Separation Anxiety in Dogs | The Dog Walkers City Blog

Separation anxiety is an issue that can easily go unnoticed or ignored, but is actually something that we should all be looking out for in Dogs. Because Dogs are pack animals, separation anxiety can affect their mental health quite dramtically. The condition happens when a Dog is left alone, and will typically pace around the house, barking, scratching, chewing and whining. The main issue here is that the Dog is highly stressed and it doesn’t matter whether you’ve been gone for a few minutes of a few hours, the stress levels are the same.

Before we look at some of the solutions to separation anxiety, we need to understand some of the causes. The main cause goes back to the ‘pack animal problem’ and leadership. In a pack the leader is allowed to leave on his own if he wishes, however a follower will never leave the leader. If your Dog sees himself as a the pack leader, then you leaving the house can cause considerable mental strain. This is one reason for separation anxiety.

Another – slightly easier to address – cause of separation anxiety is a lack of exercise. If your Dog isn’t getting enough exercise, the small amount of stress it causes them when you leave the house is intensified by a build up of energy. This will result in your Dog getting worked up and acting in a negative way.

These are the two most common causes of separation anxiety, let’s take a look at a few solutions.

1. Give your Dog some space

If your Dog is always around you, sleeping on you and gazing at you, this can be a cause of too much dependence. Get a Dog bed and train them to use it. Feeding, petting, and treats should all be given there, to reinforce that position as your Dogs ‘own home’.

2. Obedience

If your Dog isn’t very obedient, he may not be seeing you as the leader of the pack, which can be a big problem. Take time to train your Dog and make sure they’re responding to commands like sit, lie down, come here etc. Treats, playing, walks and attention should only be in response to good behavior.

3. Exercise

It goes without saying that exercise is extremely important for all aspects of your Dogs life. If you think your Dog has separation anxiety, you need to step it up a gear. Your Dog needs to be calm and relaxed after the exercise session for you to know it’s been enough.

Finally, make sure you’re acting calmly around your Dog, don’t come home extremely excited as this will increase the anxiety. Also, keep the same routine seven days a week. If you spend all day with your Dog at the weekend, the separation anxiety is going to be even worse on Monday. Routine and structure are important to all Dogs lives.

Have you ever had to deal with Separation Anxiety? Have you heard of any other solutions to this problem? Let us know in the comments!

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Tags: advice, dog health, Dogs, general, separation anxiety, tips

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Dog Separation Anxiety | K9 OBEDIENCE TRAINING BLOG

First, understand that your dog is not trying to get even with you for leaving him home alone. The destructive behaviors, going potty on the floor and neurotic behavior that accompany dog separation anxiety are linked to a panic response. Luckily, for you the owner, the panic response is a behavior that is successfully modified with corrective, positive reinforcement to help calm nerves and promote your dog’s confidence and wellbeing.

No one fully understands why there’s some dog that suffer anxieties more than others when some dogs don’t at all. However, it is known that dog separation anxiety sometimes occurs when a significant change in routine, structure or surroundings such as the absence of an important companion. This may also occur when moving into a new home, a new pet or person in the family, or perhaps a change in the normal feeding schedule.

Before we get into the process of what to do about dog separation anxiety, let’s spend a moment going over what NOT to do. First and foremost, don’t punish your dog. Punishment of any form is NOT an effective way to treat dog separation anxiety as well as any unwanted behaviors. A response such as this, on the part of the owner (you) only serves to reinforce the behavior you’re trying to do away with.

Providing another pet as a potential companion for your dog won’t exactly help either. Dog separation anxiety stems from your dog being separated from you and not so much from being alone. Being unable to play with another animal isn’t the same as just being plain old bored. There is a major difference between boredom and loneliness.

Incarcerating a dog with separation anxiety in a crate is also not the answer, nor a solution. A dog’s nature is to be free. A nervous dog locked in a crate is now left with a heightened panic response but now with a build up of paranoia and desperation on top of it. The added risk of your dog injuring himself in an attempt to escape from the crate is also heightened.

