"Oh my Gawd...What. Did. You. Do!?!"
"I can't leave him alone, he gets mad and piddles on the floor."
"My shoes...My couch...My stairwell banisters...OH and the neighbors hate him for the howling..."
How many times have you returned home, only to find the inside of your house looks like a small tornado hit it?
Though it may be easy to believe your dog is getting back at you for leaving him, or that he is thinking "I hate my person sooo much, I'm gonna eat his favorite chair!" you'd be wrong. Dogs do not act out with that kind of forethought. What you are seeing is the end result of extreme stress.
True, full-blown cases of SA are far less common then the more mild, and more easily treatable version. A dog with a serious case of SA will exhibit signs well-before you leave. Triggers such as picking up your keys, putting on your shoes, grabbing your purse, or putting on your jacket may send your dog into a tizzy of different behaviors.
The dog's stress level will elevate as you prepare to leave, and you may see things like
▪ excessive panting
▪ drooling
▪ vomiting
▪ diarrhea
▪ trembling
▪ whining/barking/howling
▪ self-mutilation (pulling out, or biting of fur, tail, legs, etc)
▪ depression
In mild SA you may not notice any symptoms until you've returned to a house full of destroyed furniture, missing chunks of carpet, beaver-toothed marks in your walls, etc. Be aware that some of the aforementioned behaviors can simply be boredom, and in that case, your dog may just need more to do in your absence. Destructive behavior can also be attributed to younger dogs' need to play, and with no one around to tell your dog not to do something, they may get carried away and you are now left to replace whatever they've chewed.
Should your dog be exhibiting aggressive, mouthy, or pushy behaviors upon your arrival, contact a professional to evaluate what might be motivating these moments. Dogs with insecurities about their role in your pack unit will sometimes act out of frustrations. Other times, we may be dealing with a simple case of a rather nice dog that is completely Out of Control. A canine without manners, especially a large one, can be a handful just being themselves.
Mild SA symptoms include (but are not limited to)
▪ barking/whining/howling
▪ 'accidents' when left alone for only short periods of time (pertains to dogs already house-trained)
▪ destructive behavior such as carpet digging, door scratching, window ledge eating, mini-blind wrecking, couch cushion shredding, trash strewing...you get the idea.
Most of the time, these are trainable, conditionable, and sometimes medically treated symptoms.
First, and most importantly, get your dog checked out by a Veterinarian. In extreme cases of SA, your dog may truly benefit from taking a calming medication such as Reconcile, or Prozac. Do NOT give your dog your own medication; you could kill him/her. Only give what is prescribed by your vet, and known to be safe for such purpose. But be aware, medication comes with a risk of side effects, so be sure that you are comfortable with the medication prescribed as well.
There are also a number of Natural and Homeopathic remedies that can help relieve some of the stress your dog feels when you are away. Bach's Rescue Remedy for pets, is a homeopathic blend of five flower oils that have been shown to reduce stress levels in some animals (and people).
The Thunder Shirt has also been a recent addition to the pet anxiety market. It has had remarkable effects on some dogs, and none on others; try it on yours and see.
Pheromone collars are also a good addition to a stress relieving program. They are specifically formulated to emit (synthetic) calming pheromone, much like the calming scents/pheromones that a mother dog emits when nursing her puppies.
Anxietrax is an FDA approved blend of floral and other plant extracts known to relieve and calm animals, it incorporates the uses of Aspen, Chamomile and others.
Next, get a good Behavior Modification Plan in place.
▪ This starts with Exercise
I can't say enough how important it is to meet the exercise requirements of your canine compadre. A tired dog is going to be naturally more calm and well-behaved, and less likely to "freak out" when you leave.
▪ Basic Obedience Training
Getting your dog under control when you are around will help create boundaries in your home, and also strengthen the trust your dog already has in you. Trust and respect are completely different than needing to be with you all the time. We can love and trust our friends and family, but we don't need to be near them every moment of the day; teach your dog the same.
▪ Appealing, Entertaining Toys
Providing your dog with things to do while you are away is very important. A peanut butter (or other flavor) filled Kong, a special filled bone, or a 'busy toy' designed to take a long time to get treats out of (Kong Wobbler, or a Treat Puzzle) can help occupy your dog. If you have a dog with Mild SA, you can sometimes hide treats all over the house, giving her something to do in your absence. *note: Don't hide them too well, or you'll increase the digging at carpet or couches.
▪ Music
Playing soft, soothing music (think 'Chopin') when you are away can help. Some dogs enjoy the sound of the TV. at lower volume to keep them company. There are also a number of Dog DVD's out there. Make sure this is not "the album I play while I am gone," if your dog associates that particular song with you leaving, you're back at square one. Rather, play the music while you are home every so often too. Do not play it at a loud volume, just loud enough to be covering the outside sounds a bit.
▪ Doggy Day Care or Friends
If you are concerned about your dog being lonely, and they get along well with other dogs, you can avoid leaving them home alone for long periods by signing them up for Day Care. Or if you have a friend who wouldn't mind your dog hanging out with their dogs, that can work too.
▪ A secure, safe Crate or Dog Pen
The most certain way to avoid destruction is to confine the dog. Placing them in a crate, with a comfortable blanket or bed (the bed may get destroyed) can help calm a dog. You must spend time crate-training before you do this, and you must also be sure to put the dog in the crate when you are home sometimes too. Again, we don't want to create a 'this is only done when I'm going to leave you' scenario.
If you are using a pen, be sure the dog cannot escape from said area, and there is nothing the dog could hurt himself on, should he try to break out.
Provide an entertaining toy for your dog while they are in the crate.
