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08-01-2016, 06:55 AM | #1 |
Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator | Separation Anxiety in Dogs Article by Dr. Becker, HERE. Separation Anxiety in Dogs By Dr. Becker Separation anxiety is a common behavioral problem, especially in shelter dogs that may have been previously abused or neglected, that can take a serious toll on both pets and their owners. Sometimes, separation anxiety in pets is painfully obvious. Your dog may, for instance, show signs of distress when you get ready to leave the house. When you leave, your dog may howl relentlessly, chew up furniture, urinate and defecate on the floor or even try to escape. In other cases, signs of separation anxiety can be subtler, such as drooling or pacing (or trotting along a specific path in your yard). You can typically determine that your pet’s anxious symptoms are due to separation anxiety if they occur only in your absence. A dog that’s normally reliably housetrained who has accidents only when you leave is one such example. Destructive behaviors, including excessive chewing and digging, that occur only when you’re gone are another sign. If your dog struggles with separation anxiety, you may be tempted to “baby” your dog or bring him with you everywhere you go. The other extreme is simply ignoring the anxiety and hoping your dog will grow out of it. But both of these strategies may ultimately make the problem, and your dog’s symptoms, worse. Why Do Some Dogs Develop Separation Anxiety? It’s not known why some dogs develop separation anxiety and others do not, but it is far more common in dogs adopted from animal shelters. It’s likely the anxiety may be triggered by being abandoned or by the loss of an important person in the dog’s life. If you rescue a shelter pet, I strongly recommend you implement A Sound Beginning’s “welcome home” techniques and music immediately, once your dog is home, to help reduce the potential of separation anxiety from occurring. Separation anxiety may also be triggered by:1 • A dramatic, abrupt change in schedule, such as an owner who was previously home all day taking a job away from home for 6 hours a dayBehavior Modification Is Important for Dogs With Separation Anxiety First and foremost, if you’re not sure your dog is suffering from separation anxiety, contact your veterinarian for a definite diagnosis. Video of your dog’s behaviors can be very helpful here, but laboratory testing may also be done to help rule out underlying medical or behavioral issues. Such examples that might be confused with separation anxiety symptoms include:2 • Housetraining problems, submissive urination or a urinary tract infectionOnce you’re sure separation anxiety is the problem, begin behavior modification right away, preferably with the help of a professional. Separation anxiety can be very challenging to overcome and will likely take time, determination and effort on your part to help your pet. The plan that follows is a general guide you can follow,3 but for serious cases please seek professional guidance. Your goal is to help your pet reduce his dependence on you so he feels safe and less anxious when you’re not home. These recommendations may sound cold and heartless, but remember in many cases we unknowingly feed our dog’s anxiety with how we act, so: 1. Ignore your pet’s attention-seeking attempts. Any interactions with your dog should be initiated by you and not by your dog.A specialist in canine behavior can help you here as well, but to explain briefly, try first just walking to the door, then opening the door, then leaving for a few seconds and increasing the length of time very slowly, working your way up to two hours. The entire process may take eight weeks to complete. It’s a tedious process but one that is often very effective. When You Need to Help Your Anxious Pet NOW The sooner you implement behavior modification strategies like those listed above, the sooner your pet may start to recover from separation anxiety. That being said, it’s a process and one that takes time. Your dog probably won’t overcome separation anxiety overnight, so it’s a good idea to have some natural strategies on hand to help minimize anxious symptoms in your dog when you need to leave the house. A coveted treat-release toy is a great option, as mentioned. There are chewing-type toys available that come with specialized tools for filling the toy with moist food. As your pet chews, the food is gradually released. You can even fill one up and put it in the freezer, which is especially useful for keeping your pet occupied for a longer period. Engaging your dog in an active play session before you leave can also help to calm his nerves and get out some of his energy. I also recommend: • Investing in a pheromone diffuser, such as the D.A.P. diffuser for dogs. Species-specific pheromones are chemical substances that can positively affect an animal's emotional state and behavior.The essential oil of lavender has also been proven to reduce a pet's stress response as well. I recommend placing a few drops on your dog's collar or bedding before a stressor occurs, if possible, or diffuse the oil around your house for an overall calming effect. It’s important to understand that if your dog is destructive or has accidents due to separation anxiety while you’re away, this is an anxiety response and not one your dog can easily control. Be sure you do not yell or in any way punish your dog for these behaviors, as this will only increase his anxiety. [Continued below...]
__________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° |
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08-01-2016, 06:56 AM | #2 |
Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator | [...Continued from above] Finally, even with the best efforts, some dogs with separation anxiety become too destructive to be left alone. Other dogs may hurt themselves trying to escape. If your dog cannot be safely left home alone, you’ll need to make other arrangements until his separation anxiety is under control. You can bring your dog with you, if possible, or arrange for someone (a friend, family member or pet sitter) to stay with your dog. Some dogs with separation anxiety do well in doggy day care, so determine the best fit for your dog and lifestyle. Hopefully, this will be a temporary arrangement and, after you work through behavior modifications, your dog will be able to stay home alone without undue stress and anxiety.
__________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann | Pfeiffer | Marcel Verdel Purcell | Wylie | Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° |
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