Like us, dogs have anxieties and fears. A dog’s anxieties, may not be the same as our own anxieties, but they cause stress and physical reactions just the same.
Some common dog anxiety problems include –
- Separation anxiety – A dog gets anxious when left alone.
- Noise anxiety – A dog becomes fearful when exposed to loud or unusual noises. Some examples include fireworks, thunderstorms, garbage trucks, and more.
- Travel anxiety – The car is like a den, but dogs are unaccustomed to moving dens. Therefore, they may become unsure and stressed over something so new and unexpected.
- Confinement anxiety – A dog gets anxious when he feels trapped or confined. If a threat should arise, a confined dog may be unable to escape or flee.
Symptoms of Dog Anxiety
When dogs are anxious, they may engage in repetitive or displacement behaviors to relieve their stress. For example, when we are anxious, we may pace, bite our nails, or play with our hair.
Dogs may also pace, groom, and more. Some dog anxiety behaviors may lead to property destruction, may cause us harm, or may simply be undesirable to our human sensibilities. This may include –
- Non-stop barking.
- Chewing up furniture, walls, shoes, garbage, and anything else in sight.
- Pooping and peeing in the house, crate, or other confinement area.
- Eating his own poop.
- Aggression toward people, dogs, or other animals.
Punishment or aversive techniques will do little to stop these anxious dog behaviors in the long-run, because punishment does not address the source of the problem, which is the dog’s anxiety. In fact, suppression of these displacement behaviors, through pain and dominance methods, will make the problem worse, because pain increases stress and uncertainty.
Below are some common ways on how to deal with dog anxiety.
1. Desensitization Exercises
One of the best ways to help a dog deal with his anxiety issues, is by slowly desensitizing him to the problem stimulus.
In the desensitization process, we start with a weak version of the stimulus that is triggering the anxiety attack.
The stimulus must be weak enough, so that my dog is able to stay calm in its presence. Then, I get him to focus on me, by doing eye-contact commands or simple obedience exercises.
If my dog is able to focus and stay in-control, I reward him with a very high priority treat. For desensitization purposes, I usually bust out the really good stuff. I try to pick a highly aromatic or smelly treat that my dog loves, but does not usually get to eat. The smell will help to engage his nose, and further distract him from the source of his anxiety.
When he is comfortable with this exercise, is calm, and able to follow simple commands, I very slowly raise the strength of the problem stimulus. I make each session short, fun, and very rewarding.
In this way, my dog learns alternative behaviors for dealing with stressful situations. He also learns to associate something that was previously a source of fear and stress, with something positive (nice smells, yummy treats), and with being calm.
2. Calm Environment
Another important aspect of helping an anxious dog, is to create a calm and predictable environment for him, in his daily life.
- Fixed routine – I set a fixed schedule for feeding, walking, play-time, leaving the house, coming home, and more. I also establish a fixed set of rules, and a consistent way of enforcing them. A very fixed routine and rule-set, helps our dog understand what to expect from us, and also what we expect from him in return. Greater certainty reduces anxiety and stress.
- Staying calm – Most dogs are very good at picking up the energy of the people around them. My Shiba Inu, for example, is very sensitive to what I am feeling. If I get stressed and anxious, he picks up on that immediately and becomes anxious himself; but with a hundred times more gusto! Therefore, it is important for us to stay calm and in-control.
- Relaxing massage – Some trainers suggest giving our dog a massage to help him relax. There is also the special TTouch massage method, which uses circular finger motions to help relax our dog’s body.
I tried the TTouch method briefly on my Shiba Inu, but it did not seem to have much of an effect on him. Desensitization exercises, together with a fixed routine and consistent rules, helped us most.
3. Calming Equipment
There are a variety of products designed to help calm our dogs. The attraction of such products, is that they require little to no work from us. However, it is also unclear how effective they truly are.
a) Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP)
DAP is a synthetic chemical that was developed based on a hormone produced by nursing mother dogs. Mother dogs produce this hormone to help their puppies feel calm and secure. It also helps the mother dog establish a positive bond with her puppies.
