Separation Anxiety

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Behavior Patterns

  • Watch for stress signals: barking, pacing, hyper-vigilance

  • Notice disinterest in KONG lying in the middle of the living room

  • Anxiety usually escalates with time

Counter Conditioning to Departure Cues

  • Dog is prompted to go to dog bed
  • Dog is reinforced for staying in dog bed while person walks to door
  • Inability to hold position would be an indication to drop criteria

Cues at a Distance

  • Leash is attached to immovable object
  • Training mat is placed in-between leash attachment and person
  • Dog is given cue at a distance and receives food (and functional reinforcement)

Furbo

  • Training mat is placed in-between Furbo and door (exit point)
  • Furbo reinforces calm behavior, when sounds happen outside
  • Not shown: person comes back after 1 minute departure (functional reinforcement)

Functional Reinforcement

  • Smaller hound dog is back tied (supervised through window)
  • Dog offers down
  • Person reinforces behavior by coming back

Food Toys + Functional Reinforcement

  • Smaller hound dog is back tied (supervised through window)
  • Dogs are relatively calm, alternating between chewing and watching out window
  • Dog vocalizes softly and then lies down. Person comes back, picks up food

The Takeaway

1

Stress Signals

Look for and address signs of anxiety before they escalate. Stress signals included vocalizing, pacing, hyper-vigilance, loss of appetite, destructive behavior, eliminating when left alone (despite being potty trained in other situations).

2

Functional Reinforcement

Teach your dog that calm behavior brings you back, this can be referred to as “functional reinforcement.” Dogs that have separation anxiety are likely to become stressed and frustrated when they are restrained. It’s helpful to teach dogs to respond to cues at a distance by back tying your dog and taking 1-2 steps out of their reach. Cue a well established behavior. Your dog might move to the end of the leash, before realizing that they are unable to walk to you, before offering the desired behavior. Mark good and walk back to your dog to reinforce. With practice and repetition the food will classically counter-condition your dog to the stress / frustration that they would otherwise experience when you walk away and they are not able to follow. Drop criteria if your dog is not able to respond to the cue or if you see signs of stress or frustration.

3

Sound Sensitivity

Work on sound sensitivity in combination with separation training exercises. The more relaxed a dog feels in the environment, the easier it is for them to deal with the stress and frustration of being separated from a loved one. Loud noises or activity (especially in an apartment or complex) can exacerbate anxiety.

4

Music

Choose calm music with low notes to cancel out unsettling noises that can trigger anxiety. Play music during fun, easy training sessions first to condition your dog to have calm, positive associations with that music before using it in combination with separation training exercises. 

5

Furbos

Be cautious about using a food dispensing device if your dog is sensitive to novel or odd sounds. Test out your dog’s response to the Furbo before using it in combination with separation anxiety training exercises. If your dog is comfortable with the noises, it can be used to reinforce calm behavior.

6

Food Toys

Food toys can be factored into separation training exercises. Food can be used successfully in separation anxiety training when we methodically desensitize and counter-condition dogs to departures and departure cues. In the video titled “Food Toys + Functional Reinforcement” you will notice the one dog becomes stressed and stops eating. She is able to “ask for help” by offering a down. The choice and control that is given to the dog in this exercise will help minimize stress and promote calm, confident behavior in association with departures.

7

Departure Cues

Some dogs learn to associate certain events or activities with departures. For example, picking up the keys, putting on shoes or the sound of a locking door. You can do training exercises that isolate these departures cues, in order to desensitize and counter-condition a dog to this stimuli.

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