Obedience training alone will not address this psychological problem. Although, there is no question that obedience training is a satisfying and worthwhile experience for the both of you to enjoy. Dog separation anxiety is an uncorrected panic response and is unrelated to obedience as well as disobedience.

Crates and Kennels have become a popular way to begin dog training for furry friends of all ages.  Crates are known as a great way for puppies get through stages of separation anxiety, as well as a good way to put positive reinforcement on dogs ‘alone time’.  However, many dogs of older ages have issues adjusting to crates, so here are a few dog owner tips on how to handle Kennel training.

Introducing Your Dog

When you first get your dog a crate, it may be a foreign concept to your pet. The new addition to your home will most likely take some time to ease your pet into, so here are a few ways to make the comfortable switch into using one.  Make sure to introduce your dog to the idea of the crate.  Leaving the crate in an area that is frequented by family members (such as the living room) will reassure your dog that it is safe, and soon will become a normal thing in your home.  Many dogs have an automatic curiosity as to what the crate is, and end up looking around it.  Many dogs even grow automatically accustomed to spending time in the crate and need no training, but if that is not your case, keep reading!

Familiarity and Food

One of the easiest ways to get your dog into the crate, is to start feeding them inside it on a regular basis.  If you consistently present your pets meals inside the crate, they will grow to see it as a common place and become more comfortable spending time in it.  Another way to help familiarize your dog with the crate is to put some of their favorite objects inside.  Weather it be a loved toy or a comfy bed, placing these objects inside will make the kennel or crate more homey for your pet. Once they become less anxious inside of the crate, try leaving them inside for small amounts of time while you are home, and gradually increase the time until they are comfortable with going inside of it on a regular basis.  Additionally, try leaving them inside while you are gone until the action becomes routine.

Potential problems with crates and Kennels include dog separation anxiety and whining.  Try to always let your dog outside to go to the bathroom before you put them into the crate to assure that it is not because they need to pee.  If problems persist, consider Florida dog training for your pet.

There are techniques to help your dog cope with separation anxiety.   A Florida dog obedience training professional can teach you specifics, but in the meantime, here are a few tips to help you start training immediately.

Step Away in Small Spurts

The first method utilizes the “stay” command.  Be certain your canine is able to master this command.  Once your pup is able to execute it properly, try stepping into another room, say the stay command, shut the door and wait.  Sit there for a short amount of time and walk back out.  It allows your dog to get used to the fact you are not present.  Do this a few times.

After completing the entering and leaving a room, implement the same technique with exit doors and food toys.  For instance, if you normally leave for work out the backdoor use it for this practice.  Walk towards the backdoor, put a toy filled with food goodies for the dog, say the stay command, shut the door and walk out of sight.  Stay outside for a time.  There are many messages sent via this action.

The food tells the dog regarding the time apart is a non-threatening, positive experience.  By departing for short amounts of time, it shows the dog you return and are not leaving permanently; therefore, there is no reason to panic or feel anxious.  Eventually, you lengthen the time in-between departures for your dog shall associate the fact of you leaving and being gone with everything is okay.  You always return.  As a result, it is solely a time to relax and not one of worry.

For more information on how to help your dog cope with being apart, meet with a k9 obedience instructor today.

It seems that dog owners suffer from separation anxiety more than their actual pups.  It is tough to leave your dog at home alone.  But there are times when it is necessary.  It is part of life.  But how do you know if your canine is suffering too?  Here are some traits enabling you to pinpoint if your dog has fear of being apart from you.

Your Dog Turns Into Houdini and Escapes

Every time you leave your dog with someone else or alone, does your dog take-off and perform a magical disappearing act?  You may see evidence of your dog chewing through doors, digging under fences or clawing at the window.  If this is not normal behavior for your dog, and only occurs when you are not present, then your dog may suffer from nervousness due to you being gone.  Start taking note of this behavior.  If it persists talk to a Florida dog training professional about how to resolve this issue and keep your dog happy, even while you are gone.

