We all want our dog when left alone to do nothing to sleep and snore the day away. It is why it is heart-wrenching to hear your dog howl as you leave. Distracting to think of how your dog is managing when trying to work. Frustrating to come back home, hearing the dog barking madly as you pull in. Maddening to see your furniture destroyed. And, then there’s the awful worry of seeing your dog’s paws bleeding where they scratch the door to get to you.
A dog comes into our home as a puppy, a rescue, or from a breeder and we become proud dog parents. We think we know them, using our experience of our past dogs, or our perception of what a dog ‘should’ be, and our own sense of nurturing a young being who has an infantile mind. What they know of us is that we are significant to them. This is a predisposition in all dogs based on their genetic evolution. Arguably, over millions of years, the dog has evolved to need humans to survive. So, when this infantile animal, who has these deep instincts for companionship and care becomes separated from the thing they were born to need, alarm bells can go off.
For rescue dogs or puppies from poor/unknown origins, this hard-wired yearning can be disrupted by abusive experiences, conflicting with the want and need for gentle and kind human caregivers. Their past may be riddled with experiences where being on their own and under threat, required them to fight or run away. Regardless of their choice, it still resulted in painful consequences, psychologically and perhaps, even at times physically.
Relationships that come together from hardship (like rescues), is usually hinged with an emotional teeter-totter, with dogs moving between panic and survival. You need to become their super-hero, as well as their advocate, caregiver, coach, enricher, protector and teacher (ACCEPT Model©). It is why we recommend rescues begin the first chapter in their new home, within your dwelling with you. It reduces the anxiety in rescue dogs allowing time to relax and find some balance, before working on being confident alone.
In all dogs, every action and every word brings about a complex ritual, routine and relationship which brings an understanding of who you are, what you will do for them to help them, what you need and how they can help you, they tell you to give when you are thinking about dinner, about to tune out into your device, and of course, leave for the day.
We work hard to create an attachment with our dog, a permanent bond of peace, love, companionship and cooperation. And, we believe we have shown them we care and want them to be happy and confident, even when alone.
Dogs with Separation Anxiety come with a complicated set of emotions, both in you and your dog. It requires knowledge and skill. And, most importantly, not old-fashion notions that the dog is trying to get back at you. In fact, the newest research in 2020 has challenged even the way some professional Behaviourists and Psychologists are working with the syndrome. New breakthrough studies require a more expansive plan including the caregivers’ own personality and emotional expression, to support effectively resolving a dog’s anxiety. So, in short, it may require you to change too.
There is some evidence suggesting that separation anxiety can sometimes be triggered or exacerbated by changes in the household, such as a new baby, a job change, or a change in the routine of daily life.
Canine Separation Anxiety Syndrome is a mental health problem characterized by excessive fear and worry about being separated from loved ones. Dogs with separation anxiety may experience excessive fear and worry around abandonment, loss of control, and/or even death.
Signs of Separation Anxiety:
The following is a list of separation-related behaviors that may indicate Canine Separation Anxiety Sydrome.
Barking and Howling: When left alone a dog may bark and howl. It is a persistent vocalization of their distress at being left alone. It is important to note if this signal is related to a specific person leaving or being left completely alone. Repetitive barking and other vocalizations are signs of anxiety in general.
Chewing, Digging and Destruction: Entry points are the usual target for those experiencing canine separation anxiety for destructive behavior. They may chew on objects, doors or window sills. They may dig to get out at entryways such as doors and doorways. Dogs with separation anxiety may, in their panic, destroy household objects. Destructive behavior is not exclusive to separation anxiety but it is one of the signs. Our team will help you identify if your dog has separation anxiety and to what extent during our program. In addition to seeing the damage to your home, the dog may also have injured themselves. Check for broken teeth, broken nails.
Urination & Defecation: House soiling when left alone or separated for long periods of time. This is a biological reaction due to anxiety and even panic when left alone. House soiling has other reasons for occurring as well as Canine Separation Anxiety, including generalized anxiety in dogs, not being house-trained, or simply being a puppy.
