Anyone with a dog with Separation Anxiety knows too well how stressful it is, and it can lead to crippling outcomes for both human and dog, it varies in severity from a dog struggling for a couple of hours to a dog unable to cope when the owner pops to the loo and destructive behaviour to the house as the dog struggles to cope when you are absent. Understanding why this distressing disorder occurs is key to helping your dog.
Separation Anxiety is an attachment disorder in the dog; it should really be classified as a syndrome rather than a diagnosis as it is more a cluster of behaviours as opposed to one specific behaviour. Separation anxiety is the extreme and a lot of people think that their dog has it when the dog may just have some separation issues. It is important to view it as a spectrum with your dog looking unhappy as you walk out the door to a dog that has a full blown anxiety turn which can present as howling, shaking, barking, salivation, crying.
Contrary to popular belief lockdown has not caused a plethora of dogs with separation anxiety this extra time of togetherness is not the cause. It is actually more prevalent when owners don’t have sufficient time to bond with their puppy.
There is potential breed involvement but no consistent breeds have been identified but mixed breeds do suffer more and anecdotally gundog breeds suffer more possibly due to how biddable they are due to their close working relationship with humans.
All dogs can get separation anxiety though and it may be caused by previous background experiences. If the dog has been left and something happened which scared the dog this can trigger separation disorder. An example is say a firework may have exploded nearby when the dog was alone, the dog now associates being left alone with the scary thing and will be anxious to be left alone.
It can be caused by a dog being left for long periods of time and not knowing when their guardian was coming back. Or it may be an over attachment with a specific individual and their not being around is the trigger.
Unpredictability and lack of routine can cause separation issues. We all like to know when something is going to happen and your dog is the same. A good established routine helps your dog feel confident that you are coming back.
Managing it can take a lot of time but with good and kind strategies implemented this will start to build your dog’s confidence. How this is done depends on the underlying motivation as isolation distress needs a different approach to a dog that doesn’t want to be parted from an individual.
Depending on the severity of the separation issues, the time it takes with your dog being confident to stay on its own can vary. It is not unusual for it to take many months and up to a year to allow the dog to be confident enough to stay on its own for up to 20 minutes. I would love to be able to give you some top tips that will make a massive difference for you in the next 2 weeks but as you can see it is so multifactorial that this just isn’t possible. Below are some tips that will help in some way to help you get a better understanding of how to help your dog. Professional help is really worthwhile to help this improve instead of worsen and get to the nitty gritty sooner rather than later.
When applying strategies, it is important to look at the whole picture which includes the use of the dogs’ greatest sense, its nose! Using a visual cue when leaving also works but using the dogs’ nose must be the best for an animal that navigates the world using its sense of smell right? A familiar scent that creates a calming odour memory can be so useful. This is a subject I absolutely love and deserves a blog all of its own and it was vital in helping my blind dog with her own specific anxieties.
Interestingly there is a strong correlation between separation anxiety and skin disorders possibly due to the stress hormone cortisol being chronically elevated which can lead to a detrimental effect on physical and mental health. Now whilst we are on the subject of cortisol - this rises when your dog is stressed but it also rises when your dog exercises too! So if you are someone who takes your dog for an hour's walk before popping off to work then this is not tiring them out, instead it is raising their cortisol and their stress raises it even more. So try this instead before you go to work.
Instead of an hour do 30 minutes of good exercise, then 15 minutes of some mental exercise - training, scent work, there are so many things to teach your dog. Then on return home home 15 minutes of calming exercise like a lick mat or a kong - licking releases endorphins and this combination of 3 different exercises will help tire your dog out and reduce that cortisol so that when you do leave that stress hormone we all love to hate is not at such a high level.
Here are five more tips to help your dog with separation anxiety:
1. Gradual Departures: Practice leaving your dog alone for short periods and gradually increase the time you're away. This helps desensitize them to your departures.
2. Create a Safe Space: Designate a comfortable area for your dog with their bed, toys, and water. This safe space can provide a sense of security.
3. Counterconditioning: Associate your departure with positive experiences by giving your dog treats or toys when you leave and when you return.
4. Consistent Routine: Establish a consistent daily routine so your dog knows what to expect. Predictability can reduce anxiety.
5. Utilise the power of scent with your dog and create a positive memory with an aroma that can be used when you are not there.
5. Consult a Professional: If the anxiety is severe, consider consulting a professional dog trainer or a veterinarian for specialized guidance and potential medications.
Remember, addressing separation anxiety may take time and patience, but these strategies can make a difference in helping your dog feel more secure when you're not around.
If you would like help for your dog with separation anxiety, find out how I can help and
drop me a message.
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Information given here is not intended as a substitute for medical or veterinary consultation - the author has no liability nor responsibility with respect to any issues occurring out of use such as damage, loss, injury.