Preventing Separation Anxiety

Leaving the litter and suddenly being without their mum and siblings can be a stressful time for a puppy. They are in a brand new house, with people they don’t know and new scents and sounds. It’s a lot to take in for a baby. Their world has been turned completely upside down and it can be a very daunting experience for them as a result. We know that it takes approximately 6 months for a young puppy to form healthy secure attachment bonds with their owners in order to feel truly independent and safe. We also know that puppies experience a surge in cortisol, the stress hormone, between the age of 8-10 weeks, so the potential for separation anxiety issues to form during this period is real. Some dogs, such as gundog breeds, are more prone to separation anxiety issues purely from a genetic standpoint. Some dogs develop separation anxiety issues as a result of being left alone when they do not have the ability or confidence to cope. Dealing with a dog who experiences separation anxiety can be very distressing, difficult and isolating for dog owners so prevention, rather than cure, is always best. The good news is that preventing separation anxiety is achievable, here is a guide to help you

Separation anxiety is a mental health condition that leads a puppy or dog to become excessively worried, fearful and stressed when left alone or separated from their handler. It differs from a dog who is merely unhappy about the potential for missing out on something, a dog who is bored or a dog who has been disturbed by a certain noise. It is a very real and genuinely traumatic experience for the dog.

• Howling, barking, whining when left

• Destructive chewing of household items (quite commonly near exits to the house)

• Toileting inside the house

• Not eating when left alone

• The inability to settle prior to you leaving and / or following you around the house

• Trembling / panting

• Self-harm (excessive licking or biting themselves)

• Vomiting

• Pacing and watching exits of the house

• Salivation

I’ve even known a dog to jump through a glazed window as a result of separation stress.

There are many reasons as to why separation anxiety occurs and each dog is different and unique. Some of the most common reasons include:

• Being left alone (often repeatedly) before they have developed the ability to cope

• Leaving a puppy / dog to ‘cry it out’

• Medical conditions

• Genetics

It is important, during the very early days of having your puppy, that you make sure you are as available to them during the day and night as possible. Being available stops panic setting in for them. I wouldn’t recommend returning back to work within a few days of your puppy arriving home. I would recommend that you sleep near to your puppy overnight initially, perhaps with them in your bedroom or you in theirs. You will generally find that doing this means that your puppy feels safer and sleeps much better through the night too.

Pop an exciting thing for your puppy to find and eat in another room while you are not in there once per day. Initially, this could be a new edible chew or a filled Kong. If your puppy feels the need to bring it to where you are to eat it, that’s OK, let them. As they feel more comfortable, a great idea is to tie the Kong or chew to something in another room so it cannot be carried around. Gradually move further away from your puppy as they occupy themselves over time.

Shut the door when you go to the toilet. It provides a short amount of time for your puppy to get used to not being able to follow you everywhere. If your puppy follows you to the toilet, sprinkle a few treats outside the door or in a different room in order to help occupy them as you go.

Have a safe pen/large crate in the room you spend most of the time in. Give your puppy their breakfast in there whilst you are at a distance from your pup, but make sure you have introduced your pen or crate properly first. For help with this, please do contact me. The pen could be in a cozy undisturbed corner of the room with their bed in it, water, some toys and chews and a blanket that holds your scent. A crate can also serve as a safe ‘den’ if introduced positively. Make sure this space is inviting and comfortable, so your puppy associates it with relaxation, security and is happy in there. Don’t force them inside the pen area and don’t let them out if they panic. Keeping the door completely open to begin with so that they can come and go as they please can be really helpful.

Start to desensitise your puppy to the cues that you give them when you are about to leave the house. If you haven’t noticed already, our puppies are always watching what we do and, because we are quite predictable in our routines, they learn them very quickly. Think about the specific routine you go through before you leave the house. Quite often we have a routine of doing things; where we put our shoes on, where we pick our keys up, where we put our coats on, what we do before we leave and so on. Puppies (and older dogs) learn that these ‘departure cues’ mean that they are about to be left alone and their anxiety about being left can start as soon as your routine starts, before you’ve even left. Go through your various routines, pick you keys up and watch TV. Pop your coat on and make dinner. Start to desensitise them to the actual departure cues of being left alone so that anxiety doesn’t set in.

