separation anxiety

What is separation anxiety in dogs?

Separation anxiety in dogs is a really difficult behavior problem for both the animal and their caregivers. Separation Anxiety often leaves people feeling isolated and alone. When it comes to dog separation anxiety it is not the doggie being insolent or vengeful or angry or bored; rather, separation anxiety is a panic disorder.

The dog is actually, for lack of a technical term, “freaked out” when being left home alone or not having access to a person or people. Unfortunately, this dog behavior disorder is really difficult, not only from the point of view that we’re watching the dog genuinely suffer from the behaviors that they end up displaying as a result of separation anxiety, but also having the people feeling so disconnected with struggling with this issue.

The pet guardians feel isolated, and frequently they feel like they can’t leave the house for fear of what will happen. Also, they feel like maybe nobody quite understands because oftentimes there’s a lot of anecdotal information around separation anxiety, which is an attempt to be helpful but often isn’t something that’s going to help them to arrive at a resolution. To be certain, separation anxiety is a challenging behavior to work with.

What is separation anxiety in dogs defined?

Specifically, separation anxiety in dogs is a panic disorder. It is when a dog feels stressed, anxious, and fearful about being left home alone and or being left without access to a person or people. True separation anxiety is actually more rare, which is a good thing. Oftentimes what it is that we’re talking about and witnessing in dogs is isolation distress.

Under the significant umbrella term of “separation anxiety” in dogs, isolation distress is when a dog feels comfortable as long as there’s a human body present. With true separation anxiety, we’re talking about a situation where a dog is only comfortable if there’s one specific person present.

How do most caregivers find out that their dog has separation anxiety?

Oftentimes, caregivers might find out that their dog is suffering from separation anxiety by way of puzzling things out. Frequently, there may be complaints from neighbors about noise, about vocalizations, and continuous barking. Also, they might have gone to the vet because their dog would have broken out of a crate or done some other type of self-injurious behavior.

Alternatively, the pet parents might go to the vet because their dog has ingested something due to destructive behavior in their absence. It’s not uncommon for an anxious dog that has been left alone to perhaps chew a piece of a wall.

So it’s a collection of behaviors that lead us to look at what separation anxiety in dogs truly is, which again, it is a panic disorder. In terms of how to find out, a veterinarian (or vet behaviorist) is the one who actually can make the diagnosis about if the dog is specifically suffering from separation anxiety.

Why is separation anxiety in dogs such a difficult behavior to treat effectively?

Separation Anxiety in any dog is so difficult because people are often feeling immensely isolated. Frequently any type of trip out of the house corresponds with some sense of guilt at leaving the dog at home feeling so anxious, as expressed by their body language and oftentimes barking or other types of vocalization. It can feel frustrating because perhaps they have tried to put their dog in a crate, to crate train, without effect—other than the dog breaking out of the crate.

Oftentimes we frequently find confinement issues exist co-morbidly with separation anxiety. As such, we may have a dog that is not only suffering from a panic attack at being left home alone, but now they’re in an enclosed space, and we haven’t addressed the underlying issue, which is the excessive anxiety.

Unfortunately, when a dog suffers from separation anxiety, it can feel isolating and make people feel alone. Friends and family, while providing good intentional advice, it may not be good advice that helps them arrive at a solution and a situation where the dog is able to relax when alone.

Along with the sadness and frustration, the pet parents may be suffering financially from having to replace destroyed items in their home, they may be at risk of having to move out of their home if there have been noise complaints, or again, if there’s destruction happening in a rental situation.

For all of these reasons, separation anxiety in dogs is something that’s really, really trying for both the human and the animal involved. For these reasons, it’s also beneficial to work with someone who is a professional and who specializes in working with cases of dogs suffering from separation anxiety. Engaging a certified separation anxiety trainer will also provide the guardian someone in their corner who can cheerlead and help walk them step by step on working on protocols to help the dog to feel more comfortable when they’re by themselves.

Why is separation anxiety in dogs such a tough behavior to unravel or fix?

Separation anxiety in dogs is really difficult because oftentimes people may approach either a dog trainer or veterinarian with complaints about the behaviors that the pup is exhibiting. For example, barking or howling nonstop for hours on end or they may be complaining about the destruction that’s happening or elimination– urination and defecation inside of the house.