Scientific studies *do* show that DAP has a positive effect on puppies. However, it is unclear whether DAP helps with anxiety problems in adult dogs.
There are also a variety of natural calming scents, including lavender, and other herbal remedies.
b) Dog Calming Music
“Music has charms to soothe a savage breast, To soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.”
~~[William_Congreve]
Music can certainly help calm us down and soothe our nerves. Therefore, it is not such a big stretch to imagine that it can also be helpful to our dogs. However, the wrong kind of music can actually increase anxiety in dogs.
What is the right kind of dog music?
According to sound researcher Joshua Leeds,
“Rock music, jazz, heavy metal made them more anxious. Classical slowed them down. It just relaxed them in a way that the other music seemed to irritate them.”
~~[Want to Calm Fido Down? Try Music!]
The Thundershirt looks like a dog winter coat. It wraps around the torso of a dog, and works by exerting constant pressure on the dog’s body. Proponents argue that this pressure, can have a calming effect on the dog’s nervous system.
However, the only study I found was a very limited experiment, from an unsubstantiated source. Therefore, it is unclear whether the claims made on the effectiveness of Thundershirts are true.
Note – Pressure wraps will not work on all dogs. Some dogs may get even more anxious, when they experience continuous pressure on their body. In addition, it is unlikely that pressure wraps can fully solve our dog’s anxiety issues. Wraps and other calming equipment, are commonly used together with desensitization and other dog behavior modification techniques, to achieve true long-term success.
Depending on the dog and the situation, you may need to incorporate training with the cape to show an effect. The Anxiety Wrap recommends an 11-step treatment program for separation anxiety that includes using the wrap and leaving toys filled with favorite food treats for the dog to enjoy while you are gone.
Some people also use clocks or heartbeat pillows, to help calm new puppies.
4. Medication
Do not medicate your dog with over-the-counter human drugs, on your own. Dogs have very different physiology than humans, and dosage is very dependent on weight.
I always consult with my vet before giving my dog any medication.
Some medications used to suppress a dog’s anxiety response include –
- Clomipramine(Anafranil) – This drug was originally developed to treat OCD in humans. With dogs, it is sometimes prescribed to treat OCD and separation anxiety issues.
- Fluoxetine(Prozac,Sarafem,Fontex) – Fluoxetine is perhaps most well-known by its tradename Prozac. Prozac is used to treat heavy depression, OCD, and serious eating disorders (Bulimia nervosa) in humans. Eli Lily makes a special Prozac for dogs called Reconcile.
For lonely dogs with separation anxiety, Eli Lilly brought to market its own drug Reconcile last year. The only difference between it and Prozac is that Reconcile is chewable and tastes like beef.
- Sedatives – Powerful sedatives such as benzodiazepine (benzo) are prescription only. Some lighter sedatives such as antihistamines (Benadryl) and valerian can be obtained as over-the-counter medications for humans. Do not give sedatives or any other medication to dogs, without first consulting with a veterinarian.
The dog medication business is now a very profitable enterprise, and there are a large number of dog drugs available for purchase. These medications treat anything from separation anxiety, OCD, and depression, to motion-sickness, forgetfulness, and obesity. Most dog medications are short term solutions and may have serious side effects.
Dog Anxiety Problems
I believe that the best way to help our dogs with their anxiety issues, is through desensitization, as well as a calm and relaxed home environment.
Dog calming equipment and medication are very tempting solutions, because they involve little to no effort from us. However, their long-term effectiveness is highly questionable. These methods work by suppressing or muting the effects of anxiety, rather than addressing the source of the anxiety itself.
This is in contrast with desensitization and home management techniques, which target the anxiety stimulus, and teaches the dog new ways to cope with fear and stress. Rather than just suppressing symptoms, desensitization helps to build a dog’s confidence, and promotes a stronger bond between him and his human companions.
Ultimately, behavior modification and desensitization techniques lead to long-lasting effects, and a better quality of life for a dog and his family.
hey. i am wondering could you help me Design two games that could be played with a dog to help relieve stress and anxiety.?
thanks a million
sophie
Dog behavior is very context dependent. Therefore, the temperament of the dogs, past experiences, environment, routine, and more will all play a role. The exercises that I do with my dogs are based on their temperament, what they are anxious about, and what things motivate them most.
