What can I do about Separation Anxiety?
A very common problem that is often misunderstood by owners is separation anxiety. Dogs with separation anxiety can become destructive, cry, urinate or defecate when they are left alone. The most common owner explanation for these behaviors is spite.
Again, being the humans that we are, we try to understand canine behavior in human terms. But dogs, like their wolf ancestors, are pack animals. When they become separated from their pack they become anxious and attempt to reunite themselves with the other pack members.
Just as we view dogs as family members, they regard us as the same. Therefore, when owners of dogs with separation anxiety leave the house, their dogs become distressed.
Once established, separation anxiety is usually very treatable through a program involving a combination of behavior-modification techniques and, if necessary, drug therapy.
If you have a dog that’s exhibiting signs of separation anxiety, you may first want to try a modified treatment program yourself.
Since most dogs start to become anxious as the owners are preparing to leave, the first step is to act like you’re preparing to leave many times during the day – but don’t leave. After doing this, your dog should no longer associate your predeparture routine with being left alone, and therefore no longer be anxious before you leave.
If successful, the next step is to start to leave your dog alone for very short intervals of time (5 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, 15 minutes….) until he or she can be left alone for 2 hours. While you are doing the program, it is best if your dog is not left alone for periods of time longer than what you are up to in the program.
It is always better to prevent behavior problems from occurring in the first place. Through understanding that dogs naturally do not like to be alone, you can try to help your dog to learn to be comfortable when alone. Owners should try not to be with their dogs constantly, especially when they are puppies.
If you’re gone for more than 8 hours a day, it may help to have two dogs. They do not have to be the same breed, though it helps to have them about the same age and size. If you are considering a playmate for your puppy – please consider one of the numerous unwanted puppies at your local shelter. They make wonderful playmates – for both you and your puppy.
I tried to use a baby gate/puppy pen, but the puppy cried! What do I do?
The thing that makes our puppies so happy, confident and stressfree is the very same thing that makes them absolutely HATE being confined. Our babies are never kept confined in a crate. They are kept in a large puppy pen (6' wide) until they are about 5 weeks old. At 5 weeks they have the run of the hallway behind a baby gate, and by the time they are 7 weeks old, they are running around the house with the other dogs. I believe that allowing them this freedom helps them develop physical and emotional confidence, which allows them to adapt very easily to new homes and families. But allowing them that freedom has a price - and that price is that they will need to be TAUGHT to be confined either in a puppy pen or behind a baby gate in their new homes. By beginning slowly and working up (as detailed below), your little baby should be able to be confined safely and quietly when necessary.
Your new puppy will still be VERY unsure about his new environment, so he's going to lean on you for comfort and companionship. Putting the baby in a playpen, or behind a baby gate for the first night is separating him from the only comfort he knows in his new home - YOU! Not only is he in a new and strange place without the comfort of his mother and siblings, but YOU (his new mother or father) - have pushed him away. So naturally he is going to be upset and cry. He's going to need to be comforted until he realizes that this is his new home and that he is safe and very loved.
He will need to adjust slowly to being confined in a puppy pen, or behind a baby gate.
Try putting the baby in the playpen just for a few minutes - but DON'T leave him alone. Play with him while he is in the playpen, make it happy and fun. Then take him out. The next day do the same. Continue it for a few days. Then when you put him in for a few minutes, stay right there, but don't play with him. Offer him favorite toys or pig snouts or rawhide (especially dipped in chicken broth); but just stand there and do not interact while he is in the playpen. Then take him out. After he is comfortable in the playpen, leave the room for a few minutes. Come back and take him out. Continue doing this while going out of his sight a little bit longer each day. By doing this gradually, you will not instill the fear of being abandoned. If you use a babygate - use the same procedure; and hopefully he will adjust to being confined in a playpen or behind a babygate for the times he needs to be alone. (Never, ever confine a puppy or dog in a crate, cage or kennel.)
I realize that this will take a lot of time and work. Babies DO take a lot of time and work - and this should be taken into consideration before having one. But they are worth it.
