Bernie's Dog Training and Pet Care Services

As with any behavior modification, it is important that you have established yourself as the pack leader. With anxious dogs this is extremely important. In order to build the dog’s confidence, he must feel secure in the knowledge that you are in charge and that you will make decisions that will ensure the safety of the pack (all the humans and the dog/s in the household). If there is a lack of leadership, the anxious dog will remain fearful and confused.

Exercise and obedience are equally important. A daily walk is a must to ensure the dog is receiving the proper physical exercise as well as mental stimulation (dogs get bored!). The walk is also an excellent activity in which to establish your leadership. Consult a dog trainer in your area for proper leash techniques.

All dogs should know the five basic commands – sit, down, stay, heel, come. Working with your dog on these commands will help establish your leadership, build the dog’s confidence and will exercise the dog’s mind and body.

There is a lot of conflicting information on how to treat separation anxiety. There is never “one” technique that works with every dog. Through trial and error, you must find what works for your specific dog. I will outline techniques that have worked with my clients in the past.

I think the most important behavior change on the human’s part comes into play during departure and arrival. When leaving an anxious dog, and any other dog for that matter, you should be nonchalant. Do not talk to the dog for 15 minutes before departure. If the dog is crated, calmly lead the dog into his crate without words and leave the house. I find that guardians often feel as if they are being mean when ignoring the dog. Keep in mind, you are helping the dog and doing what is best for him…not what is best for you.

Arrival should follow the same pattern as departure…calmly lead the dog outside for toileting purposes, but do not speak to him for the first 15 minutes or so. This also works for non-anxious dogs in helping to make arrivals a calm event, not a manic, excited event with jumping and nipping.

Leaving the dog with something to chew sometimes works, but usually they are too anxious to care about treats or chew toys. If your dog is very food motivated, you might consider a chew toy that can be stuffed with treats or frozen peanut butter. This will give the dog something to pass the time and act as a distraction.

A long walk or a game of fetch prior to your departure will help drain energy and encourage the dog to go into “nap” mode. Make sure your dog gets lots of exercise before you leave him alone!

I worked with a very fearful, anxious dog who, when left alone, vomited and soiled the furniture. He refused to enter a crate. For several weeks we worked on making the crate a happy place. The crate was placed in the living room where the family spent most of their time. He was fed in his crate. He was given treats and chews in his crate. Eventually, he began going into the crate on his own volition. We also desensitized him to the trigger that set off his anxiety - when his guardians went upstairs to change their clothes prior to departure. The family members practiced going upstairs and changing into work clothes, coming downstairs, and then going back up and changing back to their original clothes. They practiced this desensitization over and over through the course of several weeks. It took patience and perseverance, but it paid off and now the family is happy to report that he willingly goes into his crate upon their departure and remains calm until they return home.

Of course, other behavior changes on the humans’ parts were necessary as well. The humans all began practicing their leadership skills and they stopped nurturing the dog’s fear. Stoking and petting a dog who is in a state of anxiety will only reinforce his fear. It is best to be more matter-of-fact when a dog is in a fearful state…and to show leadership.

Find the triggers that begin your dog’s anxiety and practice them when you don’t plan to actually leave the house. It may be when you grab your keys, when you open the door, when you brush your teeth, etc. List your dog’s triggers and work on desensitizing the dog’s reaction to them.

After practicing desensitization to the triggers, practice walking out the door and returning immediately. This is another trigger. Do this until you can walk out the door and the dog remains calm. It is now time to walk out the door and stay outside for five minutes. Again, repeat until the dog remains calm. Next, walk out and start the car. Turn the car off and enter the house. Keep extending the time you are gone until you can get in the car and drive around the block and return home. Each step can take a few days or a few weeks depending on the dog. Eventually you should be able to leave the house without stressing the dog.

I firmly believe that crating a dog is the best way to decrease your dog’s anxiety. Dogs are den animals who prefer small spaces to sleep. A crate should become their safe haven. It should never be used as punishment. Sometimes all a dog needs is a gentle push and they will forevermore go happily into the crate. Staying confined in a crate also helps ensure the safety of your dog and your house.

Another behavior that should be discouraged is “shadowing” – when your dog follows you from room to room, even into the bathroom! If your dog isn’t confident enough to be alone while you are in the house, he will most likely not be confident when you leave the house. I encourage my clients to teach the command “go lie down” – with a sweep of the arm pointing toward the dog’s bed. I encourage people to have a designated spot for the dog in the living area where the humans spend the most time. You can place a towel or dog bed in his spot and when he is given the command to “go lie down” he is to return to this spot from anywhere in the house and lie down. It takes repetition…and perhaps treats and/or praise when the dog is lying down. Never treat or praise when he gets up, even when released by the human. The release should remain calm and matter-of-fact. The dog should anticipate the treat or praise when lying down, not when getting up.

I highly recommend reading a booklet called “I’ll Be Home Soon! How to Prevent and Treat Separation Anxiety” by Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D. She details how to recognize separation anxiety and how to desensitize the dog’s triggers using positive techniques.

On last word, do not get another dog because you believe he will keep your dog company and cure the separation anxiety. The anxiety is due to the dog’s separation from the human, and even with another dog present, he will probably still be anxious when separated from his human.

Don’t give up! With time and patience you can help lead your dog into a happier, more confident life!

Bernadette Failla
Dog Trainer