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Separation Anxiety Question for Dr. McConnell
Dear Dr. McConnell:
We need help with problem we are having with our dog, Hannah, who is a two-year old lab. Lately, she seems to get into trouble when we leave her alone. We often come home to ripped-up pillows on the couch or a puddle on the carpet. Our friends have told us that she has Separation Anxiety. Do you think that could be true, and if so, what should we do about it?
Signed: Worried about Hanna
Dear Worried:
There are a lot of reasons that dogs get into trouble when left alone. Separation Anxiety is one of them, but it’s important to eliminate the other possibilities. Has Hannah learned the human version of what’s an acceptable chew toy and what’s not? Has she been taught to be fully house trained?
Usually dogs with Separation Anxiety, who feel panicked when left alone in the house, do several things that can help you determine what’s going on. They often begin to show signs of nervousness as you prepare to leave, by pacing or whining as you pack up your lunch or put on your coat. Usually (but not always, they don’t read the books!) their digging or chewing is confined to areas around the doors you use to leave the house, or windows they use to watch you as you go.
Before you begin to treat the problem as one of Separation Anxiety, be sure that you’re not dealing with a dog who simply hasn’t gotten the memo on how to behave in the house. If it’s a house training issue, then go back to “puppy training” and get that problem solved. (see Way to Go!) If your dog needs to learn how to be polite in the house, see the instructions on crating in Puppy Primer. But if your dog does have Separation Anxiety, take heart. It is almost always a treatable problem, although it does take some commitment and work on your part.
Here are some things to keep in mind as you work through these issues:
1. Never correct destruction or accidents after the fact. Your dog might look guilty when you walk in the door, but that doesn’t mean that she “knows” she’s been naughty, or that she was just doing it for spite. What she “knows” is that if you come home and there’s a chair in toothpicks or puddles all over the carpet, she’s going to get in trouble. Her appeasing posture is designed to avert your wrath. Don’t show your anger in any way, just be calm (easier said than done, I know!) and clean up the mess. Otherwise you are teaching her that when you come home you are frequently angry with her. That just adds to her anxiety the next time you leave!
2. You can work through minor cases of Separation Anxiety (SA) by just tossing a handful of treats on the floor every time you leave. She’ll learn to associate your leaving with the good feelings she has when she’s snarfing up tasty treats, and stop worrying about your departure.
More serious cases require a more complete treatment plan, but take heart, almost all cases of SA can be solved within a few months. Information about how to diagnosis SA and how to cure it are described in I’ll Be Home Soon. It’s written for professionals and the general public alike, with detailed plans of how to determine if the problem is SA, how to treat it if it is, and some ideas of what to do if it is something else. Most importantly, keep in mind that these kinds of behavior problems almost ALWAYS can be solved with patience and knowledge, and compassion for our best friends, who sometimes need a little extra help from us!
Signed: Worried about Hanna
Dear Worried:
There are a lot of reasons that dogs get into trouble when left alone. Separation Anxiety is one of them, but it’s important to eliminate the other possibilities. Has Hannah learned the human version of what’s an acceptable chew toy and what’s not? Has she been taught to be fully house trained?
Usually dogs with Separation Anxiety, who feel panicked when left alone in the house, do several things that can help you determine what’s going on. They often begin to show signs of nervousness as you prepare to leave, by pacing or whining as you pack up your lunch or put on your coat. Usually (but not always, they don’t read the books!) their digging or chewing is confined to areas around the doors you use to leave the house, or windows they use to watch you as you go.
Before you begin to treat the problem as one of Separation Anxiety, be sure that you’re not dealing with a dog who simply hasn’t gotten the memo on how to behave in the house. If it’s a house training issue, then go back to “puppy training” and get that problem solved. (see Way to Go!) If your dog needs to learn how to be polite in the house, see the instructions on crating in Puppy Primer. But if your dog does have Separation Anxiety, take heart. It is almost always a treatable problem, although it does take some commitment and work on your part.
Here are some things to keep in mind as you work through these issues:
1. Never correct destruction or accidents after the fact. Your dog might look guilty when you walk in the door, but that doesn’t mean that she “knows” she’s been naughty, or that she was just doing it for spite. What she “knows” is that if you come home and there’s a chair in toothpicks or puddles all over the carpet, she’s going to get in trouble. Her appeasing posture is designed to avert your wrath. Don’t show your anger in any way, just be calm (easier said than done, I know!) and clean up the mess. Otherwise you are teaching her that when you come home you are frequently angry with her. That just adds to her anxiety the next time you leave!
2. You can work through minor cases of Separation Anxiety (SA) by just tossing a handful of treats on the floor every time you leave. She’ll learn to associate your leaving with the good feelings she has when she’s snarfing up tasty treats, and stop worrying about your departure.
More serious cases require a more complete treatment plan, but take heart, almost all cases of SA can be solved within a few months. Information about how to diagnosis SA and how to cure it are described in I’ll Be Home Soon. It’s written for professionals and the general public alike, with detailed plans of how to determine if the problem is SA, how to treat it if it is, and some ideas of what to do if it is something else. Most importantly, keep in mind that these kinds of behavior problems almost ALWAYS can be solved with patience and knowledge, and compassion for our best friends, who sometimes need a little extra help from us!
