Tip of the week 12/25- Separation Anxiety

The most common reason dogs develop separation anxiety stems from their handler or owner not having taught the dog how to be alone or without them.

Dog are pack animals and separation is not a normal part of pack menatility.

There can be many reason that it developed. Allowing the dog to follow you to the bathroom or into other areas of the house, always be next to you, sleep with you, go places with you and be under feet constantly are all ways the dog is learning to never be without you.

So how do we start fixing this?

The first step is to teach separation while you are home. This allows you to help teach the dog how to be separate from you while you are there to help guide the dog. Many people believe that separation anxiety can only be taught through leaving the dog home alone. But this doesn't allow you to help the dog learn. You're not present. In fact it can make it worse since the dog doesn't know how to be alone and then you return to "save the dog" from it's panicked state. Resulting in the dog getting more attached in thoughts of you leaving again.

So, you want to start this when you are home and able to guide the dog.

Teaching place is a great start. Teaching a place command allows you to create separation while you are there to still guide them. In the beginning they may whine, cry and try to come back to you as separation is new.

Utilizing your leash, rewards and correction if necessary to show the dog how to be without you. Maybe this looks like the dog just on their place 5' away. Or maybe it looks like the dog on place while you walk around the house cleaning.

If the dog has a meltdown or panics, you are still there to guide them. This can't happen if you only practice this when leaving the house. Your teaching the dog to self sooth.

This also applies to crate training. A dog can only be coached in what are the proper crate behaviors when you are there to help to guide.

Then.... when you leave the home in the future, this shouldn't be as hard.

Extreme cases require more help like reducing consistent petting and affection to reduce oxytocin addiction from touch, sleeping separate and starting to require more frequent physical seperation via crates or place.

Lastly, replace physical contact time together on the couch or cuddling more often with play, walks or fun training sessions. This is a healthier way to show the dog you care about them.

This is harder on humans that dogs usually. But, later on when your dog is more stable, you can add some small things back in and be sure to keep it balanced.