And it may be only after further investigation that we realize these things are happening only when the dog is home alone or without access to a person. Therefore, sometimes puzzling out the fact that all of these behaviors, the collection of behaviors that we’re talking about, these unwanted behaviors are actually pointing back to the underlying issues that we need to address which is the separation anxiety, the anxiety of being home alone, or again, unable to access a person.

Are there different levels to separation anxiety, such as, moderate or severe?

We can categorize separation anxiety in dogs in terms of mild, moderate, and severe. However, the categorization only helps in terms of thinking about what people are able to recognize.

For example, most trainers can quickly identify a case of more moderate to severe separation anxiety, based on the level and frequency of destruction that we’re seeing when the dog is home alone. Whereas, if we’ve got a case of more mild or moderate separation anxiety, oftentimes, we first need to rule out other potential causes.

For example, if we have a younger dog or even a dog that’s not that young, we want to make sure that we’re not talking about boredom. Moreover, we want to make sure again, in the case of a younger dog or a puppy, that we’re not talking about puppy behaviors, i.e., is the dog chewing because they’re teething, or are they chewing because of anxiety?

Of course, our first step is to rule out any potential medical reason for the underlying cause. Again, if the dog is chewing something, we want to make sure that there’s not an irritant in their mouth. We want to make sure that it’s not a medical reason for the behavior with regard to mild or moderate separation anxiety. Also, if there’s barking going on, we would want to rule out if the dog is barking for attention, again, for some medical reason, versus the underlying cause has been anxiety.

If the dog is going to the bathroom in the house, we would want to rule out whether house training is an issue. So if house training is in place, and the dog doesn’t have accidents outside of the alone time, then we again would want to explore a little bit more and make sure that the reason for the behavior is due to anxiety versus a lack of training.

In your professional capacity as a certified separation anxiety trainer, what is the worst case of separation anxiety that you have come across?

Often I think people consider a worst-case scenario in terms of visually what we can observe, a.k.a., some severe destruction. There are the dogs who have literally eaten through a crate and escaped oftentimes injuring either their paws or teeth in doing so. I had a client whose dog had such severe separation anxiety that he ate the doorframe, and therefore, the dog was able to escape from the home.

Again, this was solely as a result of the anxiety associated with separation disorder.

On the other hand, I’ve encountered clients who may not have demonstrated that outward same level of, for example, destruction, but they’ve been suffering from their dog having this type of anxiety for many, many years. And I would consider that continued repetition of the unwanted behavior as a result of the chronic stress associated to be a really difficult case as well.

Separation Anxiety in Dogs Series Episode 1 – What is Separation Anxiety?

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Separation anxiety is a panic disorder associated with your dog feeling anxious, stressed, and afraid when left alone. Each dog may manifest this anxiety differently. However, the hormonal and neuro-chemical processes which occur when fear and/or anxiety are triggered means that your dog is unable to control his resulting behavior. 

Have your neighbors complained about your dog barking when you aren’t home? Do you return to find shoes, pillows, couches, or walls chewed up? Does your dog become stressed when you begin to get ready to leave the house?

These could be indicators that your pup might be suffering from separation anxiety. With true separation anxiety a dog is only comfortable with one specific person, however a more common scenario is where the dog is relaxed as long as there is (any) human accessible. This version is known as isolation distress, however also falls under the umbrella term separation anxiety.

Getting Started

To begin, the good news is that separation anxiety work is done remotely—as to be present changes the dynamics of the situation. A computer, wifi connection, and smart phone are all the tools and technology needed to get under way.

Step one is to do an assessment. This enables you to determine the starting point. It allows you to decide where to begin the training. The next step is to manage the situation so that your dog is not left alone for longer than he can handle. This is important in preventing rehearsals of the unwanted behavior while working on the problem. Finally, step three is a carefully crafted program of desensitization. To recap: 

1. 1. 1. Assess
      2. Manage
      3. Desensitize

An assessment is generally done via a platform such as Zoom or Skype. The goal of the assessment is to determine the point where your dog demonstrates an escalation in anxiety .  Now  you know where to start with the desensitization process. 

Management can be comprised of many collaborative components. Doggy day care, pet sitters, neighbors, and friends can help in avoiding more alone time than your dog can currently calmly handle while you work on the issue. 

