La separation anxiety in dogs An estimated 43% suffer from it, causing a lot of tension for different reasons. Hundreds of them experience serious disorders stemming from this problem as a result of premature weaning, while others have created it as a result of finding themselves in a horrible circumstance alone, among many different causes.
What is separation anxiety in dogs?
It is a pathology that is characterized as the pressure condition that the canine reaches when it does not approach its owner. This state does not occur in the light of the creature feeling dependent on its human being, but rather that it is not prepared to deal with the circumstance of despondency and detachment.
Without a doubt, this is a fairly well-known situation and it is our duty to ensure that the creature remains emotionally stable. Find out how to tell if your dog has shedding discomfort and how to treat it. It is interesting to educate oneself as when there is fever in dogs.
Types of separation anxiety in dogs
It is always necessary to understand that there are several types or degrees of tension caused by separation in the canines, which are caused by the close relationship of the owner with his canine, with a helpless detachment resulting from the break, which is why it is worth educating yourself. with the necessary information to avoid future damage.
Type A hyperattachment
It occurs in canines that have been hastily isolated from their mother and relatives. When he's weaned early, the canine hasn't experienced a dynamic separation, so he hasn't figured out how to isolate himself from his safe seat (all things considered his mom).
In a world where warmth should rule, weaning should be allowed to occur normally until the mother can instruct her pup to stay out of her shelter. In this sense, the best age to receive a puppy is from three months of age, in order to avoid the advancement of this disorder as well as to prevent socialization and behavior problems, which are caused by early shedding.
Type B hyperattachment
It occurs as a result of having spent a lot of time with the dog, for example, after a vacation getaway or a work trip. For this situation, the canine was at first prepared to endure helplessness, but after finding that close contact with his favorite person, he makes a kind of dependency that causes tension when his protection agent is missing.
type C
It occurs when the canine has endured a horrible or negative experience being distant from others. For this situation, the detachment tension manifests itself just as the canine's terrifying impulse appears.
At the moment when he remains at home alone, the canine feels weakened, in serious risk, and an alarm state is activated that can cause the spraying of items, frantic crying. As its name indicates, the separation for a time, be it short or long, between canine and owner produces in the canine a condition of wild tension for him.
Causes of separation anxiety in dogs
Before delving into the side effects of this type of separation anxiety disorders and the possible responses to treat it, it is essential to discuss the most widely recognized causes that cause it. Premature weaning is one of the most recognized explanations behind the causes of this problem.
In the same way, moving to another house or abandonment is also one of the fundamental factors of separation anxiety in dogs. Therefore, it is expected that these types of cases will be discovered among canines, adults or elderly, due to the separation experienced with their previous owners. In any case, they are not the only reasons that cause these imbalances, it also usually happens for the following reasons:
On the off chance that you were spending a large part of the day with your dog and suddenly you stop, this is probably why. Going from being with you all the time to spending a lot of time alone at home may have triggered a condition of type B discomfort, or secondary hyperattachment.
When looking at the cause of separation anxiety, it's paramount to get him to reestablish enthusiastic trust towards the canine, as he finds it downright terrible to be distant from others. However, how do you analyze to find out? Go to the expert as you would if it were for uveitis in dogs.
Symptoms of separation anxiety in dogs
In the middle of the separation, the canine with this type of discomfort can show productive symptoms or deficit manifestations. The productive symptoms must be mentioned:
devastating conduct: At the point where you are distant from everyone else in the house, you can destroy items, furniture, and even dispel trash.
Extreme screams: Which consist of, whining, crying, depending on the variety of the dog, in any case, they can cry when they are alone.
defecate or urinate inside the house: They particularly do it right next to the exit door, although they would also do it throughout the house. It usually happens with those dogs that have been trained to urinate and poop outside the home, this would be an indication that something is wrong, this surprising behavior can be the key that reveals that something is not right.
Diarrhea or vomiting: In severe cases of stress, it is so palpable to see these types of reactions, even though they are usually not that often.
As for the deficit effects shown by separation anxiety in dogs, the following are counted:
lose their appetite and then the question arises why my dog does not want to eat?, easy to analyze, if he is not sick he presents a depressive picture of separation anxiety, which must be attended to promptly.
They don't drink anything, remain in complete abstinence.
stop playingThey don't lean on their toys, even food containers.
Following the course of the signs that lead to a state of separation anxiety in dogs, we must now continue with the related signs, which usually occur before or after departures:
anticipatory anxiety: The canine recognizes the media that precedes the departure and before the separation occurs, he is apprehensive, barks, whines, cries, chases the human and tries to stand out enough to be noticed.
Exaggerated reception: In fact, even before his master enters the house, the canine could be barking, bouncing or scratching the entrance in welcome, he is still apprehensive, bouncing and making different vocalizations, the normal of a misrepresented welcome.
If you notice any or all of these signs, you should take them to the vet to make sure it is separation tension, and not the result of a physical variation of cold in dogs or inner pathology.
Furthermore, it is conceivable to confuse the manifestations with the signs that have appeared as a result of different issues, making an unfounded conclusion. The most recognized cases in which this happens are the following:
absence of stimulus: Fatigue, lack of activity, inability to create exploratory behavior, incite dangerous behavior in the canine, which is often confused with secondary effects of separation stress.
Excess stimulation: The simple fact of hearing the barking of different canines, hearing the doorbell of the house or the neighbors, hearing the neighbors talking or entering their house, can make the dog become apprehensive and bark, whine or cry, all that is identified with an absence of socialization.
