Separation Anxiety

The term “separation anxiety” refers to a condition in which the dog  exhibits excessive anxiety concerning separation from the person or persons to whom he is attached.

Evidence of anxiety-related behavior must be exhibited when the owner is physically absent or when the dog is unable to attract its owner’s attention.

When the dog is in a crate and exhibits similar symptoms to separation anxiety, inproper crate training is often confused with separation anxiety

You should also be careful not confuse separation anxiety with isolation anxiety. In separation anxiety the dog cannot be seperated from his owner, in isolation anxiety he just cannot be alone, but the presence of the owner is not necessary. A dog that is fine when left with other dogs or even a person he does not know but goes crazy when left alone has isolation  and not separation anxiety

Is your dog set up for failure when it comes to separation anxiety just because he’s of a certain breed? The degree of separation anxiety experienced by a dog is influenced by both genetic breed disposition and experience, with both factors contributing to the determining threshold and magnitude of separation anxiety.

While lately dogs are more and more used as companion animals, we shall not forget what they were intetionally bred for. Looking at breed characteristics is not only important for separation anxiety but also for many other traits such as drive balance, exercise requirements, possible health and behavior problems and more. For separation anxiety, we want to think how strong our dog was bonded to his handler. When we look at herding or guard dog breeds for example, such as Australian Shepherds, German Shepherds or Labrador Retrievers, we don’t need to be an expert to understand that these were closely working together with their humans. Through selective breeding, character traits were chosen that would guarantee a focus on the handler.

While many hounds for example such as German Short Hair Pointers or Basset Hounds were bred selectively to work independently and away from their handler while going out hunting, thus making them less prone to separation anxiety.

When a dog is said to be reactive to something, it means that the dog overreacts to certain situations. Separation anxiety is thus an emotional reactivity of dogs to being separated from their owner or attachment figure.  While susceptibility to emotionally provocative stimulation is undoubtedly subject to genetic variation, emotion per se does not exist on a genetic level.

“Emotions do not exist in genetic systems but are created as a result of the organizing activity of genetic systems interacting with other systems in the processes of development. There is no “gene for” an emotion or emotionality; these are phenomena that exist only on higher levels of organization.” (Scott JP, 1988 Genetics, emotions and psychopathology)

The general function of emotion is to prolong momentary stimulation. Highly charged emotional reactions contribute to the development of dysfunctional behavior, when the evoking situation does not provide outlets for coping response or a viable mans of escape from the source of stimulation. In separation anxiety, a dog is highly motivated to rejoin his attachment figure and re-establish social contact which was denied through isolation or confinement.

As mentioned above, the degree of separation anxiety experienced by a dog is a combination of both genetics and experience. Most of the separation anxiety that we see as dog trainers, are the result of adverse learning experiences and therefore can be more or less remedied through behavior therapy and training.

For anything that our dog undergoes whether these are urges, unwanted behavior, or the display of dominance, it really helps us to understand the underlying reason of why this is happening. It makes a huge change in our attitude towards our dog and attitude influences our behavior. At Dog Training WorldWide, we lay a great emphasis in helping our students understand the underlying motivations for their dogs behavior or misbehavior. 

Separation anxiety is probably rooted in an evolutionary adaptation of the dangers of being left alone, in order to discourage young, vulnerable puppies from wandering too far away from the safety of the den.

Whining and Yelping  helps the mother locate the puppies and also stimulates them to stay close by, until they are old enough to fend for themselves. Basically speaking, the puppy cries, the mother comes and as such in puppy-hood this contact-seeking behavior starts to be rooted in their brains. But let’s take a look at three different theories which help us explain separation anxiety.

Bowlby’s Social Bond Theory

John Bowly is one of the scientists who has made many great contributions to the field of attachment and separation-related behavior. According to Bowlby’s eclectic theory, separation distress is mediated by primitive, self-protective impulses to maintain close contact with the mother. Bowlby observed a sequence of events that infants go through when separated from their attachment figure:

Protest

The protest phase involves general arousal and behavioral activation, loud vocalizations, disruptive behaviors, searchign activities aimed at regaining contact with an absent mother. These signs can be seen immediately after the mother leaves teh puppies and corresponds with separation anxiety in young dogs. (Voith and Borchelt,  1985; Lund and Jogensen, 1999) 

Despair

The depressive phase, is associated wtih depressed affect and mood, inactivity and infrequent distress vocalization, however the infant still remains on the lookout for the return of its mother.

Detachment

The third phase is detachment and involves an apparent loss of interest in the mother when reunited with her.

