If a trainer tells you that you are the cause of your dog’s separation anxiety, it is time to find another trainer.
Just now, I was reading this article titled ‘how to fix your dog’s separation anxiety.’ Apparently, according to the writer, dogs suffering from separation anxiety need strict rules and structure to overcome it. In fact, according to the author of this article, dogs that can’t stay home alone would do better when their choices are limited. The author says that you need to limit the dog’s excitement and reduce their options for a dog to overcome separation anxiety.
The author’s first step is to make your dog walks structured. This means your dog walks beside you; no sniffing, marking or greeting other dogs because these activities increase the dog’s excitement. Structured walks will help your dog be calm at home. You, as the owner, also need to observe your interactions to ensure that your dog does not get excited. You need to avoid petting and playing with your dog, as this will only get your dog worked up. The article advocates that you should limit your dog’s freedom in the house. You should prevent your dog’s ability to roam freely in the home as this will help your dog let go of the worry and stress that is going on around him. A dog that follows you around the house and can’t let you out of sight or a dog that reacts to every sound is not relaxed. The author argues that we need to interrupt the cycle of barking stemming from stress and to do that, they recommend a high-quality bark collar (aka shock collars) and then recommend a couple of brands. Other options are to increase exercise when possible and recommend treadmill training and structured play that mentally and physically tired the dog out.
Another article says separation anxiety is ‘a togetherness addiction.’ The author of this article says that to fix your dog’s separation anxiety, you need to reduce your attention and affection, control the space in your home, implement the structured walk, introduce crate training, correct undesirable behaviour, and implement a consistent routine. According to them, this will fix your dog’s separation anxiety.
I call BS!!
My response to these articles and the many others that hit your feed when you search for the term ‘fixing separation anxiety’ is that they are, at best, garbage and not worth your time to read. But worse, they fundamentally harm the relationship you have with your dog. My heart aches when I read this rubbish. How many dogs have been harmed due to this incorrect and outdated advice? How many people are made to feel responsible for their dog’s anxiety based on this outdated and wrong information? Too many!
These articles imply that your dog’s separation anxiety is your fault. They are all premised on the incorrect assumption that well-adjusted dogs are those who know their place in the home. If only you were the ‘pack leader,’ a theory debunked so many times, it would make your head spin. If you didn’t show affection to your dog or let them sleep on your bed or the sofa, your dog wouldn’t have separation anxiety. If only you made them march beside you on a walk without having the opportunity to sniff and explore as a dog should be able to do. And if they bark, shock the hell of them for barking because that will make an anxious dog less anxious.
Living with a dog with separation anxiety is hard enough without being made to feel that you caused it. You are already living with the judgement of others. Family or friends may not understand your choices, turning down events because of your dog. Neighbours may be tired of listening to your dog bark and howl and complain. Maybe you have been threatened with eviction and have to choose between moving or giving up your dog. Or you are tired of coming home to accidents or destroyed furnishings. Whatever your situation is, the last thing you need to hear is that you are responsible for creating it. Just as your dog can not help feeling this way, you are not the cause of it either.
The science of dog behaviour continues to evolve, providing us with a better understanding of how dogs learn. When we know better, we do better, as Maya Angelou would say. Unfortunately, this has not extended to many in the dog training community who continue to advocate for these outdated approaches. The authors of these articles are still rooted firmly in the archaic philosophy that dominating your dog is the way to go. Science has moved on, but they have not. While there is money to be made, they will continue to publish this rubbish.
Here’s the thing: dogs are naturally social animals. Dogs have evolved over the last 9000+ years to live beside humans. In the previous two centuries, breeding practices have resulted in dogs not only living with humans but also sharing our homes and lives at a level no other animal pairing has come close to doing. Dogs are social sleepers, preferring to be near their family and not isolated in a crate in another room. Dogs explore the world through their noses. We should marvel at their ability to understand and explore their world with their nose, not shock them or pop them with a prong collar if they dare to step out of line with us. Denying a dog their very dogginess is hardly a solution to separation anxiety and frankly borders on abuse. Why get a dog if this is what you want from the relationship? Ikea sells lovely stuffed animals that will make a suitable replacement and eat and poop less than the real thing.
Here are the facts on separation anxiety as we know them today:
While it is not clear why some dogs develop separation anxiety, and others don’t, we know that genetics plays a role. And there is an increased incidence of separation anxiety in puppies from puppy mills, yet another strike against these unethical breeding establishments. Significant shifts in a dog’s routine, such as a house move, the loss of a human or animal companion, early maternal behaviour, or a lack of socialization in the early raising can also be factors. However, letting your dog sniff or explore on a walk does not. Allowing your dog freedom in your home does not. Letting your dog sleep on your bed does not. Treating your dog with kindness does not. Letting your dog be a dog does not result in separation anxiety.
Separation anxiety is a panic disorder and is fear-based. Making your dog more fearful of you will not fix their separation anxiety. The process to fix separation anxiety is simple: through desensitization, we help your dog learn that being alone is okay. The training plan to resolve separation anxiety involves doing daily exercises where you leave for as much time as your dog is comfortable. We progress at your dog’s pace. Slowly, we build up the duration of your being gone until you reach your goal time. It is not a fast process, but it is effective, and it works. Your dog will not incur pain, frustration or fear in this training process. We will not advocate running them to exhaustion on a treadmill or using bark or shock collars to suppress their barking. They will relax and be safe in the knowledge that they will not be alone for longer than they can handle. And you will relax, knowing that we will not ask you to harm, hurt or intimidate your dog in the name of training.
Happy Training!