When we think of behavior problems in dogs and finding solutions with training, people often think in terms of behaviorism. Behaviorism looks at a behavior and attempts to change it through reinforcement or punishment. Unfortunately, behavior is much more complex in dogs especially when the behavior displayed is rooted in anxiety.
If we think about the punishment/reward model for a condition like separation anxiety, we would be tasked with remotely rewarding the dog’s calm behavior when they are alone. Likewise, we would also need to correct or punish the dog for unwanted behaviors, like barking, destroying exit points, potty accidents, etc. I want to point out a few pitfalls with punishing those behaviors. It’s important to understand that Separation Anxiety is a panic disorder that has symptomatic behaviors that often become a problem for the dog’s owner. But we want to be empathetic that those behaviors are communication signals of immense distress and are symptoms of a bigger issue. And if we stop short of seeing it as an anxiety issue we miss the bigger picture. Focusing only on punishing symptomatic behavior can result in a dog who suffers in silence. The training has done nothing to address the dog’s internal sense of safety but instead inhibits their expression and communication. If this paints a sad story for you, I wholeheartedly agree! Read on to learn about what works for these anxious kiddos.
When approaching Separation Anxiety it is important to look at the cause of the behaviors that we want to change. We can get so much further in effectively changing the behavior when we address the underlying motivation. In the case of Separation Anxiety, we are looking at a dog that has an outsized fear reaction to being left alone. They are anxious at the signs that alone time might be coming (pick up keys, putting on shoes, etc) and panic once their human exits and the door closes. Our task then is to teach the dog that alone time is safe and that someone always comes back. We do this through a process called desensitization.
The first step in my Separation Anxiety Training Program is an assessment. When working through a desensitization training plan it’s imperative to keep the dog under threshold. This means that while we teach the dog that alone time is safe, we have to ensure the dog believes and trusts us. Therefore, we cannot sometimes have alone-time that is actually scary to them. Desensitization is a learner centered training method. Meaning, we give the driver’s seat to the dog. We don’t get to determine what’s safe and what’s dangerous to them. Instead, we let them tell us what they feel through interpreting their body language. Then we can create training plans that are appropriate to their tolerance of alone time. We won’t make progress with teaching them that alone time is safe by doing repetitions of scary alone time over and over.
After determining how much alone time the dog can handle, we begin by demonstrating repetitions of safe alone time. This might look like some version of simply going to the door, stepping outside then coming right back in, then repeating it roughly 10 times so the dog learns that it’s no big deal. This type of learning is done by observation rather than active participation. We don’t ask anything of the dog. There are no cues, confinement techniques or distractions. We teach by demonstrating and by holding a boundary that we will not cross the dog’s stress threshold during training.
When we start a desensitization plan we go under contract with our dog. The contract says:
We understand alone time has been scary. We know you’re safe and that we’re coming back but it’s hard for us to explain that to you. We want to help you feel safe when you’re alone. We promise not to trick you, confine you or distract you when we leave. There are new rules around leaving that you might not trust at first but over time you will come to believe. They are:
Rule #1: We will never leave you longer than you can handle it, ever again.
Rule #2: If we have to leave you, we will make plans for you to have a safe person with you
Rule #3: If you tell us that you feel afraid during training, we will believe you and will adjust so that you do not feel afraid.
Rule #3.5: You set the timeline. We understand that pushing you too quickly would be a breach of contract.
If we uphold our end of the contract our dogs will be able to slowly untangle the knots of Separation Anxiety and can learn to feel safe at home alone.
Separation Anxiety is workable and I have helped many dogs and their humans find resolution. Unlike manners training, Separation Anxiety takes time, sometimes months of consistent training to resolve. But it is possible and worth it! Reach out for a free consult, we’d love to hear about your dog and chat about how we can help!