Pacing & Sweating: Some dogs will pace when left alone. It may be interleaved with other dog separation anxiety signals noted above. Pacing and sweating might be accompanied by other body signals of canine separation anxiety such as a tense neck with shoulders higher than the head. A dog with canine separation anxiety is likely seen panting. If you have tile or hardwood floors you may see sweat marks in the shape of a paw. These are signals that your dog may be experiencing separation anxiety.
Strategies for Treatment
To begin developing a strategy for treatment, we need to confirm your Canine Separation Anxiety Syndrome and we need measurements. We assess your case on several points to determine if the separation-related behaviors exist by examining attachment behaviors and distress behaviors, and if we believe your dog has Canine Separation Anxiety Syndrome, we begin baselining your dog's signs of stress. Our team will guide you to record and track key metrics related to where you are today and what is needed for tomorrow. We capture your departure cues and the period of time the dog is required to be on his own. Our holistic program of behavior modification develops a complete behavior modification strategy and plan to help you with unwanted behavior. Just know that extended periods where your dog is alone doesn't have to be filled with moments of panic and discomfort.
Working with PivotalChange.ca's Canine Separation Anxiety Program, you will be asked to upload and share several types of exercises through video recordings as part of our success in teaching your dog to be comfortable with periods of time he needs to be alone. It allows an assigned animal behavior expert to support you in recognizing and identifying the subtle sign of anxious behavior and the context in which it correlates with known disorders. Our top-shelf program coaching ensures you learn and are able to connect insights on your dog to gentle and compassionate strategies, earning you a lifetime of better behavior.
Treatment of Separation Anxiety Syndrome in your dog may require us to work with your Vet and here is where our experience and expertise adds true value. We identify all social, emotional and psychological disorders often overlooked as simply dogs with anxiety, and provide the Vet with hard evidence for diagnosing aggressive behaviors, compulsive behaviors or stress-related behaviors. Our well-cited Clinical Vet Behaviour Reports help Vets easily access current science on the latest psychopharmacology should medication be required to support modifying undesirable behaviors. Anti-anxiety medications are first shown to be needed and agreed to by you before we work with your Vet and before anything is prescribed. Medication is always given in conjunction with behavior modification.
A dog comes into our home as a puppy, a rescue, or from a breeder and we become proud dog parents. We think we know them, using our experience of our past dogs, or our perception of what a dog ‘should’ be, and our own sense of nurturing a young being who has an infantile mind. What they know of us is that we are significant to them. This is a predisposition in all dogs based on their genetic evolution. Arguably, over millions of years, the dog has evolved to need humans to survive. So, when this infantile animal, who has these deep instincts for companionship and care becomes separated from the thing they were born to need, alarm bells can go off.
For rescue dogs or puppies from poor/unknown origins, this hard-wired yearning can be disrupted by abusive experiences, conflicting with the want and need for gentle and kind human caregivers. Their past may be riddled with experiences where being on their own and under threat, required them to fight or run away. Regardless of their choice, it still resulted in painful consequences, psychologically and perhaps, even at times physically.
Relationships that come together from hardship (like rescues), is usually hinged with an emotional teeter-totter, with dogs moving between panic and survival. You need to become their super-hero, as well as their advocate, caregiver, coach, enricher, protector and teacher (ACCEPT Model©). It is why we recommend rescues begin the first chapter in their new home, within your dwelling with you. It reduces the anxiety in rescue dogs allowing time to relax and find some balance, before working on being confident alone.
In all dogs, every action and every word brings about a complex ritual, routine and relationship which brings an understanding of who you are, what you will do for them to help them, what you need and how they can help you, they tell you to give when you are thinking about dinner, about to tune out into your device, and of course, leave for the day.
We work hard to create an attachment with our dog, a permanent bond of peace, love, companionship and cooperation. And, we believe we have shown them we care and want them to be happy and confident, even when alone.
Dogs with Separation Anxiety come with a complicated set of emotions, both in you and your dog. It requires knowledge and skill. And, most importantly, not old-fashion notions that the dog is trying to get back at you. In fact, the newest research in 2020 has challenged even the way some professional Behaviourists and Psychologists are working with the syndrome. New breakthrough studies require a more expansive plan including the caregivers’ own personality and emotional expression, to support effectively resolving a dog’s anxiety. So, in short, it may require you to change too.
