Girl leaves boy. Boy gets lonely and depressed. Boy poops all over girl’s clean carpets.

Girl comes home and is angry and disappointed by boy’s actions. Boy gives girl a very endearing look, and many “apologetic” licks.

Girl forgives boy and the cycle continues.

So is it vengeance poop or something else?

Dog vengeance poop, or something else?

Dogs, it turns out, do not have a vengeful bone in their furry, little bodies. Vengeance poop is simply, us humans, projecting a very human quality onto our dogs.

If you have a vengeance poop situation, then it is probably a dog separation anxiety issue.

A Conversation About Dog Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety?! - I spent three days straight with you.

“Separation anxiety?!”, I exclaim.

“But I spent three days straight with you before I had to work late for only one day”, I try to explain to my dogs.

My dogs sigh at me and respond slowly,

“It is not the total time you are with us during the week, but rather the uncertainty and change in schedule”.

My wonderful Shiba Inu adds,

Spending extra time with us and then suddenly no time at all, just makes things worse because we really do not know what to expect.

Dogs need routine and structure or they may get stressed.

“But you have each other”, I cleverly returned. “It is not like you are all by yourself. Why so needy?”.

My Siberian Husky is only too happy to answer with her usual enthusiastic style.

“We worry when someone in the pack leaves suddenly, without any clear reason. We worry because you are part of the pack and a smaller pack means a weaker pack and less goodies for everyone.”

She pauses, and considers how to make it clear to me. “If your dad disappeared unexpectedly , wouldn’t you be very worried too, even if your mom and brother are still around?”, she asks.

“Of course you would be!”, adds my know it all Shiba Inu.

Dogs may suffer from separation anxiety even in a multiple dog household.

Like us, dogs like routine and often get anxious over large changes in their schedule, especially negative changes that they do not expect and that they do not understand. When faced with such disruptions, dogs may chew up your house, or leave you some smelly, welcome home presents.

When there are large changes in your life or schedule, and you find yourself in a dog vengeance poop situation, it is not because of vengeance but likely a result of anxiety.

Read more about separation anxiety and how to help your dog cope with the stresses of change …

In some ways, dogs are like humans.

Like us, dogs like routine and often get stressed over large changes in their schedule. This is especially true for negative changes that they do not expect, and do not understand.

Dog separation anxiety usually occurs when our own schedule shifts, thereby disrupting the amount of time we are able to spend with our dogs. When faced with such disruptions, dogs may get stressed and become destructive.

A dog with separation anxiety may chew up household items, and urinate or defecate in the house.

Note that these are displacement behaviors, that occur as a result of stress. They are NOT the result of dominance, vengeance, or maliciousness.

To fix separation anxiety issues, we want to target and reduce our dog’s stress, and not punish him with physical corrections. Pain or dominance based punishment, will often increase stress, and thereby worsen our dog’s anxiety problems.

What is Dog Separation Anxiety?

Dealing With Dog Separation Anxiety

Sadly, we will sometimes get busy, need to travel, or work long hours to meet a deadline. After all, we must go out in the wild world, so that we may put kibble on the table.

Therefore, how do we deal with separation anxiety, and make things better for our dogs?

Dogs may suffer from separation anxiety even in a multiple dog household.

Dog Separation Anxiety 1 – Daycare

Dealing With Dog Separation Anxiety.

Dog Separation Anxiety Option 1 - Daycare.

One of the best ways to deal with schedule changes, is to put our dog in daycare. In this way, he gets the company of humans and dogs, while we are away. He also gets to brush up on his dog-to-dog, and dog-to-human socialization skills.

Before committing to a daycare center, it is important to drop by for a tour of the facilities. Ensure that the place is clean, well supervised, and suited to our dog’s temperament. However, even a well-run daycare center may sometimes fail to detect dogs that carry common ailments, such as kennel cough, puppy warts, demodectic mange, and fleas.

Therefore, make sure that our dog is up to date on his vaccinations, before putting him in daycare or boarding.

A dog who is up to date on shots, may still catch something from playing all day long with so many different dogs. This is especially true for puppies and younger dogs, who still have developing immune systems. Unfortunately, this is a risk we must accept, if we decide to put our dog in daycare.

Make sure that our dog is up to date on his vaccinations before putting him in daycare or boarding.

Dog Separation Anxiety 2 – Pet sitter

Dog Separation Anxiety Option 2 - Pet sitter.

If we are uncomfortable with sending our dog to a public daycare, we can also hire a pet sitter to keep his separation anxiety issues at bay. The sitter can walk him, and keep him company at home.