While these theories were established studying humans, all of these phases and symptoms appear in dogs as well which allows to draw the conclusion that humans and dogs share a similar emotional basis for mediating the expression of separation-elicited behavior. Apart from giving a basis to deal with separation anxiety, these emotional similarities is what allows for such strong bonds between dogs and humans. 

Attachment and Fear

With the mother being nearby and offering security, young dogs start venturing out into the unknown, but when frightened come rushing back to safety of their mother. We can see this with young puppies as well, walking underfoot and slowly venturing out but coming back to the comfort of their attachment figure if they are ever scared. But when the puppy undergoes fearful situations and there is no attachment figure close by, this may leave a lasting mark and impede the ability of the adult dog to deal with fear arousal and restore emotional equilibrium. As such these dogs may develop separation distress and also lower fear thresholds, stating that:

• separation anxiety = a state of emotional arousal that combines separation distress with a fear of separation (Lindsey, 2001)

Separation anxiety, begins by your dog being overly attached to you. It’s not a very big deal for some dogs, but as  we mentioned in Genetic Predisposition, some breeds are more prone than others to get this.

Some dogs will show no isses even after being with you 24/7, but some will definitely develop separation anxiety from obsessive attachment. Ideally we want to avoid our dogs being extremely attached to us, even if they don’t have that tendency of being anxious when we are not there. It’s always important to teach our dogs how to be calm on their own, because realistically we can’t always be right by their side. If we allow them to follow our every step and are CONSTANTLY giving our dogs attention and affection, we are setting them up for failure.

Watch out for the following signs to see if your dog is showing over-attachment and it is starting to affect him in a negative way:

• Your dog is only comforted by your presence, otherwise whining and compulsive behaviors start to appear
• Your dog follows you everywhere you go (While you’re on the toilet, taking a shower, going from one room to the other …)
  
• Your dog will immediately start whining, barking or scratching at the door if separated from you. 
  

Then ask yourself the following:

• Are you causing your dog to be overly attached to you?
  
• Do you allow them to be right next you all day every day?
  
• Have you refused to teach your dog how to be in a crate or a pen?
  
• Do you sleep with your dog?
  
• Do you pet your dog every time he comes to you?
• Do you respond to your dog every time he demands affection?

Sometimes we get clients who tell us: “My dog has separation anxiety, as soon as I put him in the crate he starts barking and scratching at the gate.” Well, if that’s the case it’s most likely not separation anxiety but rather inproper crate training.

For it to be classified as separation anxiety two things need to be present:

1. Separation
2. Anxiety

Basically there are three  responses a dog will show when being separated from his owners:

1. The separation does not affect the dog at all – Luckily the majority of dogs fall into this category
2. The dog develops depression, meaning he shows no interest in any outside stimulus. He will not be destructive, he will just lay there (often by the door) and wait until you come back. Reduced appetite and psychosomatic anorexia can be a long term side effect.
3. The dog cannot control his emotions and develops anxiety. This is the reaction that prompts most dog owners to seek professional advice because the dog will become a nuisance to the owner and those around him.

Some dogs also can become bipolar and go from total depression to anxiety and back. But let’s focus mostly on reaction Nr. 3. There are 3 categories of how separation distress will manifest itself.

• Loss of bowel and bladder control
• Excessive Vocalization (dog barking, yelping, whining, howling)
• Destructiveness (scratching, biting, digging …)

Whats the best way to deal with separation anxiety? Prevent it. The easiest way to deal with is from the beginning, to start working on giving the dog alone time and crate training.

If you start seeing that your dog gets very anxious whenever you leave, it may be a sign your dog is getting separation anxiety. So what can we do with this? Our dogs are perceptive, so usually grabbing your keys and/or wallet, means you are leaving the house soon. What we in DTWW like to do, specially in times of quarantine, is to grab our keys and just keep chilling in the house, so that the fact of grabbing our keys does not mean that we are in fact leaving and such association does not happen.

The BEST way to prevent this, is setting up a routine, dogs crave structure and routine and it might be in everybody’s best interest to establish this right when we adopt our dog. So right now, the best we can do is set a routine that would look like whatever our life will be like after quarantine. You can go out of the house to take a walk and don’t bring the dog, even going for the mail and leaving the dog inside the house can help a lot. It’s a gradual process of small absences that will most likely set you up for success. Once you get ready to do these small departures, simply ignore the dog before leaving. If you talk to him telling him how you will only be gone for a short while, stroking him, loving him, you will likely increase his anxiety. Do the same when you return. Ignore him for 5 minutes and then give him some calm affection. Make sure you don’t say goodbye, to your dog.
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This doesn’t mean you’re not giving your dog the regular affection he receives, just not extra attention and affection. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO KEEP THE DOG MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY FULFILLED. Using training and enrichment activities are also calming tools that will help a lot.