Lastly, helping your pup to feel more confident and comfortable when by himself is possible via a specific program of desensitization. This means very, very, very slowly you will begin to build alone time duration. You’ll work at a pace that your dog dictates via his body language responses.

At the start it might be desensitizing to your movements—before you even leave the house. Later it may mean working in increments of seconds, then minutes before gradually putting those seconds and minute blocks of time together to get to real, appreciable absences. 

Desensitizing to micro-criteria breaks may look something like this:

Walk to the door, touch the doorknob, return and BTN (back to normal)

Walk to the door, open the door door half way, close the door, return and BTN.

Walk to the door, touch the doorknob, return and BTN.

Walk to the door, open the door door half way, close the door, return and BTN.

Walk to the door, touch the doorknob, return and BTN.

Walk to the door, open the door door all the way, without exiting, close the door, return and BTN.

Walk to the door, open the door door half way, close the door, return and BTN.

Walk to the door, touch the doorknob, return and BTN.

Walk to the door, open the door door half way, close the door, return and BTN.

Walk to the door, open the door all the way, exit, close door behind you, keeping hand on door know immediately re-enter, close doors, and BTN

 

Noting and working on pre-departure cues (PDQs) is a key factor too.  Your dog may start to feel anxious before you even leave while you begin getting ready to depart. Exposing your pup slowly and intermittently to the relevant PDQs and adjusting criteria in tiny increments can eventually lead to a dog who is relaxed for longer and longer durations.

Working as a team includes liaising with your veterinarianalso. Often a combination of medication plus behavior modification can help to yield the results you are seeking. The goal of medication  is not to sedate the dog, but  to allow your dog to relax enough to be able to gain some traction on the behavior modification protocol.

Resolution is generally reached via a lengthy process. But, in the end you will feel less trapped and isolated and more calm and confident in the fact that the chronic anxiety often associated with separation anxiety will be replaced by peace in your home.

If your dog is struggling when alone, you can schedule a brief 30 minute (no cost) consult to discuss how I can help! 

https://positiveanimalwellness.com/separation-anxiety/

Barking is one method of communication for dogs.

When barking becomes problematic because it is excessive the first step is to find out why the dog is barking. Is the barking due to anxiety, pain, confusion, or frustration? Has the barking inadvertently been reinforced?

In order for behavior to continue, there must be a maintaining reinforcing component. This is the science behind behavior. Behaviors that are reinforced are repeated. The reinforcement may be intrinsic or external. However, again, the first step is to discover why the barking is occurring and the next is to determine what the maintaining reinforcer is.

Anxiety:

Once cause of barking is anxiety. A specific type of anxiety which may be present is separation anxiety. In this case we would want verify when the barking is taking place. Is your deaf dog only barking when alone or when they don’t have access to you? Is the barking consistent and/or with excessive duration? Can you watch remotely or film your dog to see if the barking continues while you are away and/or if it might be combined with other behaviors indicative of separation anxiety such as: elimination, destruction, panting, pacing, or attempts to escape. If you question separation anxiety, crates, food puzzles, DAP other hormone/natural oils, etc. generally will not resolve the anxiety. Too, options such as crating may further exacerbate the issue by 1. not addressing the underlying problem of anxiety and 2. creating or encouraging new issues related to confinement which are frequently present with separation anxiety.

Pain/discomfort:

Pain or discomfort may be another underlying cause of incessant barking. The dog may be communicating that they are uncomfortable or feeling unwell. A through veterinary check is always the first line of defense to rule out any medical cause for behavioral issues. The dog may also be communicating the they are uncomfortable with a certain situation. For example, most dogs (http://doggonesafe.blogspot.com/2010/12/dogs-dont-like-hugs-and-kisses.html) are not entirely relaxed in the presence of hugging and kissing with humans. Some dogs might tolerate this type of interaction in a certain context-when in a comfortable venue with a person they trust and have a good relationship with. However other dogs may attempt to communicate their lack of comfort with certain behaviors via vocalization.

 

Frustration: 

Another common source of barking is frustration. If a dog is confused or frustrated they may bark. For example, a dog might be trying to understand what we are asking from them but our timing could be off or unclear which could result in barking. Too, if this becomes a pattern of frustration the dog may bark more and more.

