Back to school, part 3

Today's installment about separation anxiety is going to focus on prevention but before we delve into the heart of the matter I wanted to revisit, briefly, my experience with Boo. It hasn't been twelve hours since the last posting and I have had a number of emails from friends and adopters who said they had no idea he has such an extreme reaction to being left. After about six months of working with him in conjunction with my veterinarian Boo improved remarkably. Today he watches me leave but doesn't pace, drool or vocalize, instead he lays down like most dogs would. He does get overly excited when I come home but he is not destructive and he is totally reliable in the house. Within six months of working with him Boo's symptoms were greatly alleviated and within a year he was essentially normal. He still gets upset if he is in a new environment and I leave him, like when his Auntie Jill babysits when I go out of town, but he settles down within an hour and enjoys himself while I am gone.

There are a number of things you can do that will help to prevent separation anxiety. Many of these suggestions will also help with dogs that have separation anxiety and they are all good habits to develop. First, when you bring your dog into a new environment, be it coming home for the first time, moving or visiting a friend, it is important to allow them time to explore and familiarize themselves with their surroundings. If you permit your dog some level of independence then they will rely on you less for comfort. This is one of the reasons why new owners are discouraged from trying to do too much with their dogs too soon. They should be permitted time to adjust to their new environment and you should be focusing on helping them ease the transition. Just because you act passively doesn't mean it isn't helping and maintaining a home life where you are not actively engaged all the time is essential to a healthy and well adjusted dog.

Second, keep your goodbyes and hellos low-key but affectionate. In a dog prone to anxiety highly emotional displays before leaving and upon returning may get them worked up as well. As much as you miss your dog going to work should not be as dramatic as a loved one being sent on military deployment. You will be home tonight, you will have food on the table, you will spend quality time with your dog walking them or playing a game. Before I leave my dogs I get all of the things I will need together and right before I walk out the door they get a quick scritch behind the ears and I tell them "Be good, I'll be back soon." Not only does this prevent them from getting excited before I leave but it is a queue that lets them know that today is like any other day, I am going to work, I will be home and we will continue our normal routine upon my return.

When I get home from I walk through the door, greet my dogs with a simple "Hi boys!," set down my things (sometimes groceries as well) and grab the leashes for a walk. As much as it is a relief to be home and as exciting as it is to see the dogs I don't feed their excitement with my own, instead I am calm and affectionate and their energy is channeled into a walk. Even if the walk is short by the time we get home the dogs return to their beds and I take care of getting changed, putting away groceries and preparing dinner. Ultimately, this is all to say that dogs are highly intuitive and if you are upset your dog is likely to pick up on that emotion, so calm loving departures and arrivals help dogs to feel safe and secure.

Third, set boundaries. It is essential that you are seen by your dog as the pack leader. Good things come from you; affection, treats, attention are all yours to give or to withhold. That's not to say that you should love your dog less but instead that they should get the things they want when you choose to give them, not when they make demands. Therefore behaviors such as begging, barking, whiing, pawing, and invasion of your space should not be rewarded. The last thing you want is an entitled dog making demands of you after a long day working so you can buy them designer beds, fancy collars, organic and grain free foods and the best treats. A dog that learns to be polite and understands that you give to them on your terms is less likely to have bouts of anxiety brought on by frustration.

All of these suggestions are designed to help create a sane level of independence in your dog. While they rely on you for their material needs they should not rely on you emotionally to the point of panic when you leave, allow your dog some freedom to explore while keeping an eye on them when introduced to a new place. Calm affection around comings and goings help them to know what to expect, especially when you slowly increase the time you are gone so that it isn't a complete shock to them when you're gone for hours. Setting boundaries reinforces that you are the alpha and that they cannot make demands but they may be rewarded for behaving how you expect. These are some of the most simple ways to prevent an over-attachment that may lead to separation anxiety but if you believe your dog may be suffering from separation anxiety these tips should be taken and implements only with the assistence of your veterinarian.