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   Crate training can be a very useful tool in preventing but also overcoming separation anxiety. Unfortunately we see too many people making big mistakes when introducing the crate to their dogs.
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   First of all, if you just got your puppy or new adult dog, 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞. Especially in puppies – the fact that they are in an unfamiliar place without the figures it has formed an attachment with can already be an overwhelming emotion for many. Have your dog with you at first, if it’s a puppy even let it sleep on the bed for the first couple of days. From there gradually move him down to a doggie bed next to you and gradually further away or into the crate. Let him form a bond with you first just keep it healthy. ⁣
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   Do apply the crate but very gradually. At first even treat it as if it was a piece of furniture. Place it in a well socialized room, not the basement, garage or laundry room but rather the living room for example. And simply take the door off and ignore it. If the puppy goes in great, if he does not also no problem. ⁣
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   If your puppy already has a negative connotation to the crate then toss some high value treats a few feet in front of the crate and gradually closer until you finish tossing the treats all the way into the end of the crate. Once the puppy turns around toss him another treat but do not prevent him from leaving. ⁣
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   Toss the treat in there with an exaggerated arm motion as this will later be the body cue for the dog to go to his crate. ⁣
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   Once your puppy is willingly following the treat, start a fake out where you pretend to throw a treat in there but don’t do it until the dog is actually in the crate. ⁣
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   Once he does this reliably you can add the verbal cue “crate” right before doing the arm motion and fake toss. ⁣
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   Next close the gate and feed a few treats through it, then open it again. Keep repeating this process several times a day. ⁣
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2. 1. Start feeding him in the crate (preferrably tossing his kibble in there on the floor so he spends more time creating a positive association with it, but still keeping the door open).
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      Every now and then have a treat or a toy in there for him to find. Soon you can start attaching it to the crate with a string or something similar so the dog cannot take it out. ⁣
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      Gradually increase the time your dog is in the crate. ⁣
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      If you have a dog that already shows separation distress, your first departures from him may be as short as taking a few steps back from the crate, then going towards being out of sight, then out in the outside the room, until you can leave your house or apartment and then gradually working up time from there. ⁣
   2. In separation anxiety the first 30 minutes are usually the most crucial ones so try to work many departures of just a few minutes in rather than a few very long departures. ⁣
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      When you come back to the crate if the dog is very excited or anxious, do not let him out. Either ignore him or wait for him to stop. You can go in front of the crate with a squeaker toy for example, press it and if the dog shows interest praise and reward with a treat through the gate. Once he is then quiet you can open and let him out, but still do not shower him with love and overexcitement. Make it as if though nothing special has happened and better use your time with him then in a nice quick training session followed by some play. ⁣
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      When you leave make sure you put your dog in the crate 10 minutes before leaving. Keep using the crate several times for different periods of time, do not establish a pattern. You may start off like this: 10 sec. 20 sec. 15 sec. 30 sec. 10 sec. 15 sec. 30 sec. 20 sec. 40 sec. 40 sec. 30 sec. 45 sec. 1 min. 10 sec. 90 sec. 20 sec …⁣
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      • -Do not crate a puppy wearing a collar. ⁣
      • – Place the crate in a well-socialized part of the house⁣
      • – Ensure that the crate is free of drafts and excessive heat⁣
      • – Do not confine a puppy in the basement or garage⁣
      • – Never use the crate as a form of punishment⁣
      • – Do not allow your children to tease or play with a puppy in a crate⁣
      • – Never keep a puppy in the crate for periods that are longer than his bladder control ⁣
      • – Do not make crating a way of life for the puppy⁣
      • – Never use the crate in order to avoid working on behavioral issues or properly stimulating your dog. ⁣
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Dogs that suffer from separation anxiety, will usually start showing signs of distress when the owner is getting ready to leave. Dogs are masters at recognizing patterns so they know what’s coming (putting on shoes, packing your bag, grabbing your keys … the dog starts getting pre-departure anxiety because it knows these cues are followed by feelings of stress as he is left alone. Counterconditioning can be done keeping the following in mind: ⁠
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– Give the dog something super exciting to do while you pretend to get ready to leave (an interactive super tasty chew toy stuffed with a high reward treat).⁠
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– Create a positive association with the items that trigger pre-departure anxiety (picking up your keys and feeding your dog, packing your bag and playing with him; feed your dog wearing your work cloths or take him for a walk).⁠
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– Pretend to get ready to leave and when you’re dressed make dog perform a down stay or similar while rewarding ever so often. ⁠
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– Pretend to get ready to leave and reward every behavior of the dog that is the opposite of anxious (dog lies down, goes to his bed, gets away from the door …) ⁠
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– Focus on repetition rather than duration. If you were to train 30 minutes a day, you’d be better off doing 30 departures of 1 minute than staying away 3 times for 10 minutes⁠

