Should I Get A Second Dog To Prevent Separation Anxiety
No. This may be tempting, as you think that your second dog will keep the first company. Whats more likely to happen is that theyll wind each other up, and youll end up with two fretful hounds on your hands.
You could try introducing a cat to the family if these theoretically warring species can get along, as this might at least prevent your dog from growing bored and weary while youre out. Its better to engage in a full training program, though. It may take more work, but both the dog and the owner will benefit from the effort in the longer term.
Provide Interactive Toys For Your Dog To Play With While Youre Gone
Dogs with mild separation intolerance can also learn to enjoy the ritual of getting a treat-stuffed goody when their person leaves the house for the day. However, Flores cautions against leaving interactive food toys with dogs that are suffering from full-blown separation anxiety.
Sometimes, because the food toy has been given so often before departure, the food becomes a cue that something bad is about to happen, she explains. Once the food has been consumed, the dog will realize their person is still gone and panic.
Medical Problems To Rule Out First
Incontinence Caused by Medical ProblemsSome dogs house soiling is caused by incontinence, a medical condition in which a dog leaks or voids his bladder. Dogs with incontinence problems often seem unaware that theyve soiled. Sometimes they void urine while asleep. A number of medical issuesincluding a urinary tract infection, a weak sphincter caused by old age, hormone-related problems after spay surgery, bladder stones, diabetes, kidney disease, Cushings disease, neurological problems and abnormalities of the genitaliacan cause urinary incontinence in dogs. Before attempting behavior modification for separation anxiety, please see your dogs veterinarian to rule out medical issues.
MedicationsThere are a number of medications that can cause frequent urination and house soiling. If your dog takes any medications, please contact his veterinarian to find out whether or not they might contribute to his house-soiling problems.
Read Also: Who To Talk To About Anxiety
The First Day Sets The Precedent
The first day your dog or puppy comes home sets the precedent for your relationship. Many owners will spend the first day totally enamoured with the new arrival and the pup sits on their lap for most of the day, sleeping, playing and eating.
This sets the puppy up for failure.
When dogs are separated from their usual family or pack, they will bond with the nearest kind person very quickly. It happens in our dog hotel, and is one of my secret weapons to ensuring a happy dog. As soon and mum or dad leave, the dog will bond with their new handler and that bond is strong.
On the first day, set your puppy or dog up for success with ensuring they enjoy a balance for short activities and cuddle followed by intermittent naps in their crate . 3-4 naps before the end of the day will allow your puppy to see that people come and go as they settle without fuss or fear.
During this time you must do several test runs leaving the room. Scatter kibble before you go to ensure a happy puppy and an engaged nose.
Avoid spending the entire day next to your puppy this makes leaving them at bedtime really stressful for everyone and causes whining and crying to the extreme.
Noone wants a stressed puppy.
Can I Prevent Dog Separation Anxiety
There is no universal, one-way-fits-all to prevent separation anxiety in dogs. Every anxious dog is different, meaning it needs an individually tailored anti-anxiety prevention approach.
If you are unsure how to prevent separation anxiety in dogs, talk to your veterinarian. Keep in mind that drug therapy, although helpful, is a temporary solution and must be used in conjunction with other approaches.
Recommended Reading: Does Birth Control Cause Anxiety
What Should I Do When My Puppy Has Done Something While Ive Been Out
If you do return home to find your puppy has chewed or toileted, greet them normally and then clean up calmly regardless of how they are behaving towards you. Its likely that they werent quite ready to be left for that length of time yet. Go back a few steps, keep positive and youll soon find youre back on track.
Slowly Increase The Amount Of Time You’re Out Of Sight
Again, this might mean staying outside for only two seconds, then three, and so on for severe cases. Once you start adding time, you can mix up the intervals during which you step out in a given training session. For example, if you’re able to remain outside for five minutes, first step out for five minutes and then for three minutes. Change it up, but don’t go beyond five minutes until your dog is showing no signs of anxiety. Keep going until your dog seems generally comfortable with your absence.
The Spruce / Missy Schrott
Also Check: How To Make Anxiety Stop
What Can I Do About My Dogs Separation Anxiety
Its exhausting to come home to destruction and upsetting to see your puppy in such distress. Its even more devastating for your dog. Thankfully, there are several steps you can take to deal with SA. The Tufts Animal Behavior Clinic states the goal of treatment is to resolve the dogs underlying anxiety by teaching him to enjoy, or at least tolerate, being left alone. So some of the treatments are the same as the preventative measures and may already be part of your puppys routine. But consider all of them as you tackle SA. Look at the following methods of treatment:
1. Crate TrainingIt bears repeating that a crate is your dogs friend and your ally. Its an important training tool and the solution for many puppy challenges. It isnt cruel or unhealthy if used appropriately. Instead, it can provide your pup with a safe, quiet place to relax. The trick is to teach him to associate his crate with wonderful things like chew toys and food-releasing puzzle toys so hes happy to spend time inside. Some dogs feel safer and more comfortable in their crate when left alone. However, other dogs can panic. Watch your puppys behavior to see if he settles right down or if the anxiety symptoms ramp up. Remember, the goal is not to crate your dog all day, every day as a solution to his SA. Its to keep him and your house safe while you teach him to enjoy being alone.
