Separation Anxiety Myths 2

9. Only rescue dogs get separation anxiety.

Dogs from reputable breeders and even some puppies have separation anxiety. There is most likely a genetic link to this type of anxious behavior, meaning bad experiences or living in a shelter/rescue does not singularly lead to separation anxiety. It can arise in dogs of any type.

10. Some breeds are more likely to experience separation anxiety.

The Sherman and Mills 2008 study showed there are no dog breeds overrepresented with separation anxiety. While there may potentially be breed related or genetic factors that lead to susceptibility to separation anxiety found in future studies, at this time the condition is not specific to or excluding any breeds.

11. If the dog is left with a food toy, he’ll have something to do and not be worried about the fact that his guardian is gone.

Dogs with separation anxiety are often panicking to the point they cannot eat. Some dogs may eat while stressed, and some might eat then panic once the food is gone. Thus, the solution is to still work on a desensitization plan to cure the separation anxiety rather than attempt to distract the dog with food-puzzle toys. We also don’t want these toys to become signals that their owner is leaving, leading to more fear.

12. People can reinforce barking and vocalizing when they hear it and re-enter the home.

We cannot reinforce emotions. Anxiety is an emotion. This means comforting someone in distress does not reinforce (increase) that stress, but potentially calms down the individual. We can reinforce behaviors - such as dogs demand-barking for a treat. If they are rewarded, they will try that behavior again (it increases). Since separation anxiety vocalizations come from an emotionally upset dog, these behaviors are symptoms of the anxiety. They cannot be reinforced in the traditional sense, nor can punishing (in an attempt to decrease these behaviors) work to solve the anxiety - it will only make it worse.

However, a correct training plan should be designed to prevent the dogs from panicking to the point of vocalizing in distress, making this less of an issue anyway.

13. Training a Velcro dog to not follow their person is the key to treating separation anxiety.

Dogs following their owners closely around the home is not a behavior necessarily related to separation anxiety. Some dogs who have successfully been treated for separation anxiety still choose to follow the owners consistently afterwards, and dogs without separation anxiety also often perform this behavior. This is a natural behavior many dogs exhibit.

14. Leaving your dog with a T-shirt, sock, or blanket that smells like you will prevent anxiety.

This does not help, since the whole house smells like you. We shouldn’t try to trick or lie to the dog at any point in the training process - for example, don’t sneak out while your dog is sleeping, or put a mannequin figure with clothes on in the house, or a TV/radio to pretend you’re there, or speak through a camera. Dogs can tell the difference between these things and their person actually being present in the home.

15. Leave the TV or radio on to keep the dog company.

These won’t solve separation anxiety, but may be used as background “white noise” to distract from other sounds that bother the dog. Dogs with separation anxiety often times also have sound sensitivities (fears of sounds or a noise phobia).