Are you making your dog’s separation anxiety worse? Read on to find out if you are actually making your dogs separation anxiety worse when you come back home to him. ⁠
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One of the biggest mistakes we see people making is retroactive punishment, in this case, it is punishing a behavior after it has happened. ⁠
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Picture this, you come home from a long day at work and when you get home you find that your dog has pooped on the couch, pissed on the stairs, scratched the door and chewed up your TV remote control. You will be furious and your first instinct may be to yell at the dog, hell even perhaps take him to the puddle of piss or the pile of dog shit and shove his nose in it while telling him no. And look at him, even if you’re not that rough with him, you will ask him what he has done and telling him bad boy. And yes, he knows exactly what he did, look at his guilty face, he must have done it out of spite for leaving him alone in the house right? WRONG … totally WRONG!!! ⁠
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Stop thinking it is a spiteful reaction and look at it through the eyes of separation distress (anxiety, frustration, panic, or boredom). What you interpret as guilt is rather pseudoguilt or the creation through bad habits of punishment (not applying punishment correctly). Furthermore, pseudoguilt is created when the following are present: ⁠
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– Evidence of a destroyed object or soiled area⁠
– The presence of the owner⁠
– A histroy of punishment under similar circumstances in the past⁠
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Dogs live in the moment and cannot make the association that they are being punished for something they did hours or even minutes ago. The last thing that happened was that you just returned home and now they are being punished – this will in fact most likely increase the separation anxiety and the behavior you are punishing the dog for in the first place. ⁠
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Come home, ignore the dog even if it has made a mess and then give him attention once he has calmed down. If he did destroy something, bark all day or urinate and defecate on your sofa, do not blame the dog, blame yourself if you are not dealing with this problem properly or if you are working on it, keep in mind that it will get better.

How much love is too much love ♥️😍 🐶😘 ? Are you creating the separation anxiety of your dog with too much affection?⁠⠀
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Separation distress is often rooted in an unhealthy attachment. This is then strengthened by the dog not being able to control the situation. ⁠⠀
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The signs that lead us to classify certain behavior as separation anxiety such as excessive barking, destruction, pacing and shitting and pissing all over the place are things that if the owner is home will receive a response. ⁠⠀
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There are several studies that suggest that a dog engages in these behaviors because they usually are answered by the owner with his presence. ⁠⠀
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Keep this in mind as you interact with your dogs. Is he being entitled to things such as affection, access to the outside and play? Having an entitled dog means he controls these resources and the initiation of certain activities. If your dog comes over and nudges you with his head to get some head strokes, he is controlling the resource of affection. He decides when he wants to be petted. Therefore when you are not around he loses this control. Same with a dog who barks to be let out and receives it or has a little bell that he rings to go potty. He is deciding when to leave the house and when to return. ⁠⠀
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Separation Distress Disorder (SDS) is a very serious and complex emotional state and the methods used to treat it are often very restrictive. Over the past days we’ve given you a good insight on what you can do to avoid and also treat it. But every case is different and if yours is very extreme you will definitely require some professional help. We’re here to help and happy to do so remotely. If you prefer to work with someone face to face we recommend finding an experienced trainer in your area. ⁠⠀

Training protocols can vary greatly, as it is dependent on so many factors.

How severe is your dogs separation anxiety, how long has it been going on for, how regulated and predictable is your schedule, which alternatives to separation do you have during training etc.

The above posts are meant to offer some guidance and an encouragement to reach out to a professional you trust. Of course we can assist you through our 1-on-1 online coaching as well, since separation anxiety is one of those problems where you must apply the protocol yourself consistently, while we offer some guidance.

Whatever you choose to do, the earlier you address with any signs of separation distress or over-attachment, the less restrictive  behavioral changes can be.

Just know that if you decide to re-home your dog because of separation anxiety, the problem will be solved for you but not for the dog. You will simply put him in a comparable situation than keeping a heroin addict away from opiates cold turkey. If he goes to a shelter, a) most likely will another dog be put down in order to take your dog in b) his issues of separation anxiety will never be addressed, if he’s lucky and doesn’t get put down he will go to a family who does not know of his problems and doesn’t even have any connection to the dog, such as you once had. So if you chose abandoning your dog, what do you think that person will choose?

It may be a month of hard, consistent work ahead of you before you can even see any results. And several months of continued work thereafter. But it is something that you owe to the greatest companion animals of all time – your dog.