Make sure our pet sitter is insured, qualified, has good references, and most importantly, gets along well with our dog.

Although they may be more expensive, I try to find sitters who are also dog trainers. This means they have more experience with dog behavioral issues, and can better deal with a misbehaving, stressed, or fearful canine.

Make sure to give the pet sitter our cellphone number, the location of our vet, as well as special instructions for our dog, including allergies and important house rules.

Make sure the pet sitter is insured, qualified, has good references, and most importantly, gets along well with our dog.

Dog Separation Anxiety 3 – Try to keep to a schedule

Dog Separation Anxiety Option 3 - Try to keep to a schedule

Another way to alleviate separation anxiety issues, is to try and keep to a fixed schedule.

During holidays, go out and visit some friends, so that our dog has his usual alone time. If we have to be away unexpectedly, have a familiar friend come over to fill in for us.

If the change in routine is temporary, we can also have our dog stay over at a friend’s house. First, try bringing our dog over for several short visits. In this way, we are around to make introductions, and help him with the transition to a new environment.

If all goes well, do short stay-overs, then slowly lengthen the time.

Dog Separation Anxiety 4 – Exercise our dog

I take my dog out for a long walk before leaving. This will give him an opportunity to fully relieve himself outside, and also put him in a more restful state of mind.

I take my dog out for another walk, after I get home. Exercise helps to relieve stress, and gives our dog important mental and physical stimulation. Neighborhood walks also help to socialize our dog to a variety of people, objects, other dogs, and other animals.

If we had to stay cooped up in the house all day, we would get cabin fever as well.

Exercise will help to relieve stress and gives our dog important mental and physical stimulation.

Dog Separation Anxiety 5 – Desensitize our dog

Dog Separation Anxiety Option 6 - Desensitize our dog.

I leave my dog many interactive, chew-safe food toys, while I am away.

Get our dog accustomed to us leaving the house.

First, I start with the ritual of getting my handbag and keys, as well as wearing my shoes. I walk to the door, then sit back down. I repeat this many times throughout the day, so that my dog gets comfortable with my “leaving the house” ritual.

Once this occurs, I walk to the door, leave, and come back to the room. I repeat this until he is relaxed again, then slowly lengthen the time that I am away.

When I achieve an away-time of about 15 minutes, I get in my car, circle the block, and come back.

Make leaving and coming home as low-key as possible.

When I return home, I ignore my dog until he is calm and resting. In this way, he does not spend all day anticipating my return. I also leave him with many interactive, chew-safe food toys, so that he has something interesting to do when home alone.

Make leaving, and coming home as low-key as possible.

Dog Separation Anxiety 6 – Dog Medication

There are a variety of medications available, to help treat dog separation anxiety symptoms. However, to be effective, these medications must be used together with a behavior modification program, which includes a rigorous exercise and desensitization routine.

The medication alone will not solve our dog’s anxiety issues. However, it can help mute the symptoms, so that our dog can benefit from the accompanying retraining process.

Dog medication should only be used under the direction of a vet, and only for the short-term.

Dog Separation Anxiety

Dealing with dog separation anxiety will take time, and a lot of patience.

In general, prevention is better than cure. Therefore, we want to start desensitization exercises as early as possible, before any anxiety problems develop.

If we have a very busy lifestyle, consider volunteering at our local shelter or SPCA instead of buying a puppy.

Only get a dog when our schedule becomes more regular, so that there is less danger of separation anxiety, and other behavioral issues.

There is dog medication for obesity, separation anxiety, and of course Prozac for dog aggression.

Certain kinds of medication, including pain pills, vaccines, anti-biotics, and allergy drugs can be helpful (as directed by our vet), for dealing with physical ailments in dogs.

However, should dog medication be used for dog behavioral or dog psychological issues?

Should dog medication be used for dog behavioral or dog psychological issues?

Dog Medication – The Good

1. Dog medication can hasten the recovery process.

Proponents of dog medication cite studies showing that drugs, together with a behavioral modification program, can help dogs recover much faster.

The pills, they argue, can blunt the effects of extreme stress, fear, or anxiety, and enable a dog to more quickly learn from the behavior modification techniques.

2. Dog medication is better than no treatment.

Dog medication is better than no treatment.

There seems to be general agreement among dog experts and veterinarians that most dog behavioral issues can be treated with behavior modification techniques.

However, these modification programs can be very time consuming and expensive. Many dog owners may not have the time, desire, or monetary resources to carry out such a program. In the absence of such techniques, the dog may just be left to suffer with his extreme stress, anxiety, and fear; which may ultimately result in him harming himself, or others.