Hi!
I have a black shiba inu and he is about 8. He loves being outside and could honestly be outside all day and night. But then when it comes inside sometimes he just shakes. When my parents go away he just shakes and sometimes won’t wven come inside. We feel so bad and really do not know what to do. He spends most of his time either outside or shaking in the bathroom. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know! Thank you!
How long have you had him? Has he always shown this behavior? It sounds like there is something in the house that he is afraid of. Did anything happen to him in the past inside the house that spooked him? What kind of training is he used to? Does everyone in the house use the same training? Are there other people in the house besides you and your parents? What is his daily routine like?
HELP I adopted an 11 week old white German Shepard in March 2015. She has no concept of knowing not to bite nor being gentle with her teeth. I tried and tried all of the ASPCA recommendations and I have been consistent. She just keeps getting more aggressive. I pull away or walk away and she dives at me to bite me. I know she chews on everything out of boredom. Unfortunately just weeks after getting her I was diagnosed with a few serious health issues. If I had known I would never have gotten her. I know I can’t give her the exercise she needs. I try to compensate with play. I will not give up on her. I just need advice. I have a 1 year old grand baby that lives with me and I fear Zoey (my dog) will hurt him.
Since you have a 1 year old with you, it is best and safest to get help from a good professional trainer. Dog behavior is very context dependent, so the environment, routine, and temperament of the dog will all play a big role in her behavior and how to change it.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
I deal with puppy biting by doing 3 key things-
1. Bite inhibition training.
2. No-bite conditioning and redirection.
3. Teaching my dog self-control.
More on how I deal with puppy biting.
More on how I teach my puppy self-control.
More on how I trained my puppy.
ASPCA article on puppy socialization.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/socializing-your-puppy
As for exercise, that is also a very important part of a dog’s routine. After my puppy is fully vaccinated, I take him out on daily walks. If I am unable to do this, I get help from a good dog walker or I do doggy daycare.
http://shibashake.com/dog/hyperactive-dogs-how-to-calm-a-hyper-dog-or-hyper-puppy
I *do not* let my dog be around children until I am absolutely sure that I can properly control him, he is calm, and he is able to handle the situation successfully. In addition, I always have him on-leash and I supervise very closely.
Based on what you describe, the first thing I would do is consult with some good professional trainers.
I hope you can help me. We are planning a trip to Fl in a few months and would love to take our 8yr old yorkie but he shakes and pants when he is in the car. He loves to go bye bye but does this everytime. We try to take him for car rides when we go through drive thru’s or even around the block. What can I do so he can go with us.
With my dog, I start small and slowly build up his tolerance.
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-anxiety-problems/comment-page-2#comment-643406
I train my miniature dachshunds to a carseat. The one with wheels and backpack straps. The front has two mesh sections that can be zipped shut for safety and to keep the puppy in. The car seat belt threads through the two strap holders in the back to keep it secure. After the pup is used to riding in the carseat, I cut the front (mesh) out and it creates an open front. This way the dogs can get into their (seat) themselves and will return to it on command. They have a soft cushion inside and soon find their comfort zone in the car. Works well for me.
Hi! Thank you for your advice. I am fostering a 3-4 year old German Shepherd who is recovering from Demodex mange. They say stress can be a contributing factor to Demodex. Her fur is growing back in nicely as she is in a much less stressful enviroment here as opposed to the confined space for the 2 months she spent in the shelter. I believe she is trainable to some extent although she paces the back patio for lengths of time chasing what would seem like a fly or shadow. She is coherent to me and knows how to “sit” when I tell her and I’ve taught her to wait for me to put her food bowl down before she starts eating. She devours her food so fast that she ends up vomiting it up at times. I’m wondering if she is just suffering from being mistreated in the past or if something is wrong with her mentally. Do I go about training her or helping her in any other way. Is it possible for a dog to have ADD? She is very sweet, but needs to be busy for lengths of time. She chews all her toys down to nothing … I just want to give her what she needs but I’m a bit puzzled. We are fostering her along side my senior dog who just seems to be amused by her and watches her while lying down. Sorry for all the questions. Just trying to figure out if she is truly “nervous” or just super high energy that needs to learn a bit of obedience? Thank you! – Angela
For something like this, I would consult with her vet first to see if the problem is physical. The pacing and chewing does sound like it could be anxiety symptoms, but with my dog, I always rule out physical issues first.
