Dear Dr. Robin: I have a 4-year-old female Doberman. She is probably the most intelligent Doberman I have owned. (She knows many tricks and never has accidents.) In the past, I have always let the dogs have the run of the house when I leave them alone. This one, though, seems to have “separation anxiety.”
If I do not contain her when I am gone, she will find something precious, carry it to the doorway, and destroy it right there where the door opens. She would never do this unless she is alone and free in the house.
When I contain her, she doesn’t seem to object to the airline kennel, but when I return, she acts as though she has suffered. Do I need to kennel her every time I leave the house? Or is there some kind of training or therapy that will help her overcome her anxiety?
– J.L.
A: Separation anxiety is a very real and very specific diagnosis. It involves a distress response that dogs may experience when they are separated from the people to whom they are most attached – usually their owners.
This distress may result in problem behaviors including destruction, vocalization and elimination. Separation anxiety is derived from a larger set of separation-related problems that may result from fear, anxiety, overattachment to owners, and/or lack of appropriate stimulation or interactions.
Dogs with separation anxiety may experience a racing heart rate, excessive panting, stress-induced high blood sugar, vomiting, inappetance, diarrhea, or self-induced trauma from nervous licking/chewing at their own skin. They may also experience self-induced injuries from escape attempts.
One dog patient in our practice jumped through a plate-glass window in an attempt to escape her empty house and find her owners. These dogs may howl, bark or whine when alone, and they may act very depressed once their owners return home.
Step one in dealing with separation anxiety is to get an accurate diagnosis. Start with your primary care veterinarian, and if he or she is not comfortable dealing with a behavior problem such as this, seek the assistance of a board-certified behaviorist.
This is not a problem for a dog trainer. Some dogs with separation anxiety require medication to break the vicious cycle of self-induced stress.
Treatment also involves changing the dog’s response to the cues for the owner’s departure. Some dogs respond quickly to associating the owner’s departure with something positive, like a treat-stuffed toy.
Early intervention is best. The longer separation anxiety is present, the harder it is to eliminate.
Dr. Robin Downing will respond to your questions in her weekly column, but cannot answer individually. Send questions to Robin Downing, DVM, P.O. Box 460, Windsor, CO 80550 or drrobin@windsorvet.com.
