Our pups were happy when the pandemic started, and we left the city office for the home office. Long walks several times a day, more availability, food and play at your discretion, dog life, what can I say.
However, in recent months more and more companies have resumed business according to normal parameters and employees have returned to their offices. What did this mean for our four-legged friends? Separation anxiety for most of them, with a very high percentage of onset in young dogs, just adopted in 2020.
Separation anxiety represents a behavioral problem that has different manifestations depending on the degree of impairment of the dog. The manifestations are linked to the owner leaving the house, but they can also occur when the owner is at home, but the dog does not have access. The most unpleasant expression of separation anxiety is destructive behavior. The dog destroys doors, windows, clothes or belongings of the owner.
Other signs:
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- Excessive vocalizations that begin as soon as the owner walks out the door: the dog howls like a wolf or howls as if in deep pain;
- Urinating or defecating in prohibited areas – on the bed, on the owner’s belongings.
The triggering factors the main reasons for this phobia can be:
- Changing the owner’s routine;
- Owner’s return to work or school;
- Moving to a new house;
- Visiting a new environment;
- After a stay in a dog kennel;
- Introducing a new member to the family;
- Health problems.
Managing this type of phobia requires several approaches, some training and some tricks.
Reward-based independent learning
Order him to sit in his crib or on the bed, without any physical contact with you. Give him treats to keep him occupied and gradually increase the time until he gets them. The aim of this approach is for the quadruped to learn to associate solitude with something positive and to be independent. Use this approach for commands like: sit, lie down, go home.
Do not pay attention to it at any time of the day without first executing one of the above commands. Practice every day until the time interval between the reward and the execution of the command becomes longer and longer and you can leave him relaxed and calm in his crib and you can leave the room/house.
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We never punish the dog
Remember that your dog’s intentions are not to get revenge for leaving home. Red furniture, doors, urinating, defecating are all manifestations of intense fear and any form of punishment will increase your dog’s anxiety level. Basically, in addition to the fear he feels when you are not there, your dog will also be afraid of being punished when you return home.
Get your dog used to the signs of leaving the house
Put on your work clothes, get your keys, put on your shoes, without leaving the house. Repeat this exercise several times a day to accustom the dog to these signals and notice that he no longer reacts with signs of anxiety.
- Welcome and goodbye!
Before leaving the house we don’t say anything to him or make physical contact, and when we return we pay attention to him only after he has calmed down and is calm. Let’s reserve hugs and caresses for other moments.
- Maintain a predictable environment and routine
Provide your dog with a routine that includes daily play, walks and socialization. It’s not the quantity, but the quality of time spent together and the moment in which everything happens. A predictable environment gives the dog security and calm.
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- Desensitization exercises
Once your dog has become accustomed to the movement cues and is no longer reacting, you can begin desensitization exercises. Use the dog’s energy by playing, command him to go to his crib or space, and offer him a high-value toy or a Kong full of treats. After 15-20 minutes of relaxation, leave the room for a few seconds or minutes and then return. The duration of the departure must be less than the time in which the dog starts to get stressed and never equal (the dog can therefore learn how long it cannot get stressed).
During these exercises you can take a backseat special music for dogs with anxiety.
Drug treatment and pheromones
Your veterinarian may prescribe your dog an additional medication for this behavioral problem. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as fluoxetine, have been shown to be effective in very severe cases of panic attacks, where the dog poses a danger to himself or others.
For milder cases of anxiety, a diffuser or collar with pheromones is recommended Adaptil, supplements with anxiolytic action which together with the previous steps give excellent results.
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To monitor the results, a video camera installed at home is very useful.
If your puppy is having trouble with you coming back to the office and is showing signs of separation anxiety, talk to your vet about the best solution.
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