Inadvertent reinforcement: 

The other reason for barking may come from unknowingly and/or unwillingly reinforcing this unwanted behavior. Let’s say that your deaf dog brings you a ball and begins to bark. In order to expedite them being quiet you toss the ball. You have a high probability that the dog has now connected the barking with the reinforcement gained from you throwing them the ball. Therefore, they will continue to bark to encourage you to throw the ball.

As such, be sure to have a look at the human’s behavior. Even interactions such as pushing a dog away or signing “no” (neither is encouraged: http://positiveanimalwellness.com/why-ive-never-taught-my-deaf-dog-the-sign-for-no/) can inadvertently reinforce attention seeking behavior. People may not view these types of interactions as reinforcing, however your deaf dog just may!

 

Final thoughts before you start your training: 

To figure out how to “stop” your dog from barking you first need to figure out the reason for the barking. Then, you need to find out what is reinforcing this behavior. A final piece would be to teach or train an incompatible or alternative behavior (instead of the barking) which is equally (or more) reinforcing to your deaf dog and then cue and mark and reinforce this new behavior in order to start a different pattern.

Ideas for alternative behaviors to barking include:

• teach your dog to go to mat
•  train your dog to get a toy and hold in mouth
• teach a hand target behavior
• train the impulse control in the hand or on the ground game

Let’s break this down a bit.

MAT: To begin, when your dog looks at his/her mat, mark and reinforce. Then once they are on the mat with two paws repeat. Gradually work on raising your criteria until you have four paws on the mat. Eventually increase your criteria to laying down on the mat. At this stage, you will want to have a rapid rate of reinforcement (mark/reinforce) several times in a row quickly to “cement” that this behavior is really worthwhile! The final step is to add a cue. As your dog is going to the mat and begins to lie down add your visual cue. Over time you will back the cue out in front of the behavior so that you are able to ask for it (“cue the behavior”). This way, instead of barking you can cue “go to mat and settle quietly” as an incompatible behavior.

TOY: Step one is again, marking and reinforcing interest in the toy. Hold the toy in your hand. If your dog doesn’t put their mouth on it help to make the toy more interesting. For example, hold hot dogs in your hand and then handle the rope bone. Once your dog puts their mouth on the toy immediately mark and reinforce. Repeat this many times via several sessions. Next, work on building duration so that you don’t mark right when your dog has the toy in their mouth, but after a second or two. Vary your duration so that it is not increasingly more difficult each time or you may find your dog getting frustrated. Mark for a longer duration and then mark for a shorter one, thus ensuring successful outcomes. Finally, add the visual cue as your dog holds the toy in their mouth. Just as with the previous behavior you will eventually begin cueing the behavior earlier and earlier until you can cue it before your dog picks up the toy. Thus, you now have another incompatible behavior (to barking) that you can cue and reinforce!

TARGET: Holding a treat in your closed fist, place your fist just an inch from your dog’s nose. The second they touch your fist with their nose use your other hand to give your visual marker and then open your fist and let your dog get the treat. Repeat. Continue repeating and eventually do the same series without a treat in your hand. Once you get the nose touch and mark with your visual marker, then go and get a treat to reinforce the behavior. The presentation of your target hand will become the cue for the nose touch. You can use this target behavior as an incompatible behavior to barking.

IMPULSE CONTROL: Hold out your fist, palm up with a handful of treats. If your dog tries to lick, paw, etc. your hand just ignore your dog and don’t move your hand. Then the very second that they stop, open your hand and mark with your visual marker and then using the opposite (marker) hand take one piece and give it to your dog. The hand with the food is only going to open or close depending if your dog moves towards the hand (closes) or away (opens). Your dog will learn that in order to get the food in your hand they must leave it alone. Only mark and then reinforce when a. your hand is open (with access to the treats) and b. your dog leaves the hand alone (even for a second). Remember nothing makes your hand open and your other hand mark the behavior except a quiet, patient dog. Waiting calmly and quietly is incompatible with a barking dog-viola!

Also, as with any behavior the longer it is repeated and rehearsed the more difficult it will be to modify. As such, acting on excessive barking to find a solution asap is always your best option.

Too, none of the suggestions are to take the place of working with a qualified force free professional. Often, this step is the best investment in learning how to best approach the situation for you and your dog!

Be certain to rule out medical issues and if struggling with discerning the reason for the barking and or with training a new replacement behavior, reaching out to a qualified, certified, force free professional trainer can help you to get moving in a quiet direction quickly!