Separation anxiety

Reader Marika writes:

"I have a 4 year old Golden Retriever, Dakota, who I love and adore and spoil way too much.  I've had her for a year now - she was relinqushed for adoption by her previous family because she refused to remain in their unfenced yard.  She briefly lived in a foster home before coming to me.  Until recently, she has been practically perfect (if you overlook her inability to always come when called).  No major issues.  A month ago, I went on vacation for 10 days - the longest we had been apart.  During that time, she stayed with three different people - including one person dropping her off at her doggy day care and a separate person picking her up.  Since I have returned, she seems to have developed some separation anxiety issues.  When I drop her off at the day care (a once a week treat because she used to adore it) - she doesn't want to go (though they tell me she has fun while there). Once I hand one of the people her leash, she digs her feet into the floor and won't budge (instead of sprinting to get back to her friends like she used to).  today, the lady had to physically turn Dakota away from me.  I try to keep our good bye simple, but it doesn't seem to make a difference.  Another example - last summer when I ran track workouts, I would tie her to the fence and she would just lie down and wait for me.  I tried that last week - and she whined the entire time (the first time I have heard her do that) and started digging.

 I have a family vacation in Idaho planned... and I am worried to go now.  I live in Anchorage, a place with no real snakes and I am scared to take her because of the potential for rattlesnakes. However, I am also scared to leave her behind.  Am I just over-reacting?  Is there a way to cure her of her newfound separation anxiety?"

Marika's question about how to cure her dog's separation anxiety is one I get a lot.  Separation anxiety is something you don't want to mess around with because the possibility of a small case getting much worse is high and I'm thrilled that Marika wants to nip this problem in the bud before it gets much worse.

Marika's dog is adopted and separation anxiety is fairly common in dogs who have been relinquished by their first owners.  This dog not only had a first home but also a second for a short period of time with a foster family before ending up in her forever home with Marika.  She's an adult dog who, by Marika's own admission, has been loved and "spoiled" by her new owner since her adoption.   I hate to say this, but that sent some red flags up.   I can't speak for Marika, but "spoiled" dogs are quite often not given the proper cues before major life changes are going to happen.  We overcompensate for our lifestyle changes by showering our dogs with love and affection, teaching the dogs to get used to this attention, and then abruptly stop it when we're not around so much.  Talk about pulling the rug out from under the dog!

I'm sure Dakota was pretty happy with her new routine in her new home until Marika went on vacation and had to have Dakota shuttled between multiple pet watchers.  This is not to say that Marika shouldn't have gone on vacation, she's an adult and she should have her own life, and I don't even know from the limited information I have if the transition between owner to sitter and back could have been any smoother, but now that she's home I don't think Dakota wants to see her owner go away anytime soon.  But she is, Marika's going on another vacation (actually, she's probably already gone on that vacation.  Her question didn't come up in the queue until now - sorry Marika!), and the dog isn't going to like it.

The best thing to do with a dog with separation anxiety is to start them on an intense desensitizing program.  Start by getting the dog used to you leaving for short periods of time and then work up to leaving the dog for extended periods of time, like a vacation.  For guidelines on how to do this, check out this article on the ASPCA website and then call a trainer if you need help.

The same goes for the daycare, if your dog doesn't want to leave you for what normally is his favorite activity try getting him used to just the drive over to the daycare facility.  Praise him for being there and then drive home.  Work in small steps - drive to facility; drive to facility and get out of the car with the dog; drive to the facility, get out of the car with the dog, walk to the front door, etc. - until you can walk into the daycare, hand over your dog and leave without too much stress to the dog.

Remember, there is no magic bullet.  Your dog's separation anxiety could be a big problem and that means big solutions.  It's going to take some time and effort on your part to ease your dog back into a normal routine.  In the meantime, my advice to Marika is to enlist the help of a dog trainer and/or a certified pet behaviorist in her area for Dakota's separation anxiety.  A trainer will help with those step by step solutions.