Your Dog Walks the Line…Back and Forth

Does your dog leave a pacing pattern on the carpet while you are gone?  What about when you are present?  If your dog is relaxed in your presence, but turns into a pattern stepping fiend when you are gone, then your canine may be having issues.

To comprehend your dog’s actions, you need to watch your dog’s physical behavior.  If it changes when you are not around, then you need to take a closer look about how to relieve your dog from this stress.  Ask a k9 obedience instructor about what techniques to follow lessening the strain on your pup, and creating a serene state of mind for the both of you.

Dog Separation Anxiety « Dog Anxiety Blog

At ThunderShirt, we value variety, and think your dog should too! So, why not change up their relaxation routine with the Limited Edition Green Polo?!  Perfect for both male and female dogs, the contrasting combo of bright Lime Green and sophisticated Hunter Green are a stylish segue from summer to Fall!

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 Pets really enjoy the summer months as much as people do simply because the kids are home from school and there’s lots of activities and outings to keep them engaged and happy to be around the people they love the [...]

Thundershirt has helped hundreds of thousands of

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But the concept is so simple it may have you

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Using a gentle, constant pressure to calm your

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their infants, Thundershirt [...]

Check this out, a great article about how you can help your dog’s separation anxiety!

There is a new  product on the market that’s causing a stir. It could just be
the answer forDog stress and anxiety.The product is called “Thundershirt.” It is sort of an odd name but it promises to be
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Thundershirt may need to start giving awards for the funniest reviews! See the attached link and make sure to read the “Ease of Use” section if you want to learn what a “muffin top” is.

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Good Morning America features Thundershirt in a segment titled Treating Pet Separation Anxiety.  During this segment, Dr. Marty Becker explains ways to treat your pets separation issues.

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By applying constant gentle pressure along the torso area, Thundershirt begins to calm your pet immediately.

Thundershirt recently set up a booth at the Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) in Las Vegas, Nevada. This interactive continuing education experience allowed us to connect with thousands of vet professionals and related groups. With a strong focus on progressive and practical education, Thundershirt’s gentle, constant pressure approach to treating anxiety is a perfect fit. [...]

Of course your dog always wants you around, and misses you when you leave the house for work or a night out; but for some dogs, this regular scenario becomes amplified into a fully symptomatic separation anxiety.

According to the United States Human Society:

It’s important to realize…that the destruction and house soiling that often occur [...]

Dog Toys | Separation Anxiety Dog Blog

Max’s magical mix: 

·       Behavior modification

·       DAP collar

·       Medications

·       DAP infuser

·       Activity toys

·       Stopped feeding him with a dog dish

Without the behavior modification, understanding of separation anxiety and medication directed by Dr. Theresa DePorter, I don’t think Max would have been successful.  In fact, I’m sure there are a lot of misunderstood dogs that end up in shelters because of their misunderstood separation anxiety.

 

The goal was to have Max be excited about his family’s departure.  We wanted him to connect being home alone to having something really yummy to eat.  To make this work, table scraps, dinning a la dog dish, etc. cannot occur. 

 

Max is really excited to see me leave these days because he knows he’s getting food and likely it’s something more than dry dog food.  When he’s with his family, he gets nothing but dry dog food and not much of it.  If we’re planning a departure, some food is held back so he’s good and hungry when we are gone.

 

You might think he also gets crumbs off the floor but that’s another project.  Max, as a leader dog, was taught to ignore food on the floor.  With 3 kids, we’re really good at giving him plenty of opportunities to eat food off the floor but it hasn’t come easy to him.  Breaking old habits is tough.  But, that’s a service dog issue and maybe that’s not an issue for your dog. 

 

If you have a retired service dog, I’d love to hear about it.  Did you have to teach your dog to play fetch like we did?

