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Coping with Destructive Behaviour and Separation Anxiety in Dogs

Ron Hines DVM PhD

www.DogDecor.com

Separation anxiety seems to be a disease of urban living. Many dogs become highly psychologically dependant on their owners. When these dogs are left alone, stress causes them to exhibit destructive behavior and separation anxiety. Destructive behavior and separation anxiety occur in all breeds of dogs. For some reason, separation anxiety occurs frequently in herding breeds. Signs of separation anxiety in these dogs can be vocal, self-traumatic or destructive. In some cases, separation anxiety and destructive behavior can be unlearned through training and positive reinforcement. In other cases, separation anxiety and destructive behavior is best treated with oral medications.

1) What is Separation Anxiety (SA)?
Perfect pets, like perfect people are hard to find. Separation anxiety (SA) is a pet’s exaggerated fear over separation from its owners. It is a modern, industrial age, disease. I see it most often in dogs, parrots mice and cats. Simply said, they are afraid of being left alone.

2) What are the Signs of Separation Anxiety ?
You can diagnose SA by noting its signs and symptoms in your pet. After all, you know your pet better than any veterinarian can. Separation anxiety is not the same as boredom, which can also result in chewing, pawing, digging, and other bad behavior. SA begins as a panic soon as you leave, boredom, after an hour or two.

All puppies show some signs of Separation Anxiety. It’s only natural for an infant of any species. But as time passes, normal puppies and other pets show these signs less and less and become more confident about being alone. It’s worrying about your being away or about their being away from “the pack” which is out of line for “teenage” puppies and other pets.

Signs of SA in pets are: fearfulness (worry, apprehensiveness), clinginess, hyperactivity, barking and yelping (screaming in birds), destroying objects, urinating inappropriately, defecating in the house, vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, depression or aggressiveness when they are about to be left alone or think they are about to be. Some over-eat; some under-eat. Some twitch their ears, pace, pant, hide or jump and bounce about. Parrots and cats over-groom, resulting in bald areas on their chests. Some pets can be left alone for no longer than a few minutes before they panic and exhibit these behaviors. Sometimes separation anxiety is caused by a change in schedule that requires the pet to be left alone for longer that normal. Unidentified changes in older pets may also cause sudden separation anxiety, which can be mistaken for senility. What your pet is thinking is that it is about to loose its main friend and that you will not be returning. It is preoccupation with this that sets off the cycle.

I have seen SA equally in male and female pets, unneutered and fixed. Among dogs, dolichocephalic (long nosed) shepherd-like dogs, bred for herding and guarding as well as spaniels and setters more commonly have the condition. I have noticed that dogs with SA tend to be lean or thin and have periodic digestive disturbances. Among cats: Siamese seem over-represented; among birds, Cockatoos, African Grey Parrots and Macaws. Age at onset in dogs is usually 5 months to two years. In parrots it can occur at any age. I would guess that in its severe form, it affects 4-8 % of the pet dog I have seen over the last 40 years and a similar percentage of Parrots. It is much less common in cats.

3) What are the Causes of Separation Anxiety?
Some puppies, kittens and parrots, for reasons we do not entirely understand, retain their normal early fear of being left alone. Perhaps these were puppies that were removed from their parents too young or whose mothers were unavailable. Others come from families of dogs genetically prone to anxiety. Many, are multi-owner dogs that bounced from one home to another, from shelter to shelter. I am a licensed foster parent and many of the pets I have seen with this problem remind me a great deal of my foster children. Certainly some of these pets were abused; but only a small percentage of abused pets develop SA. Social risk factors for SA include early maternal rejection by the dame, lack of stimulation, poor maternal health, and neglect as a puppy. The owner’s personality types also play a part in this disease.

In dogs, the remission rate with SA is fairly high – that is, a lot of your pets are going to have good days and bad ones, good periods and bad periods. Some fortunate ones will cure themselves altogether with minimal help from you. Older pets with SA may have difficulty moving to new homes, accepting new pets, babies and new situations in general. But although we do not yet know the exact cause of separation anxiety, some risk factors are known. Affected pets tend to belong to families that are close-knit. The disorder often develops after a stress such as death or illness in the family, a move, a new baby or pet or changes in family structure. Dogs and people with SA often have parents and siblings with SA. If one human identical twin has SA, the other almost certainly does too. The same pertains to litters of dogs – although with less certainty. I read two interesting articles (Grachev et.al, 1998, Rauch & Savage 1997) that concluded that many humans with similar problems show abnormalities in a tangle of nerve cells near the front of the brain (orbitofrontalstriatal area). The brain is an immensely complicated organ and these types of experiments are difficult to conduct and interpret. Some pediatricians feel that these abnormalities might result from bacterial infections. They call this syndrome PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuro-psychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infection) – a good reason not to over-vaccinate your pets. We definitely need more research on this subject – consider this my pitch for generous funding of my alma mater, the N.I.H. Today all that can be said with certainty is that SA results from abnormalities in neural (nerve) circuitry and/or chemical transmitters in the brain’s basal ganglia (probably nor-epinephrine, serotonin and dopamine).