It is true that dog owners should ensure that they have the time and resources for a dog before going out and getting a puppy.

However, the fact is that there are many people who get puppies on impulse.

When faced with surmounting behavioral issues, they may only be willing or able to medicate the dog or surrender him. Given that our shelters are already filled with unwanted dogs, another surrender, especially one with behavioral issues, is most likely a death sentence for the dog.

Dog medication provides a last resort alternative for such dogs. However, before going down this road, it is important to consult a vet, together with a professional trainer.

However, the fact is that there are many people who get puppies on impulse.

Dog Medication – The Bad

1. Dog medications often have bad side-effects.

Siberian Husky Shania hides from the bad side effects of dog medication.

As with many human drugs, dog medications may have undesirable side effects including depression, lethargy, and loss of appetite.

These “side-effects” may sometimes worsen a dog’s behavioral problems, and may significantly decrease the dog’s quality of life.

2. Dog medications provide an easy way out for behavioral issues.

Dog medications provide a simple, no effort way, for suppressing behavioral issues.

As a result, it may discourage dog owners from pursuing more difficult behavior modification techniques, that actually address the root of the dog’s problems. Retraining a dog by teaching him alternate ways for dealing with his stress, will improve his quality of life. This is in contrast to dog medication, which just suppresses the symptoms.

Sadly, many dogs get medicated for life, simply because it is an easy alternative for stopping destructive behaviors. The dog’s needs and pleas for help are silenced by the magic pill.

The rush to the medicine bottle for easily resolved problems like canine obesity — “Just feed the dog less!” — shows a disturbing parallel to the human approach to health care, he says. “We lead an unhealthy lifestyle and then rely on drugs to correct it.”
~~ [ Ian Dunbar – Excerpt from Pill-Popping Pets, The New York Times, July 13th 2008 ]

Nature vs. Nurture

To some, the argument for dog medication comes down to nature vs. nurture.

Are behavioral issues caused by bad genetics and internal chemical imbalances, or are they caused by the environment?

The answer is most probably a little bit of both.

Dogs, like us, can have a genetic predisposition towards certain kinds of neuroses. My Shiba Inu has inherited plenty of those. However, these genetic predispositions can often be managed, re-conditioned, and redirected towards healthy and acceptable activities.

Except in the most extreme cases, this can be achieved with behavior modification techniques alone, and without the need for any dog medication

.

My neurotic Shiba Inu. Dog behavior modification has helped him become a good citizen without the need for dog medication.

To Medicate or Not to Medicate?

Dog medication or no dog medication?

Dog medication, however, should only be a temporary measure.

I must confess that my natural bias is not to medicate a dog for behavioral problems.

I follow the same rule with my own health, and I follow it with my dogs’ health. Most dog behavioral problems have solutions that only require some of our time and patience. Surely we can spare some effort to help fulfill our dogs’ needs when they so freely, and willingly fulfill ours.

If we address our dog’s problems as soon as they occur, things will not deteriorate to a point where the dog becomes a danger to himself and others. Letting a dog continue to practice problem behaviors, will also make rehabilitation a lot more difficult.

In more extreme cases, where dog medication can significantly enhance behavior training, perhaps its use should be considered.

Dog medication, however, should only be a temporary measure.

The dog should be slowly weaned off the medication as he progresses in his training program.

Dog medication, or euthanasia?

Shiba Inu Sephy does not like 'existence' in a dog medicated haze.

Finally, there are those extreme cases where the owner is unwilling or unable to correct the problem behaviors through training. The choices, unfortunately, are all grim. We obviously cannot let the problem go untreated, because the dog will ultimately end up hurting himself and others. Therefore, we can either medicate the dog for life, or we can euthanize the dog.

Many will of course argue that the former is a much better alternative, but I am not so sure. I think that this will differ on a case by case basis, depending on the severity of the behavioral issue, and the temperament of the dog in question.

My Shiba Inu, for example, hates being drugged. Whenever he has to go under anesthesia at the vet, he gets really stressed when he wakes up. Some of it has to do with the stress of being at the vet. However, a big part of it has to do with feeling vulnerable, and not being in full control of himself.

I truly think that he would prefer not to live, rather than ‘exist’ in a dog medicated haze.

Therefore, it is best to nip our dog’s behavior problems at the bud, and not let it get to a point where dog medication becomes necessary. That, to me, seems like the easiest choice.

We should try to make life as good as we can for our dogs, because they make life so much better for us.

We should try to make life as good as we can for our dogs, because they make life so much better for us.