There is some evidence suggesting that separation anxiety can sometimes be triggered or exacerbated by changes in the household, such as a new baby, a job change, or a change in the routine of daily life.
Canine Separation Anxiety Syndrome is a mental health problem characterized by excessive fear and worry about being separated from loved ones. Dogs with separation anxiety may experience excessive fear and worry around abandonment, loss of control, and/or even death.
Signs of Separation Anxiety:
The following is a list of separation-related behaviors that may indicate Canine Separation Anxiety Sydrome.
Barking and Howling: When left alone a dog may bark and howl. It is a persistent vocalization of their distress at being left alone. It is important to note if this signal is related to a specific person leaving or being left completely alone. Repetitive barking and other vocalizations are signs of anxiety in general.
Chewing, Digging and Destruction: Entry points are the usual target for those experiencing canine separation anxiety for destructive behavior. They may chew on objects, doors or window sills. They may dig to get out at entryways such as doors and doorways. Dogs with separation anxiety may, in their panic, destroy household objects. Destructive behavior is not exclusive to separation anxiety but it is one of the signs. Our team will help you identify if your dog has separation anxiety and to what extent during our program. In addition to seeing the damage to your home, the dog may also have injured themselves. Check for broken teeth, broken nails.
Urination & Defecation: House soiling when left alone or separated for long periods of time. This is a biological reaction due to anxiety and even panic when left alone. House soiling has other reasons for occurring as well as Canine Separation Anxiety, including generalized anxiety in dogs, not being house-trained, or simply being a puppy.
Pacing & Sweating: Some dogs will pace when left alone. It may be interleaved with other dog separation anxiety signals noted above. Pacing and sweating might be accompanied by other body signals of canine separation anxiety such as a tense neck with shoulders higher than the head. A dog with canine separation anxiety is likely seen panting. If you have tile or hardwood floors you may see sweat marks in the shape of a paw. These are signals that your dog may be experiencing separation anxiety.
Strategies for Treatment
To begin developing a strategy for treatment, we need to confirm your Canine Separation Anxiety Syndrome and we need measurements. We assess your case on several points to determine if the separation-related behaviors exist by examining attachment behaviors and distress behaviors, and if we believe your dog has Canine Separation Anxiety Syndrome, we begin baselining your dog's signs of stress. Our team will guide you to record and track key metrics related to where you are today and what is needed for tomorrow. We capture your departure cues and the period of time the dog is required to be on his own. Our holistic program of behavior modification develops a complete behavior modification strategy and plan to help you with unwanted behavior. Just know that extended periods where your dog is alone doesn't have to be filled with moments of panic and discomfort.
Working with PivotalChange.ca's Canine Separation Anxiety Program, you will be asked to upload and share several types of exercises through video recordings as part of our success in teaching your dog to be comfortable with periods of time he needs to be alone. It allows an assigned animal behavior expert to support you in recognizing and identifying the subtle sign of anxious behavior and the context in which it correlates with known disorders. Our top-shelf program coaching ensures you learn and are able to connect insights on your dog to gentle and compassionate strategies, earning you a lifetime of better behavior.
Treatment of Separation Anxiety Syndrome in your dog may require us to work with your Vet and here is where our experience and expertise adds true value. We identify all social, emotional and psychological disorders often overlooked as simply dogs with anxiety, and provide the Vet with hard evidence for diagnosing aggressive behaviors, compulsive behaviors or stress-related behaviors. Our well-cited Clinical Vet Behaviour Reports help Vets easily access current science on the latest psychopharmacology should medication be required to support modifying undesirable behaviors. Anti-anxiety medications are first shown to be needed and agreed to by you before we work with your Vet and before anything is prescribed. Medication is always given in conjunction with behavior modification.
To book your meeting with Sparky, click on the button below. You will be redirected to our scheduling page, where you will choose your preferred meeting time, complete an assessment and pay for your appointment ($125 CDN). The cost of the meeting is deducted from the program costs on registration