4) What are Some of the Non-Drug Therapies for Separation Anxiety?
These non-drug therapies should always be the first-line approach when possible. Some times it is possible to improve them without medications and sometimes it isn’t.

In some dogs, all that is required is to place the dog in a smaller space, a “crate”, where they can feel secure when you leave. If the dog panics when crated, don’t force it in. This will make the situation worse. Some people, including me, have problems accepting the crating of dogs for long periods. Crating can be a simple “fix”, but I would try positive reinforcement techniques and medications before I resorted to “crating” my own dog. Positive reinforcement teaches the dog that it does not have to be fearful and panic when it is left alone and that being alone is not such a bad thing. We do this by rewarding desirable behavior and ignoring bad behavior.

Besides positive reinforcement, another term that is thrown around a great deal is “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy”. This has four components: 1) recognizing anxious feelings in your pet, 2) reassurance in anxiety-provoking situations, 3) developing a plan for coping with the situation, and 4) evaluating the success of coping strategies and behavioral therapy.

Here are some practical steps you can take to minimize separation anxiety. All attempt to teach your dog that it does not have to be frightened and panicky when it is left alone and to lessen its dependency:

a) Teach your dogs as many commands as possible. Your pet should be able to “sit” “relax” and “stay” on command while you stroke and reassure him. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to join a group obedience class. Each member of your household should participate in a “take charge” way because it is impossible to have happy, well-adjusted family pet if family members are below it in the “peck order” (social order). The point of this training is teaching anxious dogs to relax and give it confidence. Do the exercises in various rooms of the house and in the yard. Give out praise effusively and chew treats liberally.

b) Find a room in your house that is not easily destroyed. Place the dog in it with some of his favorite toys and stay with him a while. Then leave and shut the door promptly without fanfare. When you return, a few minutes later, give him a pat and his favorite food treat. Over days, repeat this; but each time stay away a little longer. You may leave a radio or television playing but be careful about electrical cords. (The technical term for this is Graduated Exposure or desensitization)

c) Dogs know when you are thinking of leaving long before you do. Perhaps it is because you put on your shoes, pick up your purse or car keys or put on your dress clothes. If you can determine what the clues are that you give your dog, you can try to desensitize him to these clues by repeating them frequently but not leaving and by giving him a treat and praise when he behaves well. When you have made progress, make your departures quiet and quick. (The technical term for this is Contingency Management or unlearning)

d) Some feel that diet might play a part in SA. There is no harm in offering your pet a diet that one leading manufacturer offers as a “brain food” (Prescription Diet Canine b/d) or a hypoallergenic diet (CNM’s HA or Hill’s z/d).

e) In some pets, you can reduce dependency by spending less time with them for a training period of several weeks or months. That means less eye contact, less verbal praise and less comforting, less commands and less scolding. During these periods the dog should not be allowed to sleep in your bed or bedroom. While doing this, never “reward” unwanted behavior by making a scene, scolding or interacting with the pet. Always be mellow with your pet – mellow people tend to have mellow pets. The purpose of all this is to make the pet more self-reliant. (The technical term for this is Response Prevention)

f) There are mixed thoughts about the benefit of having a companion pet for your pet. Some say this may help the situation and others say it will make the problem worse. I have not personally seen this approach work. It will overcome boredom.

g) It really helps to work with someone who has experience with SA in pets because it is fairly easy to make things worse by being too zealous, too harsh, or too shy with your pet.

Other Strategies As I mentioned before, make do not make your departures a big production by hugging the pet and cooing over it because your are guilty about leaving. This only makes the problem worse. Try leaving through a back or side door. Departures should be quick and quiet. The Family should ignore the dog 20 minutes before you leave and 20 minutes after you get home.

Dogs need vigorous exercise once or twice a day. A good plan is to take them for a walk or jog an hour or so before you leave for work and then give them 20 minutes or so to calm down before you leave.