Kong Dog activity toy, photo showing red Kong granade

 

What’s an activity toy?  Basically, it’s something that the dog has to work on.  When successful at “working” the toy, a treat comes out.  It’s a great concept; the dog works at the toy and gets rewarded with food for his or her hard work.  It’s a great way to engage the dog, reduce boredom or anxiety and keep the dog busy so they have less time to get into trouble.

 

You might think I’m evil, but Max never gets food in a dog dish.  He has to work to get all of his food out of something.  Ok, maybe “never” is too strong of a word.  When I’m out of town, I have no control over how Max is fed.  However, 98% of the time, he works for every meal. 

 

Have you seen a Kong like the one in the picture?  Imagine it stuffed with frozen food (I often use our leftovers mixed with dog food).  Max works very hard on the Kong to get his food out.  I also use Squirrel Dudes.  These toys are great for dispensing dry dog food.  You can also make activity toys.  A milk jug punctured with holes makes a great dispenser for small treats.  Since the jug is big, it’s best if the dog has a good amount of room in which to work. 

 

I’d love to hear more ideas on how to make feeding time play time.

Doganxiety"s Blog

Dog separation anxiety is a common canine disorder that is often caused by the profound fear of being left alone or abandoned. Typically, symptoms are bothersome and destructive. There are several natural anti-anxiety remedies for dogs. Among the natural remedies for pets with separation anxiety are Bach flower essences, Dog Appeasing Pheromones (DAP), and homeopathic substances.

Bach Flower Essences

Bach flower essences are a concoction of essential plant oils that are designed to provide naturally reduce the level of stress in the body. It can be taken orally, but creams made from the same ingredient are also available in the market.

Dog Appeasing Pheromone

DAP is a plug-in diffuser developed by veterinarians to give off similar effects of the natural pheromones. Pheromones come in various types, but the properties that are prominent in DAP are the primer and territorial pheromones. These same pheromones were released shortly after birth by their mother. When dogs pick up these scents, they feel calm and relaxed. This treatment is a great option when you must leave their dogs on their own. Keeping your dog calm while you are away is one of the keys in solving dog separation anxiety. DAP can certainly help.

Homeopathic Substances

Homeopathic substances are another anti-anxiety remedies for dogs. These, too, are a mixture of plant substances, including herbs, minerals, and other natural compositions. To make sure that you use it safely, the active ingredients are reduced to a level that is beyond the point of actual toxicity. For example, if you were allergic to bee pollen, a homeopathic remedy would be to take some bee pollen then place it in water. The water mixture would be diluted with more water to one millionth of its original concentration. The essence of the bee pollen remains in the water, and is used to cure the allergy.

Learn more about natural remedies, and how to cure Dog Separation Anxiety , visit http://www.dogseparationanxietyhelp.com to learn more.

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Dog Separation Anxiety | Separation Anxiety Dog Blog

In a few days, I take my separation anxiety pooch back to his psychiatrist, er behavioralist.  I’m eager to hear what she thinks about Max since it’s been quite a while since they have seen each other.

Max has a new hobby, counter surfing.  Yup, when we leave him home alone, he surfs the kitchen counters.  You’d think we weren’t feeding the dog. 

Last week he pulled the entire fruit basket down to the floor.  Mind you, this fruit basket was tucked back into a corner and on top of some other stuff.  It was not easy for my four-legged friend to reach.  But he did reach the fruit basket.  Then he spread it’s contents throughout several rooms and devoured all of the apples.  The orange was not as popular; it only sustained a few bite marks.

Today when I left home, I made sure there was nothing resembling food out.  So instead, he took my daughters antibiotic.  It was a powder with mixing instructions.  He tore a hole in the instructions but could not open thechild proof, er, I mean, dog proof cap.  Luckily, the antibiotics are fine.

I’ll let you know how the dog behavioralist appointment goes. I’m thankful to have a great dog behavioralist verteriarin nearby in West Bloomfield, Michigan.