In the meantime, try the book "I'll Be Home Soon" by Patricia McConnell.  Short and easy to read, that's a good place to start.

Good luck!

Comments

[Family Therapy]

I recently came across your blog and have been reading about medical services I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading.I will keep visiting this blog very often.

[オテモヤン]

http://oppao.net/n-ona/
http://oppao.net/navi/
http://oppao.net/new-d2/
http://oppao.net/fd3/
http://oppao.net/soap2/
http://oppao.net/bg2/
http://oppao.net/host2/
http://oppao.net/lesson2/
http://oppao.net/op2/
http://oppao.net/fl3/
http://oppao.net/bb2/
http://oppao.net/s-este/
http://oppao.net/rd2/
http://oppao.net/kawa/
http://oppao.net/n-club2/
http://s-auc.net/

[Dog Boarding]

Thanks for the info. I agree with the "go slow" approach with lots of positive reinforcement! Mags

[Pete]

We had a Beagle that had separation anxiety. Vet prescribed clomicalm which he took for a few weeks. Helped a lot.

[SEO Company]

HEYYY Golden Retriever is a one of the lovely bride. I love dogs a lot but specialy Golden Retriever.
seo services

[jason]

If you like this site you may want to check out, http://www.dogculture.net
A free online dog lovers community,
Share, connect & discuss dogs - Dog breeders

[dog toys]

I need to try this things out, as I am currently on the kind of situation..

[Celine]

I have a 2 years old staffy, Fiona, she had been discarded by her previous owner on the account that she was too boisterous. At home, she is a lovely dog, always craving attention. When I have been gone for some time, she tends to jump on me and, like a puppy, she will grab my arm. Even though it looks cute to us, humans, I try not to give in and stroke her but wait until she has calmed down and is more relaxed. I believe the company of my other dog, Kane, helps Fiona overcome her anxiety when I leave her behind.
If you would like to read more about my 2 rescue dogs, you are welcome to visit my blog: http://blog.dogsland.co.uk/

[online pet insurance]

Great post! I can say that it’s important to realize that owning a pet isn’t for everyone. Pets do come with additional work and responsibility, which can bring its own stress.

[banquet manager]

I love dogs too but can never understand why a couple would take one to their wedding. I even wrote a post about it on my blog:
Why is There a Dog Here?

[Clenbuterol]

It is obvious that those people treated the dog bad!

[Steve]

Thank you so much for this information! It comes very much in hand right now, I'm having terrible issues with my Yorkie...

[Kay]

Thanks for sharing your story.

[Gary Dog Trainer Clemmons]

Indeed, dogs are social animals and they too can get depressed just like any normal people. Interesting post. Keep it up!

[dog beds]

Excellent advice. Desensitization training sounds weird at first, like play-acting, but with repetition and the occasional refresher, it really gets the job done.

[buy ativan]

Whenever I have a panic attack I have taken Ativan 5mg dose and it seems to relieve the overwhelming feeling and I ca relax enough to re-group.

[chloe]

Chloe Handbags affect most women’s feeling. Chloe Bag is catching with soft leather and elegant style. Chloe is a brand of well-deserved reputation and there is no question about it. http://www.discountchloe.com

[Homeowner Insurance]

Thanks for the book suggestion and those tips. Very relevant information.

[supaman]

You picked a great topic for this post and you wrote about it well. I have seen a couple of other websites with similar content but no one has performed a better job than you on writing about it.

[mark hans]

Thanks a lot for sharing us about this topic.

[Kurt Kobain]

Dog is a loyal friend to humans but we dont value them what they deserve. A quote illustrates this:
"Dogs and philosophers do the greatest good and get the fewest rewards."

[אילוף כלבים]

What an amazing post!
Thank you for doing a great job

[Nick]

Wow, the story at the top is just written so nicely. I love it! Dogs are just amazing.

[jengo mango]

I enjoy a couple of from the articles which have been written, and particularly the comments posted!
http://www.jengomango.com/

[adds]

Rihtaš mal? Rihtaš?