Inquisitive Canine: Relieving Separation Anxiety in Dogs

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/072409_inquisitive_canine_relieving_separation_anxiety_in_dogs/

By Joan Mayer

Dogs enjoy being with their family, but there are ways to help them feel comfortable being left alone, too

Dear Joan and Poncho:

Our dog Tessa is a wonderful addition to our family. She’s smart, lovable and very obedient. Our only problem is leaving her alone.

I’ve tried putting treats in her crate, and she goes in there voluntarily at night to sleep. Otherwise, the moment that crate door shuts, she loses it. She cries, barks and shreds her bed in the crate. If we leave her in the backyard, she chews at our fences and eventually settles down. She also has destroyed my car’s door panels when I’ve left her in there for even short periods of time (with open windows, in the shade and with water, of course).

We don’t know what to do about her complete agitation when she is away from us, and I don’t have time for long and intense training. Please help!

— Cara

Dear Cara:

Poncho and I appreciate that you recognize Tessa’s good qualities. It’s important to take notice of those good-manners moments. We also respect that you’re able to acknowledge your own limitations when it comes to Tessa’s training plan. So let’s see if we can provide some simple tips on helping you with your situation.

First, a little about dog behavior: Dogs are social animals. They enjoy being with their family and friends, and they don’t do so well when left alone, unless they’ve been conditioned to be left on their own. This goes for a variety of locations, including a crate or other type of confinement, the yard, the inside of a home or a car.

Second, let’s talk about crate training. It’s great that you’ve already trained Tessa to sleep comfortably in a crate. That means she likes her crate and feels comfy and safe in there. Unfortunately, that seems to apply only to a specific time of day for her. She has her routine, but if you want her to enjoy being in her crate any other time, you’ll need to mix it up. For more help, check out my dog training site for tips on teaching your dog to love her crate.

Next, you’ll want to teach (condition) Tessa to be comfortable when at home or in the car alone, and to the point where she actually enjoys you leaving. It’s similar to humans reaching that age when they look forward to being left with the babysitter or being left alone for the first time. When we’re young, we’re scared about being left alone or with strangers who take care of us, but we soon learn it’s actually fun, and then we can’t wait until our parents go out.

Key points to remember when conditioning your dog to be left alone include:

» Have lots of dress rehearsals of you coming and going. Right now, Tessa can probably read all of the signals that she is going to be left alone, so you’ll need to break up the routine. For example, pick up your car keys, but don’t do anything with them.

» Be boring when coming and going. Ignore her before leaving, be low key when you do leave, and ignore her for a little while when you get home.

» Leave high-value enrichment activities for her, such as interactive food toys stuffed with yummy steak, which she gets only when you leave.

» Take small steps to get to your goal. Try not to push it too far too fast. Start with short absences, such as a few seconds, then a few minutes, once or twice a day, increasing slowly while watching for Tessa’s reactions. You’ll want to make sure she is relaxed when you’re coming and going. If she’s still stressed, you’re moving too quickly. You’ll also want to do these exercises at random times to help avoid falling into a routine.

Other options to help alleviate Tessa’s distress include finding outside assistance such as professional pet sitters, dog walkers, doggy day care, or arranging doggy play-dates with friends and their dogs.

There are some folks who may suggest bringing a second dog into the home to keep Tessa company. That might be helpful, but there are no guarantees, and you may end up with two dogs that have the same issues.

One major clue to watch for is whether Tessa is not eating while you’re away and is continuing to chew at doorways, windows and other escape routes. If that’s the case, I would recommend you consult with a certified professional dog trainer or veterinary behaviorist who has experience with your situation. Isolation distress and separation anxiety can get much worse over time, so it’s best to deal with it before that happens.

— Dear Inquisitive Canine is written by Joan Mayer and her trusty sidekick, Poncho. Joan is a certified pet dog trainer and dog behavior counselor. Her column is known for its simple common-sense approach to dog training and behavior, as well as its entertaining insight into implementing proven techniques that reward both owner and dog. Joan is also the founder of The Inquisitive Canine, where her love-of-dog training approach highlights the importance of understanding canine behavior. If you or your dog have questions about behavior, training or life with each other, e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/072409_inquisitive_canine_relieving_separation_anxiety_in_dogs/