What are the drugs used to treat Separation Anxiety?
I suggest that drug therapy not be used until you have attempted some of the non-drug therapies listed above. Preliminary research suggests that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) may provide effective treatment of separation anxiety disorder and other anxiety disorders in pets. Neither tricyclic antidepressants like Elavil nor benzodiazepines such as Valium have been shown to be more effective than placebos in children although some veterinarians do prescribe them.

I have used Haldol (haloperidol) successfully in parrots, cockatoos and macaws to prevent feather plucking, a form of SA in birds. I do not like the drug because it causes loss of coordination (dyskinesia) and loss of mental acuity. One of my daughters was placed on it and these side effects were debilitating.

I will discuss the general approach to psychopharmacology that I use – some animal behavioralists would probably use non-drug therapy longer than I agree to. This is because I am part pharmacist, somewhat impatient, and because I have seen the success these drugs offer. I have had personal pets, zoo animals and my own children on these medications before. The SSRI’s appear effective in treating SA in pets; they are most certainly effective in human children and adults. SSRI’s are all antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications. SSRI’s all affect the way our pets think, feel, and act. They affect nerves that are involved in the regulation of mood, appetite, sexuality, sleep, aggression, obsessions, and compulsions. They have remarkably few and mild side effects. Some side effects are: dry mouth, sleepiness, dizziness, fatigue, tremors, and constipation. They occur fairly commonly.

Antidepressant and Anti-anxiety Medications of the SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibition Class* ** ***

*Only Clomipramine (Clomacalm) is approved for use in dogs. None are approved for other pets although all have been used.

**Cats are very unique in their metabolism of drugs. I have only used the tricyclic antidepressant, Elavil and the serotonin receptor blocker, cyproheptadine (Periactin) successfully in cats.

***Most of these medicines offer pediatric doses, which can be used to calculate pet doses. Another technique for calculating dose is allometric scaling. As with children one should always start at a dose, which is likely, Too Low (20%) and very slowly increase the dose until it is effective or one is satisfied that it will not work. It can take several months to make a decision.

Brand Name	Generic Name	Brand Name	Generic Name
Anafranil	clomipramine	Celexa	citalopram
BuSpar	buspirone	Sinequan	doxepin
Effexor	venlafaxine	Tofranil	imipramine
Luvox (SSRI)	fluvoxamine	Wellbutrin	bupropion
Paxil (SSRI)	paroxetine	Zoloft	sertraline
Prozac (SSRI)	fluoxetine	Rimeron	mirtazapine
Serzone (SSRI)	nefazodone	Lexapro	escitalopram

When SA is successfully treated, you will notice other changes in your pet. They will usually be less tense, more carefree, enthusiastic, and less depressed. They may get a bit pudgy. Don’t feel guilty about using these medications under your vet’s guidance. There should be no more stigma attached to them than aspirin - you are just treating a brain hormone imbalance. Try to be content with improvements – not total makeovers.

reprinted with kind permission from

Teri Fritts, Customer Service teri@dogdecor.com

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Dogs who don't like being left alone

by Caroline Kjall
http://www.localpetpeople.com

Is your dog chewing on furniture, digging a hole in the carpet or barking non stop when you have left him alone at home? This is your dogs way of dealing with stress and anxiety and it is your job to recognise that and do something about it. You need to reassure your dog that being left is OK and that it in fact can be quite a positive experience.

Start from scratch
Do everything that you normally do when you are going out - put on your jacket, get your keys and mobile, turn the heating down, put the lights out in the kitchen... what ever your routines are - do that!

* Walk out of the door and close and lock it behind you. Wait for circa a minute and then go back inside again, take of your jacket, put the lights on again, turn the heating up... and do something relaxed - read a book, watch TV, start dinner, do the dishes... - but don't greet the dog when you enter the door, be very nonchalant and just get on with what you are going to do (...dishes, read a book, etc.).

* Repeat this exercise as many times as you can muster every day, but with at least half an hours break in between each exercise.

* After a couple of days you can start expanding the time you are out of your home. First day 2 minutes, next day 3 minutes. This is to teach the dog that you will come back soon and that there is no need to get excited. That is also the reason that you should not greet the dog when you enter the door - you are making just as much fuss about him or her being alone as he/she is! A calmly spoken Hello and a quiet stroke over his back is sufficient as a greeting.

You can help the dog cope with the loneliness in additional ways.