Your plan for leaving will be predictable:

• 5-10 minutes of gentle exercise (nothing too exciting such as chasing balls)

• 5 minutes of training to tire those brains out nicely

• Out to the toilet

• Grab a long lasting chew (nothing that gets left out all the time) or a filled Kong

• Pop your puppy in their pen and wait until they are fully engrossed in what you have given them (it is important not to just pop them in the pen with a chew and leave straight away)

• Step out of the pen and start with being as far away from your puppy as they can cope. That might be just outside of the pen to start with or even just a few steps away. Do not go so far away that your puppy starts to worry

• Don’t leave for too long (you might have to start with only a few seconds to begin with)

• If your puppy becomes distressed, don’t leave them worrying. Return to them, open the pen and try again the next day but for much less time

• Each day get gradually further and further away until you can be in a different room to where your puppy is without them worrying

• Over time, increase the amount of time they are left gradually

Work on getting your puppy used to you moving around the house without them by turning your departure into a ‘boring’ exercise. To do this, start with your puppy in the room with you, ideally when they are settled. Walk towards the door of the room and return immediately to where you started from. Do this ten times. If your puppy moves with you, that’s OK. Just keep walking towards the door and back again. At some point, your puppy will realise that nothing is happening and that it is ‘boring’ to be following you and will stay settled as you do this. When they do, your next step is to walk towards the door, open it and close it again; returning to where you started from for ten reps. The next step is to walk towards the door, open it, step over the threshold and back into the room again, returning to where you started from for ten reps. The next step is to repeat the above but this time step out of sight of your puppy (but don’t close the door behind you) for ten reps. The next step is to repeat the above but close the door behind you for a split second before returning to where you started from for ten reps. If your puppy is staying settled and not following you when you get to this step, you can gradually increase the time you are out of the room for gradually. Once your puppy is used to this, you can start to repeat the exercise, working up to the door that you usually leave the house from. If your puppy is consistently following you or worrying when you are working through this, please get in touch with a professional trainer.

1. Medical issues: underlying or obvious medical issues can contribute to increased separation anxiety issues in dogs. If your puppy or dog is experiencing separation anxiety, ensure that they have a thorough medical examination by a professional Veterinarian first and then contact a professional trainer for help.

2. Physical and mental stimulation: make sure that your puppy has a mixture of physical and mental stimulation exercises throughout the day. Tired bodies but wired brains make it hard for a puppy to settle. We need to ensure that we work their brain as well as their body.

3. Don’t punish them: punishment for anxiety related behaviours can make the problem much worse. Never punish a puppy or dog if they display any of the signs of separation anxiety. They are already stressed and are simply asking for help. It is important that we don’t become unpredictable and scary. We are their ‘safe people’ after all.

4. Use technology: consider using a pet camera to monitor your puppy’s ability to cope alone. There is no way to guarantee that they are happy and settled without seeing it. Some cameras allow for treats to be dispensed which have their pros and cons when working on separation and I would strongly recommend you seek help from a professional trainer to guide you here.

5. Seek help: if your puppy shows signs of separation anxiety, seeking help from a trainer sooner than later is strongly advised.

6. If you are unable to ensure that your puppy isn’t left completely alone in the early days: always consider whether they can accompany you. After all, appropriate trips out are great for socialisation. If this is not possible then you must look at ensuring that your puppy remains safe. Consider:

• If your puppy can be left for short periods, ensure that their collar / harness / lead is removed beforehand.

• Ensure that you are leaving your puppy in a safe space which is puppy proofed. A puppy pen is highly recommended and when set-up and introduced properly, can be a very safe space for a puppy to settle in. If you are leaving your puppy in a small room, please make sure you have fully puppy-proofed it, removing any dangerous cables, furniture or household items that your puppy might chew on.