As for eating, I make sure my dogs do not eat too fast because it can cause health issues, including bloat, especially for large dogs. My dogs work for all of their food, so they mostly get hand-fed from me for doing various tasks and for following house rules. Whatever is left over I put in safe interactive food toys for them to work on, e.g. a kibble ball.
Some people use special bowls or sheets, etc., but I have always followed the NILIF program with my dogs, and that has worked well for me. Working for their food keeps them engaged in a positive activity, teaches them that good stuff comes from people, and also that following rules and commands gets them what they want most.
Yes, based on what I have read, dogs can have ADHD although it is commonly over-diagnosed.
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/6_10/features/5576-1.html
http://www.wagthedoguk.com/2012/11/09/can-dogs-have-attention-deficit-disorder/
Based on what you describe, I would consult with a vet first to rule out physical issues. Then, I would visit with a very good behaviorist to identify the source of her stress behaviors, and develop a good plan for rehabilitation.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
She sounds like she has had a difficult life, and I am glad that she is in a better place now with good people to care for her.
I have a dog that eats too fast… Same problem in not being able to hold it down. Our simple solution (if you don’t have time to hand feed as suggested) was to flip his food bowl upside down when feeding. This forces him to eat around the trough at the edges. It slows him down without having to buy specialty bowls and inhibitors. Just thought I would share this easy and cost effective solution. Good luck!
Hello. Our family has recently adopted an 8mo old Shiba Inu, it would be nearly a month now since we got her. She has been to the vet already and has a clean bill of health. However, she seems to have some deep-seated fears that we are having trouble tackling. And one other thing- other than some perks, she acts almost nothing like a “Typical” Shiba, making the whole situation even tougher and stranger.
We thought these fears may have been caused by the rehoming, but as more and more time passes she has barely made any progress despite our gentle attempts at desensitizing and positive reinforcement. We are a bit worried her anxiety may be beyond what we can handle, as it actually seems to hinder her daily life.
-She is terrified of certain parts of the home, some of which are kind of essential to proper living. These would be the kitchen/dining room area and the stairs. She absolutely refuses to set foot on stairs, though she will peer up and down them repeatedly as if she wants to. The only stairs she will go up are the ones to the middle floor -> upper floor as she is most comfortable in the upper floor rooms. Once she’s up there, though, she won’t come back down on her own. We have to carry her down to bring her outside or to feed her again (we don’t want her to get used to us bringing the food bowls to her.)
-In the kitchen, she will eat as fast as possible and quickly run back upstairs or to the nearby living room’s couch. We’ve managed to get her to stay in there a little longer than usual by giving extra food out of our hands, or scattering some on the ground. As soon as something makes an odd noise, though, she’ll ignore any leftover food and bolt again.
-Almost any noise seems to scare her. A sudden voice, doors opening and closing, refrigerator humming, even birds and other wildlife outside. She loves to play in our fenced backyard and seems to come out of her shell while she’s out there, but if there are too many wildlife noises or, god forbid, the dog next door barking, she’ll stop playing and run and hide in a corner of the yard.
-She is extremely docile. For example, when brought to the vet for vaccinations and tests, she did not make a single peep or struggle even when being poked with needles. I have never seen her act truly aggressive at all(which is partly a good thing I guess?) even when terrified out of her wits.
Other than the fears, there is not all bad to her. She is a very smart girl and learns commands VERY quickly. Even when frightened and preparing to bolt, she will still listen to them for a short time.