How To Prevent And Manage Separation Anxiety In Dogs
- The most common signs of separation anxiety are destruction in the home, excessive vocalization, and inappropriate elimination.
- Certain circumstances, like changes in schedules, can trigger anxiety in dogs who are predisposed. This is why some experts are concerned that there may be an uptick in separation anxiety among dogs as their owners return to work post-pandemic.
- A key principle in staving off and managing separation anxiety is establishing a strong relationship with your dog and training them to be independent during the hours you are together.
- Create routines and boundaries so your dog experiences low-intensity separation. Crate training is recommended as a preventative measure.
- In treating, start small in managing separation, like training your dog to stay in another room while you leave, and then work up to leaving the house.
To live with a dog is to know with certainty that theres someone who never tires of your company. Thats part of the joy of dogstheyre always happy to see you come in the door whether youve been away for an hour or a long workday. But at what point does your dogs desire to be with you turn into a problem?
While separation anxiety has been widely discussed over the last several decades, its become a hotter topic lately. As a global pandemic has changed our daily living and working habits, many experts and dog owners raise the possibility of a spike in rates of separation anxiety when normal schedules are resumed.
Exercise is key
Don’t Miss: How You Know You Have Anxiety
How To Prevent Separation Anxiety In Puppies
It’s important to prevent separation anxiety in puppies considering how widespread this behavior problem has become. Did you know that separation anxiety in dogs is prevalent in between 20 and 40 percent of all dogs that are treated by animal behavior specialists in North America? .
On top of being a widespread issue, separation anxiety is one of the leading causes why pet owners relinquish dogs to shelters. This is often due to the amount of household damage produced by affected dogs and the complaints of neighbors about these dogs’ excessive barking.
Not to mention, separation-related distress is ultimately a welfare concern. These dogs are truly suffering as they become inconsolably worried and panicked when they are separated from their favorite person.
Affected dogs are often drooling, panting, pacing, vocalizing, engaging in destructive behavior especially targeted towards doors and windows, urinating and defecating indoors, refusing to eat when left alone, and even inducing self-trauma like licking or chewing or injuries in attempting to escape a crate.
The good news is that you can start puppies from the right paw if you intervene when they are young and growing. By inoculating puppies against potential problems from an early age, you can therefore prevent a lot of future headaches. As the saying goes “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Did You Know?
with Karen L. Overall, MA, VMD, Ph.D., DACVB, CAAB
How To Handle A More Severe Problem
Use the techniques outlined above along with desensitization training. Teach your dog the sit-stay and down-stay commands using positive reinforcement. This training will help them learn that they can remain calmly and happily in one place while you go to another room.
Exercise and mental stimulation are critical to reducing anxiety and stress. Be sure your dog receives adequate exercise before you leave. Walking the same city block each day wont reduce anxiety, but sniffing and exploring new places will.
Create a “safe place” to limit your dog’s ability to be destructive while youre away. A safe place should:
- Confine the dog loosely .
- Contain busy toys for distraction.
- Have dirty laundry to lend a calming scent cue or other safety cues.
Also Check: How To Stop Anxiety Stomach Aches
Puppy Separation Anxiety Symptoms
Symptoms of puppy separation anxiety vary from mild to extreme and may include the following:
- Excessive barking or howling when left alone
- Chewing and other undesirable behaviors
- Accidents in the house, although this could be related to age and not a symptom of separation anxiety
- Scratching or digging at doors or windows
Exercises For Preventing Separation Anxiety In Puppies
These exercises can play a primary role in preventing emotional issues such as separation anxiety and isolation distress. Making the crate or playpen a fun and rewarding place to be may also help prevent the onset of containment phobias. Hopefully, breeders will introduce pups to crates from an early age, to make life easier to new puppy owners once their puppies are sent out to their new homes.
As you unfold these exercises, it’s important to always monitor your puppy to ensure he remains calm and relaxed and that you progress gradually going at your pup’s pace. If your puppy at any time shows signs of struggling, take a step or two back in the process and work more at those levels.