Treat treasure hunt
I always used to throw a handful of tiny treats (if your dog is keen on his regular kibble, you can use that), over my living room floor and sofa (yes, I allow my dogs everywhere in my home) and they could spend a good minute or two searching for their sweets, before they even noticed I was gone. There are many different ways to hide the treats or the dogs favourite toy, so that when you leave, it will actually be a positive experience for the dog!

This type of problem will be easier to solve with the help of an experienced dog instructor, who will set up your training to your specific needs, so I would like to advise you to get in touch with your local dog instructor.

reprinted with kind permission from
by Caroline Kjall http://www.localpetpeople.com

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Dealing with Separation Anxiety

Pet Library
http://www.bestfriendspetcare.com/

Separation anxiety can be a tough problem to deal with, for you and your dog. There are several things that may trigger a response of separation anxiety in your dog, including the following: when a dog who is accustomed to constant human companionship is suddenly left alone for the first time; when a change in the routine or family structure occurs; following a long period of time when the dog and his owner were constantly together; or following a traumatic event. Common behaviors occurring from separation anxiety include chewing, digging and scratching at windows or doors; urination and defecation resulting from stress; and barking, crying and howling. It's important to remember that your dog's separation anxiety behavior is part of a panic response, one that he can't help. For that reason, punishment simply will not work.

Some short term solutions can involve leaving your pet with a friend or relative or at a doggie day care facility or boarding kennel. Another temporary measure can involve anti-anxiety medication, though be sure to consult with your veterinarian first. If, however, you're interested in more long-term solutions, you do have options.

Dealing with Separation Anxiety
One exercise that can help with separation anxiety and is fairly easy to execute is to practice sit-stay and down-stay commands using positive reinforcement. This gradually teaches your dog that he can remain calmly in one place while you're elsewhere. You want to say the command, then move briefly out of your dog's sight, gradually increasing the distance and time that you are away from your dog. On your return, use positive reinforcement by gently praising him or giving him a treat. These exercises can easily be incorporated into your normal routine, for instance when you get up to go into another room.

If you're dealing with a fairly minor case of separation anxiety, there are several other things that you can do. First, try leaving your dog with an article of your clothing that has your scent on it. Also, keep all of your departures and arrivals low-key. In fact, experts recommended that you actually ignore your pet for the first few minutes when you arrive home, then calmly pet him. You can also establish a cue that you use every time you leave your dog on short absences. This can be a word or action, something like 'be right back' or the presentation of a chew toy, that should be used during practice sessions. However, avoid using this cue when you'll be gone for longer periods of time.

For more severe cases of separation anxiety, you can do all of the above techniques combined with a process of desensitization meant to get your dog used to being alone. This process should begin with your normal departure activities, things that your dog recognizes like getting the keys, putting on your shoes, or grabbing your coat. Do these normal activities, but then sit back down. Repeat this exercise until your dog does not respond to your actions with distress.

You then want to gradually increase what it is that you're doing. The next step is to do your normal departure activities but then go to the door, open it, then sit back down. After that, increase what you're doing so that you actually step outside, leaving the door open, then return and sit back down. Finally, increase it so that you step outside, close the door, then immediately return and sit back down. Slowly increase the amount of time that you're outside so that you get your dog accustomed to being alone and being calm.

The key here is to proceed very gradually from step to step. You should not go forward a step until you dog shows no signs of distress with what you are doing. If your actions do produce anxiety, you've likely gone too fast and need to return to the earlier step. How long it will take you or how many times you need to repeat each step will vary.

You can start practicing short absences once your dog has learned to tolerate your being outside for several seconds. Start with a minute away and practice as many absences under ten minutes as possible. You can practice several of these in one session, and also practice some short-duration absences scattered throughout the day. Every time that you return, keep your return low-key. Your goal should be to get your dog to handle short absences between thirty and ninety minutes in length. Once that has been accomplished, you can start to try some longer absences.

There are some things that simply won't help with separation anxiety. Punishment should never be used and crating is not recommended. Getting another pet as a companion usually doesn't work either. What can work, however, is lots of patience and understanding.

reprinted with kind permission from Karol Taylor info@bestfriends.org
Member Support Coordinator Best Friends Animal Society
5001 Angel Canyon Road Kanab, UT 84741
http://network.bestfriends.org http://www.bestfriendspetcare.com

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Coping with Destructive Behaviour and Separation Anxiety in Dogs

Dogs who don't like being left alone

Dealing with Separation Anxiety