We have a cat that she gets along with and always tries to play with, and she is surprisingly gentle with her as well. Sometimes the cat ignores her, sometimes it plays back. She also likes to play with us when she feels like it.
We are considering consulting a behaviorist, but wanted to get some opinions online as well. We also plan on taking her to obedience classes somewhere down the line, either before or after the behaviorist consultation, and are also wondering if we should get a second, more confident dog since she seems to get along with the cat so well(and we feel bad when the cat rejects her!)
I could type up some other smaller problems but it would end up in a terribly long post(it already kinda is, sorry!) so here are just the main problems for now. If you could provide some insight or tips it would be greatly appreciated. I am rather concerned about this girl as I have no idea how she was treated at her last home. Even though she is 8 months old she seems to have had zero prior training in any regard. I can always provide more info if needed as well. Thank you!
What type of desensitization exercises have you tried? What was her response? Is she crate trained? How is her behavior like when inside a crate or safe enclosure?
To help my dog with anxiety issues, I always start small, set my dog up for success, and go at a pace that my dog is comfortable with. The more successful and positive experiences that my dog has, the more confidence he builds, and the better his behavior becomes. Similarly, negative experiences where my dog gets spooked or goes into panic mode, will undermine that confidence, significantly set back training, and worsen his anxiety symptoms. Therefore, it is also very important that I minimize anxiety or panic episodes.
This is where management becomes extremely important. I want to keep my dog in a very low stimulus, very quiet, very safe area, most of the time, so that he does not get exposed to situations that he is not ready for. The only time I expose him to the “scary stimulus” is when I do desensitization training in a very structured environment, where I can control the strength of the anxiety stimulus.
More on how I do noise desensitization training.
Desensitization training can be pretty counter-intuitive, so I think consulting with a good behaviorist is a very good idea. That was what we did with Sephy in the beginning.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/desensitization-and-counterconditioning
With Sephy, I focused on solving most of his behavioral issues first, before getting a second dog. If we need to train him with other dogs, we did so at our local SPCA, in a structured environment, with trainer chosen dogs, and under the direction of a trainer.
With an anxious/fearful dog, a regular routine, consistency, and safe environment, become very important. I want to keep things consistent with a fixed routine and a safe, low-stimulus space. This creates certainty, so that my dog can relax and slowly gain confidence in a structured way. Large changes, such as another dog is going to create a lot of uncertainty and disruptions, which can in turn lead to greater stress and anxiety.
For anxiety issues, I would do private lessons with a good, positive-based, trainer/behaviorist who understands the principles behind systematic desensitization and counter-conditioning.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
Thanks for the response! Since I last posted she has actually gone down a couple steps by herself, though she still won’t go down the entire stairway nor will she step foot on the actual middle floor(which is where the kitchen is). I’ve been using this newfound courage to put treats on each step to lure her down, and occasionally feed her on the stairwell also, in hopes that one day I can slowly move it towards the kitchen without her getting scared.
We’ll carry her into the kitchen to eat as well, when it’s quiet(refrigerator isn’t humming/no one’s cooking) and we’ll drop extra food on the ground. She usually goes a certain distance via this method, but even when it’s quiet she’ll sometimes still get spooked by something and leave at her first chance.
When she notices barking outside while she’s indoors, I’ll give her some kibbles then too. This one I find also seems to have worked a tiny bit as she no longer runs and hides in a corner immediately(though she will still run back inside after a moment)
She is not crate trained but we are planning on starting in the coming days/week. She has an enclosure in one of our rooms that she is usually relaxed and mellow, but despite daytime exercise she almost always becomes restless in the middle of the night, around 3am, and tries to play.
Hello,
I do apologize if you have responded to this type of comment before but I’ll make it short! I have 1.5 yr old chihuahua rat terrier mix with anxiety issues that worsen when I am around. He seems to get anxious around other people and dogs, especially children, and begins barking and snarling. I can’t seem to get his attention or calm him down. I took him to obedience class and the trainer’s only solutions were squirts of water or puppy Prozac, and I learned nothing of the methods you wrote about. When I take him for walks I have to avoid children, people, and dogs because he just barks and barks. How do I desentitize him to these if I can’t really control the environment very well? I appreciate your help!!