Also Check: How To Know If It’s Anxiety Or Something Serious
What Medications Help Dogs With Separation Anxiety
Dogs with severe forms of separation anxiety require meds. However, not all anti-anxiety medications are safe and efficient for dogs.
If looking at how to treat separation anxiety in dogs with medications, choose some of the following options:
- Alprazolam Anxiety type: Moderate to severe situational anxietyAlprazolam is given to dogs who face anxiety during thunderstorms. However, it might be used for other types of situational anxiety too. It is a mild sedative belonging to the benzodiazepine class. It is most impactful when given during early-stage anxiety and is available in tablets that can be given with or without food.
- Amitriptyline Anxiety Type: Separation anxiety and generalized anxiety Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant that works by increasing the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain, thus improving the dogs mood. It is available as tablets and can be given with or without food. The med is not suited for dogs with diabetes. Discontinuation requires tapering off.
- Buspirone Anxiety Type: Generalized anxietyBuspirone is the perfect medicine for dogs who become anxious in social situations. The med. It belongs to the azaperone class of anxiolytics and has a mild anti-anxiety effect that works by activating the serotonin receptors in the dogs brain. The downside of the drug is that it needs to be used consistently.
Where Can I Get Professional Help
If your dog does go on to display ongoing signs of separation anxiety, it is important not to ignore these and to contact your vet who can refer you to an accredited behaviourist. Theyll be able to fully assess your dog to find out why they dont cope with being left alone and come up with a treatment plan to help. How separation problems are treated will be individual to each dog, so it is important to seek professional advice to help guide you through the problem.
You May Like: How To Get Rid Of Anxiety During Sex
Encourage Your Pet To Relax During Their Alone Time
Try to take your dog for a walk before you go out so that they have the opportunity to go to the toilet and exercise. Return half an hour before you plan to leave and make sure they’re not hungry. You can feed them a small meal before you leave or leave a food toy – your dog will be much more inclined to relax if they’re fed!
How To Deal With Separation Anxiety In Dogs
* To read just the interview transcript, please scroll down below.
This week I wanted to talk to you guys about separation anxiety in pets. Now this is something that we see very commonly and especially this time year kids are going back to school, things are starting to kind of pick up as that happens, there is Fall sports and the holidays are coming so we’re out shopping or we’re visiting family and friends and our dogs are being left alone, and cats as well can suffer from separation anxiety.
Our pets are being left alone for longer periods of time and that’s when a lot of people start to notice that their dog is eithera new dog has separation anxiety or a pet that they’ve had for a little while maybe as they age are getting a bit of separation anxiety when their family’s gone.
If you’re gone say to work and your children are gone to school and maybe nobody’s at home with your dog for 10 hours a day, for 10 hours a day your dog is uncomfortable and that’s not anything as owners that we even want to think about, that’s something that breaks our heart thinking about our dog pacing or panting, you know not being able to just rest and relax when we’re gone.
Read Also: How To Know I Have Anxiety
How To Make Being Alone Easier For Your Dog
When your dog needs to be left alone for a few hours, there are things you can do to stop them getting bored or worried.
This can include leaving them activities to do to prevent boredom such as:
- Enrichment feeders
Daily exercise is also vital for their physical and mental wellbeing so ensure that they have had good exercise opportunities every day.
Other things you can do to help your dog feel less anxious include:
- Making sure their bed area is nice and cosy and makes them feel secure
- Use a plugin diffuser or a collar that releases natural calming pheromones
- Leaving an old item of clothing out with your scent on
- Make sure they have a chance to go to the toilet before you leave
When you do have to go out, try to prepare in advance so you dont have to rush because this can make your dog stressed. Always leave your dog calmly and dont get them excited before you go. It may feel strange not to say goodbye to your dog when you go, but leaving without a fuss will mean that your dog doesnt have time to get themselves wound up and will settle more quickly. When you come home do this calmly and quietly too.
How Do I Know If My Dog Has Separation Problems
Your dog might feel different emotions such as fear, frustration, and panic when left alone. Common signs that they are feeling anxious when left alone include:
- Destruction of bedding, furniture carpets or belongings
- Inappropriate toileting indoors
- Barking, whining or being vocal
- Pacing or being restless
- Attempting to escape.
Some dogs may not show any of these signs and become depressed and do nothing at all when their owner leaves. Investing in a pet camera can give you a good idea of how they are feeling when you are away from home.
Many things can affect separation anxiety in dogs their genetics, personality and previous negative experiences which may have added to their fears and anxieties. In some cases, when our dogs were puppies they might have missed out on some of the really important training they needed to help them feel happy when being left alone. Puppies need to be taught when theyre young that its OK to be on their own and have a little bit of independence from their owners.
Also Check: How To Help Someone With Anxiety