Website design By BotEap.comHave you seen those Pedigree commercials where a sad shelter dog is adopted and then shown playfully running around his new home? I love those. They catch me every time! Gremlin’s adoption story was much less romantic. When Gremlin came home with us, he was devastated. He had no idea who we were or where he was, but he did know one thing: he didn’t want to be alone. If we were in the kitchen, he was in the kitchen. When we went to bed, he invited himself in. When we showered, he would peek through the curtain and rest his head on the corner of the tub.

Website design By BotEap.comSeparation anxiety is a common problem and can lead to destructive behaviors that can harm your dog. Destructive chewing, exiting kennels, constant barking or whining, pacing, or general malaise are some of the behaviors you may notice if your dog has separation anxiety. It can also be difficult to detect. A surprising symptom of separation anxiety is an overwhelming joy when you get home. It sounds great, but is it? Your dog should be happy to see you. I’m not desperately happy to see you. The crying, jumping, panting, and exuberant dancing should tell you that your dog is anxious when he leaves. We used to joke that Gremlin’s world would go dark when we left, which probably wasn’t far from the truth for him. Here are some things we did and some things I learned to help your dog overcome separation anxiety from him.

Website design By BotEap.comteach independence

Website design By BotEap.comDiscouraging? You’ll be surprised! If you follow these steps consistently, you should find that this will work for even the clingiest dog.

Website design By BotEap.comFirst: Always reward your dog for sitting alone quietly. Create a comfortable and cozy space for your dog to rest. Go out and give your dog the type of bed he would probably prefer. Gremlin loves to sleep on loose pillows around the house, so for him, the more luxurious the better. If your dog doesn’t like that, he tries a padded mat. Anything that entices your dog to come and stay for a while. If you want to take your dog to the kennel when he leaves, make the kennel a quiet and safe place. Add a kennel mat to make your time in the kennel more comfortable (unless your dog is a destructive chewer!). Every time he is sitting quietly on his mat or in his crate, give him calm praise and reward him with a treat or his favorite toy. You’ll also need to make sure you train them to respond to a calm signal. Sitting is usually the easiest thing for most dogs. Use this command before giving food, treats, toys, and affection. It is important that you are consistent with this command.

Website design By BotEap.comSecond: Start teaching independence by starting with your resting place near you. Wherever you spend most of your time, start there. Reward them for sitting quietly there, gradually moving their bed or kennel closer to where you’d like them to stay. This will be a very gradual process. You should expect to spend a week or more working this angle. Always remember to ignore attention seeking behavior. When he is seeking attention, respond by giving the calm command from step one and then calmly give it to him. It is very important not to punish your dog for his anxiety because he can make it worse.

Website design By BotEap.comDesensitize exit signals

Website design By BotEap.comAn exit signal is anything that lets your dog know you are leaving. Pick up the keys, open the garage door, or put on your coat. These are all common starting signals that accelerate separation anxiety. To desensitize your dog to these cues, regularly expose your dog without going outside. Once these cues stop being cues, you can begin to adapt your dog to more of his exit routine. If you plan to take your dog to the kennel or leave him in a specific room in your house, put him there while you prepare to leave. If they act anxious, don’t leave. Give the quiet command, reward him for producing it, and then go back to what you were doing before. Keep doing this until they show no anxiety about you leaving. At this point you should start to go away for a few minutes before coming back and then stay outside for longer periods as they become less anxious. Reward your dog for being calm or ignore him until he calms down. This part of your training could take a week or more because you can’t expect long-term results from just a few exposures.

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Website design By BotEap.comJust because these articles don’t have their own section doesn’t mean they aren’t as important!

Website design By BotEap.comAlways greet your dog calmly when you get home. The more excited you are, the more you validate his anxiety. Give the quiet command as you walk through the door before rewarding him with affection.

Website design By BotEap.comMake sure your dog gets plenty of exercise and social interaction. These things provide important mental and physical stimulation that helps make and maintain a well-adjusted, well-rounded dog.

Website design By BotEap.comIf you find that your dog is still a bit anxious, you can try leaving the television or radio on. Whatever helps the dog feel like you’re at home. At times I felt like this stressed Gremlin, but I think it had more to do with what he was leaving behind. There are really great albums made specifically for dogs (and cats) that can help calm even the most anxious beast (I couldn’t help it).

Website design By BotEap.comIf you have a young child, you know that car toys (toys that are only carried in the car) can be the difference between getting there with all their hair and stopping to have an emotional breakdown. The same can be true for your dog. Find a toy or something to chew on that will keep him very interested for 15 to 20 minutes and give it to him when you leave. Make sure this toy or chew is safe for them to use without supervision.

Website design By BotEap.comCheck your training in the kennel. Sometimes confinement can make your dog feel more anxious. If you think this is the case, try letting your dog home (I call this house-only training). Make their new safe place a bed or mat and start over from the point in their training where you leave for a few minutes and come back, making each outing longer as they respond with less anxiety.

Website design By BotEap.comThere are treatments with medications and pheromones that can help control anxiety. These are things you can get from your vet. Talk to them about what they think would be the best course of action for your dog’s level of anxiety. Gremlin takes fluoxetine (generic Prozac) every time we are going to be in stressful situations. I can’t say enough about how this has helped him. Talk to your vet if you think this might help too.
***You will still need to desensitize your dog to your stressors while taking fluoxetine, but this will make it easier!***