Teaching your dog to not need you so much
Write a list of 'triggers' (keys, shoes, jacket, etc), then do them and go Nowhere.
Say picking up your keys sets your dog into a drooling, whining fit, and now he's following you like his nose has glue on it and is stuck to you. Pick up your keys. Carry them around the house, doing whatever it is that you do in the house, and say nothing to the dog. When he has brought his level of emotional intensity down, then just put the keys back where they belong, and go about your business. Repeat until you are not getting the intense reaction from your dog when the keys are picked up.
Trying to soothe your dog when he is in that state of mind only serves to enforce that he is right to be so nervous. Instead, pet him and talk to him only when he is calm.
Keep your comings and goings to a boring level
Most of us make the huge mistake of greeting the dog excitedly when we come home.
Stop that. When you arrive, ignore the dog for just a few minutes. Tour the house quietly, looking for damage/destruction, and just to reaffirm that you will not acknowledge the dog until he is calm. If you live with other people, greet them first.
If your dog is crated, do not go straight to the crate and let them out. Tour the house, hang up your coat, whatever, just do not let that dog out right away. Let them bring their level down first. Yes, I know the dog is barking in excitement to see you, but don't even look at the dog at that point. When the dog is quiet, then let them out and take them outdoors for a potty break.
When you leave, just leave. Gather your stuff, and leave. Do not fall into the "ohhh be a good doggy while I'm away" trap. You are broadcasting loud and clear to the dog that you too are nervous about leaving him alone. If using a crate, put the dog into the crate a few minutes before you actually leave, and give the dog a reward for being in there.
Ignore the Dog When You Find a Mess Upon Returning Home
Our dogs live for our attention. When we don't give it, they try very hard to get it back.
When you spend that extra time upon arrival touring the house, and you find a mess, continue to ignore your dog until that mess is completely cleaned up. They pick up on the message that destroying things does not work to get our attention, and this can help them stop destroying things altogether (works in mild SA only).
If you've been gone for a while, and your dog needs to go outdoors to eliminate, take him out, and then when you have let him back inside, do the ignoring and the cleaning. As soon as the mess is cleaned, then you can act like you see the dog again, "oh my goodness, I have a dog?!? Wow, nice dog you are!"
Begin by giving your dog a nice long walk, or other form of tiring exercise.
Show your dog it is o.k. to be in another room without you.
Give him a busy toy, then walk out of the room. Walk back in quickly (if he's extremely
hooked on you) and say nothing. You can work up to the time he is in the other room without you being longer, and then teach the same thing for being outdoors (if you have a fenced in yard).
Slowly graduate to leaving him alone in the house when you go outdoors. Start with only a few seconds and build the time you leave him inside without you.
Step outside your door:
▪ With, and without all the things on his 'trigger list'
▪ Slowly. Do not expect your dog to immediately be ok for an hour. Begin with a few seconds, move to 10 seconds, 30, a minute, two minutes, seven minutes, etc.
▪ Graduate to starting the car, turning off the car and coming back inside. Again, remember no fanfare, no excited greetings.
▪ Move on to pulling out of the driveway, and returning. Enlist a friend to help with this:
▪ You leave, get into your car, which your friend drives. Have friend drive just out of sight of any windows your dog can see out of.
▪ You get out, and walk back to the house. Thus helping desensitize dog to car as trigger.
▪ Begin building the amount of time you are gone.
Do Not:
▪ Do Not Punish for destruction.
This only breeds more destruction. Just like the kid who busts out the headlight on Dad's car to get Dad to notice him, your dog is just trying to get you to notice. You give attention, even negatively, your dog still gets what he wants: Attention.
▪ Do Not Acknowledge Excessive Greetings
Whining and jumping all over you when you arrive, is not only inappropriate, but it
can undermine your efforts to soothe him for being alone. Tour the house for messes before you say 'hi' to the dog.
▪ Don’t Play Aggressive Music when you are gone. Heavy metal was not designed to soothe. It will not help to calm most dogs. However, if you and your dogs are always listening to metal, this is normal for them. Carry on.
▪ Unless it is a dangerous situation, Do Not Give Your Dog Attention Until a Mess is Cleaned Up
▪ Do Not Go Too Fast
If you are leaving your dog for ten minutes, and he does fine, but you leave for
three hours and he destroys everything, you are moving too fast for him. Go back to ten minutes and try for fifteen.
▪ Don’t Hesitate to Investigate Medical Reasons
A dog who normally never displays SA but suddenly begins to, may be unhealthy.
Get them checked out by a licensed Vet. Sometimes there is an upset or difference in a dog's routine that can start SA, but get them checked to rule out physical discomfort, or illness.
▪ Do Not Lose Hope
This can be a very frustrating, expensive problem to fix. It does not happen
overnight. Small successes add up to huge progress, so hang in there, you'll get through it.
Do:
▪ Feed Quality Nutrition
A number of dog food additives and chemicals have been known to contribute to hyperactivity and elevated levels of stress. Artificial colorants and food dyes can lead to anxiousness, an inability to focus, allergies, and many other diseases or imbalances in the system.
▪ Exercise Your Dog
A happy, physically fit, tired dog is less likely to feel stressed.
▪ Teach Your Dog Obedience ▪ Socialize Your Dog
If you are the only people in his life, he's really going to stress when those people aren't close. Being properly socialized creates a more balanced personality in your dog, and therefore a lower level of stresses that can contribute to SA.
▪ Give Yourself a Break
Dogs are some of the most forgiving and easily reroutable creatures, behaviorally speaking. So even if you feel like you've been doing it all wrong, or that your dog is beyond hope, he's not. There is hope. There is help. With patience and determination, and the right kind of work, your dog can overcome most cases of Separation Anxiety.
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