dog and children safety as a presenter for Dog Gone Safe.

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