General Client Recommendations For Behavioral Intervention Of Dogs With Separation Anxiety:
General Client Recommendations For Behavioral Intervention Of Dogs With Separation Anxiety:
1- Do not apologize to the dog when you leave and do not try to reassure the dog by telling him or her it is OK if the dog is clearly unhappy.If that is done, it will reinforce the appropriateness of the anxiety. Instead, put the dog in the safe place that he or she is usually kept and say, "Good-bye " Walks or exercise before leaving are great ideas, but you want to avoid any special behaviors that will only occur when you are leaving, because they may signal your eminent departure.
2- When you return, do not fuss over the dog. Instead, ask the dog to sit for any attention, take it for a walk or let it out, and talk to the dog or play with a toy. When the dog is finally calm and will sit or lie down for you, the owner can fuss over the dog if, and only if, the dog continues to relax. This behavior is not taxing to either dog or owner. Keeping the dog relaxed can be as simple as changing Your petting style from quick, energetic pats to long, slow rubs.
3- Try to figure out which cues the dog uses to signal your departure and scramble them. If you only put on make-up or pick up a briefcase when you go to work, do so on a day off. If you only wear sweats when you stay home, wear them to work and change there. If picking up your keys or turning off your computer is the signal that you are leaving, do so well in advance of your departure an then sit own. There are no data showing which is more important—the unpredictability or coupling the cues with more behaviors that say that there is no reason to worry. Signs of anxiety in dogs include increased respiratory and heart rates, pacing, increased motor activity, increased vigilance and scanning and whining. As soon as the owner sees these signs in the dog, it may be too late. Do not let the animal prolong these behaviors.
4- In general, this type of dog benefits from teaching it to relax and looks to the pet owner for information about whether its behavior is appropriate. There is no reason to withdraw love from these or any other dogs as part of reshaping their behaviors. I mention this because it is an often-touted piece of advice that may well make anxious dogs worse. Instead, they can have as much love as they want, if they earn it. They earn it by sitting and waiting for everything they want, by being calm, by being deferential and patient (very different from being submissive which may indicate deeper anxiety, or an attempt to deal with it), and by learning to show the physical signs of underlying physiological calmness.