Thank you
My dog is very sensitive to my energy. If I am worried, stressed, fearful, or frustrated, my dog will quickly pick up on my unbalanced energy and get even more anxious and crazy. Therefore, one of the most important things in helping my reactive dog is to control my own energy. I need to stay calm and in-control. If anything comes up, I need to have a plan and be decisive.
As for controlling my dog’s environment, here are some things that I do –
1. I walk my dog during off-hours if necessary.
2. I drive my dog to quiet and low stimulus areas if necessary.
3. I do desensitization training in a structured and controlled environment, e.g. in my fully enclosed backyard with trainer selected dogs, or in a training facility with trainer selected dogs.
4. I try my best to always set my dog up for success, so in the beginning we may do shorter but more frequent walks, in a very safe and low stimulus environment.
5. I start small, go in small steps, and slowly help build up my dog’s confidence. The more successes my dog has, the more confidence he gains and the better his behavior becomes. Similarly, negative/reactive experiences will undermine that confidence, significantly set back training, and cause my dog’s anxiety and behavior to worsen.
Therefore, I need to manage my dog’s environment and *not* expose him to situations that he is not ready for.
More on how I desensitize my dog to people.
More on how I desensitize my dog to other dogs.
Finally, finding a good trainer can be challenging. The dog training field is not well regulated, so we went through some not very good trainers with Sephy, before finding some good ones. I also read up a lot on dog behavior and dog training, which helped me to better understand Sephy and also filter out the inappropriate trainers. Here are some articles that describe what to look for in a professional trainer-
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
How I went about looking for a good trainer.
Where I get dog behavior and dog training information.
In Feb. of this year I rescued a lovely pit/coon hound mix named Cal. It is very clear that Cal was abused and that he has issues that need attention. I have been working with him steadily on his fears and to get him comfortable with me. Cal started to greet me when I came home, started to talk, and was finally finding his voice to bark. On March 13th of this year the people hired to fix my cooler went on to my property without me being home; to make a long story short they scared the poor boy almost to death and he bolted. Everything that had been done was of course undone. Also he has been having huge anxiety issues that he didn’t have before. Since this has happened I have not been able to keep Cal home; he bolts over the fence (6 foot) when he gets spooked, which happens at really random times. The issue I am having is I can’t figure out what is triggering these episodes. Sometime it seems to be the house settling or the TV popping when it cools down. Sometimes I can’t figure out the trigger at all. I know that he is scared to death; he just shakes and whines. Sometimes it happens during the day and sometimes at night. I do walk him and his sister everyday so he is getting plenty of exercise. He is not afraid around other dogs or people, ever. I control his environment, he doesn’t seem to mind me leaving the house and he loves his new sister. When he has these episodes I hold him and speak softly. I know what I am doing to calm him and help him adjust. I just can’t help him if I can’t figure out what is causing the episodes.
I am a very firm believer in herbal remedies; my female is on a herb supplement for her hormone imbalance. I don’t think smell therapy will work. I am looking for a remedy that can be issued like every 12 hours to help him stay in a calm frame of mind without making him dopey.
I see lots of herbals on line for this issue; the problem is that I don’t have an hour before the event… as I have no idea what the event is 99.9% of the time. The vets I have spoken to are pushing for a tranquilizer and I don’t want to go that route unless as a last resort.
Is it a noise trigger? Does he get anxious of certain loud noises? For noise anxiety, I do desensitization exercises with my dog. I am a big believer in desensitization training because it helps my dog gain confidence and slowly helps him to be more comfortable in the presence of the fear stimulus.
Desensitization gives my dog better coping mechanisms, rather than just muting the anxiety symptoms.
ASPCA article on desensitization and counter-conditioning.
However, to be effective, desensitization exercises need to be performed in a structured environment and in a very particular way. With my Shiba Inu, we first did desensitization training under the direction and guidance of a good professional trainer. The trainer also helped us with identifying some of Sephy’s behavioral triggers.