How to correct separation anxiety in dogs? – Guidelines
The way to correct separation anxiety in dogs includes several elements. From one point of view, it is essential to distinguish the reason to address it, since to get rid of it, it is important to follow up on the basis of the problem.
On the other hand, it is imperative to deal with the manifestations in order to lessen the tension as much as is reasonably expected and to deal with the hidden reason more successfully. In this way, when everything is clarified, the guide of activities to follow incorporates for the most part the attached rules:
- Carry out change strategies.
- Natural treatment with drugs or pheromones.
Modify the relationship with your dog
Therefore, fortifying the dog when he is in a state of anxiety (before leaving or when appearing) or while showing any of the reactions mentioned above is absolutely disadvantageous. In this way, it is essential to consider these proposals:
- Don't pay attention to him until he's totally quiet, if he's still out of control trying to get your attention, ignore him. Try not to come back in case you hear him start barking, whining, or growling as he leaves.
Work on your exit signs
This strategy consisted of doing the normal exit planning during the day, for example, taking the keys or putting on the coat, but without going out to reduce the predictive estimate of the route no matter how much it could be expected, taking into account that in this way the canine he would refrain from being nervous or focused when he sensed his masters leaving the house.
In this way, it is suggested to continue with the habit of regular departure. Undoubtedly, despite the fact that your signals are peeling, it is essential that you adjust certain parts of your regular output habit, for example, the ones mentioned below:
The moment he returns home, ignore him completely, so don't welcome him back until he's relaxed and collected. In the event that you greet him when he appears again, you would be unknowingly reinforcing the nervous behavior.
Take small outings, several times a day
Practicing exit signals without going outside keeps the canine in a state of constant nervousness, however, making really short outings during the day can help decrease the canine's separation anxiety, helping him more easily deal with being left alone and making understand that your people will return.
In this way, it is strongly prescribed to plan a progression of trips throughout the day to begin to get him out of the habit, which will be called false starts. This implies that, from there, the treatment that will help the creature to deal with the separation will begin.
It is a way for the dog to understand that this exit is part of the preparation and that, in a short period of time, his people will return, that will allow him to be calm. Proceed with the following steps:
- Towards the beginning, take extremely short outings, five minutes maximum, when you go out, stay out and come back later. Be sure to set the exit sign before you leave.
- Do them as many times as you can a day so that the canine gets used to them, understands that you usually come back and is correct that being distant from others is not negative.
- As the canine gets used to it, decrease the number of false starts. If you stop treatment without having achieved the ideal results, you will not have achieved anything and your dog will continue to show separation discomfort.
Maintain a stimulated environment in your absence
Although your home may seem pleasant to you, make sure that it is also pleasant for your dog. Do you have the necessary means to keep him home alone during your absence? Do you usually turn off the light when you leave? To reduce stress on your furry companion, however much you might expect, it's essential to supplement the above rules with proper spacing.
Use a camera to keep an eye on your dog
Arrange the possession of cameras that allow you to monitor your animals during your absence from home. In this sense, it is much easier to configure a suitable activity schedule and check if the configuration rules are working or if you should modify them. This camera will allow you to:
Know how your dog is in the midst of your absence even at dusk, since it has night vision. Recognize what a bark is as you have a ready frame that activates when you hear the bark. As you watch them, do nothing but note the second they started and why, as this can help you tailor treatment.
Be patient and be consistent
Tolerance and determination will be your best partners throughout the procedure, for this it is suggested that you do not break with the established rules, as just suggested, and that you go to an expert if you need it.
If the months go by and your dog continues as before, it is possible that some of the rules are not being applied accurately, or that your dog needs a better activity schedule that only an instructor or ethologist can decide after really evaluating the case. .
Medicinal treatment for separation anxiety in dogs
The use of medications or manufactured pheromones can help speed up the recovery process by incidentally lowering the pressure on the canine. In this line, it allows you to work much better on the reason for the problem and on the manifestations.
Particularly in cases of separation anxiety in small dogs, diffusing pheromones help establish casual dominance in the midst of absence on the grounds that the spread scent is equivalent to that of the mother. In adult canines it usually doesn't work, but it's wise to try.
Regarding the use of medications to treat separation anxiety in dogs, it is essential to remember that both these elements and pheromones do not treat the problem, but fight against the pressure exerted, which is one of the main indications. You can treat these depressive moments with the following medications as long as they are recommended by your veterinarian:
- Fluoxetine
- alprazolan
- Clomipramine
Can You Adopt Another Dog To Treat Separation Anxiety?
The answer is no, because the problem lies in not supervising depression due to the relationship established with the owner, so the reality of presenting another canine will not transform anything, on the contrary, it can worsen it.
The nervous canine will continue to create pressure when anxiety sets in, whether or not it is accompanied by another canine. On the other hand, if the dog's separation anxiety is not treated properly, there is a risk that the new canine will choose to copy it, causing a double problem.
Common mistakes when treating separation anxiety
Many mistakes are made when trying to avoid separation anxiety, you have to take into account what is not necessary and what you can avoid to help your dog get through the entire separation process:
- Repress the canine by demonstrating any of the manifestations.
- Keep it in a small space. This does not treat the problem, it aggravates it.
- Include another creature.
- Not be consistent in treatment.
- Committing abuses with the treatment indicated by the veterinarian.
- Remove the water you drink for fear of urinating inside the house.