Since the dog training field is not well regulated, it was not easy to find a good trainer/behaviorist. We did go through some not very good ones, before finding a few that fit.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
Ok so I have been helping to rescue and foster pit bulls for awhile now. I came across the 2 year old blue nose male pit bull at the shelter. He was suppose to be euthanized Sunday morning and I was able to adopt him and save him. He’s been a great dog and very loving but he is an absolute escape artist. The first night we had him, my bf and I left quick to go get food and we put him in the garage. Came home and he was standing in our front yard at the front door. He bust through the window in the garage and chewed the metal door knob. We then put him on a steel cord out back and hooked him to a harness which he chewed through and got off. Also put him in a crate and he busted out of it. I am now looking to buy a large dog run kennel to keep him in on our concrete patio out back when we are gone. I’m not quite sure what else to do because I have never had a dog like this before. But I’ve also had both my pits as puppies and did extensive training with them. I’m not sure what kind of life this dog had however. I need help to calm his seperation anxiety and to feel ok with just hanging out outside in his kennel. I’d rather do that than keep him caged y
I helped my dog with his separation anxiety by very slowly getting him used to alone time. I started with very short periods of alone time (seconds) and very slowly build up his tolerance from there.
The most important thing with helping Sephy is management. During rehabilitation, I made sure not to expose him to situations that he is not ready for. Therefore, if I need to leave for longer than he can handle, I get someone else that he trusts to dog-sit for me.
I also set up a fixed schedule for him and try to keep to a very fixed schedule myself. This helps to create certainty, which helps to reduce stress.
The more calm and positive experiences Sephy has, the more confidence he gains and the better his behavior becomes. Similarly, panic or anxiety attacks will undermine that confidence, significantly set back training, and worsen his behavior (anxiety symptoms). Therefore, management is key, together with desensitization exercises.
This ASPCA article has more on separation anxiety and desensitization-
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/separation-anxiety
More on my experiences with Sephy and separation anxiety.
Hi,
I have a rescue dog, 9 years old Jack Russell terrier which was abused but I do not know any details. She has been with our family for a week. She is very attached to us just after two days. She has separation anxiety, but her biggest problem is cars where she has panic attacks. She starts shivering, barks without break till the car stops. Something terrible must have happened to her in the car. We tried to introduce her to car and try to be there with her for a few minutes and feed her so she gets some positive experience and also do a few minute journey. It does not help. Please help. I worry that the family will give up on her before she has time to get better.
Please advise.
Linda
For fear and anxiety issues, I do desensitization exercises with my dog. First, I need to start with a very weak version of the fear stimulus. It has to be weak enough that my dog is able to tolerate it and remain calm.
For example, I may start with having my dog on leash, a certain distance away from the car. I get his attention, and reward. I get him to do some simple commands and reward. If everything goes well, then I move one step closer to the car and repeat. Then, I very slowly build up from there. I always keep sessions short, fun, and very very rewarding. I do this over many different sessions, over days, weeks, or months if necessary.
Once my dog is comfortable getting close to the car, then I get him to go in, reward, and let him come out right away. From there, I very slowly build up the amount of time he spends in my parked car.
In the next phase, I start the engine and then stop it right away. The noise of the engine starting may be scary to some dogs. Then, I very slowly build up the amount of time my dog spends in the unmoving car, but with the engine running. And so on.
The more calm and positive experiences my dog has in the presence of the scary stimulus, the more confidence and trust he gains, and the better his behavior becomes. Similarly, bad experiences will undermine that confidence, significantly set back training, and worsen his anxiety. Therefore, it is very important that I manage his environment and *not* expose him to situations that he is not ready to handle. I start small, and go at a pace that my dog is comfortable with.
For desensitization to be effective, it has to be carried out in a structured environment and in a very specific way. When I first started doing desensitization exercises with my Shiba, I consulted with a good professional trainer/behaviorist who could help me with diagnosing my dog’s anxiety issues, help me read his body language, help me with timing, management, and more.
More on desensitization and counter-conditioning.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
Helping a dog deal with serious anxiety issues is going to take a good amount of time and patience.