Understanding anxiety in dogs
Classic signs of “separation anxiety” in dogs include distress vocalization [howling, yelping], elimination [“fight or flight” urination and/or defecation], attempts at escape [typically at doors that owners have left through] with resulting destruction, and/or destruction of other locations/objects [digging at walls, chewing at furniture, etc.].
Dogs who feel panic at being left alone do so for typically 3 reasons: 1) They are anxious at watching their owners leave [Departure Anxiety]; 2) They are anxious if they find themselves alone [Separation Anxiety]; and 3) They are alone in a crate or other enclosure [Confinement Anxiety]. Any of these can be discrete presentations or they can be seen in combination.
Dogs with Departure Anxiety tend to show anxiety when they observe the “pre-departure” signals that their owners employ before leaving: putting on certain clothes/shoes, packing a briefcase or handbag, picking up keys, etc. The dog has learned – through classical conditioning – that these actions are associated with the act of being left.
Dogs with Separation Anxiety are those who panic as soon as they realize that they are alone. This can be shortly after their owner leaves the house – typically within just a few minutes. Dogs with Separation Anxiety can also panic when their owner is home but not within sight – such as out in the yard, in another room, in the shower.
Dogs with Confinement Anxiety are those who panic because they are confined – to a crate or small space. These dogs are typically those that present for breaking out of crates and often injuring themselves [broken teeth, torn claws, ulcerated muzzles].
Starting with the Confinement Anxiety dog, this is the easiest to confirm and treat. Leave the dog out of the crate and/or give the dog a larger area when left alone! Many of these dogs were crated as puppies because they were thought to have “separation anxiety” – perhaps because they eliminated in the house as a result of incomplete house-training or they destroyed items secondary to “normal” puppy chewing behavior. Once the barrier is removed, this group of dogs is no longer anxious when left alone.
For the other dogs, because the behavior that we need to observe is happening out of the owner’s sight, it is important to video the behavior. Once there is a record of the dog’s activity when alone, we have more information as to the correct diagnosis and treatment plan. For example: If the dog is seen pacing, panting, urinating and defecating a matter of minutes after the owner leaves – that’s panic. However, if the dog urinates by the door 3 hours after the owner has left – that could be “I gotta go!” – and is a matter of the dog not yet being completely housebroken or just simply the need to eliminate. If this is “new” behavior, a trip to the veterinarian would be warranted to look for any underlying medical cause.
Getting a complete history from the dog parent is extremely important. For example, for the destructive dog: “What items are being destroyed?” Again, if the video shows that the dog is furiously digging at the door that leads out to the garage – the owner’s departure door – then that points to a diagnosis of Departure/Separation Anxiety. However, if the dog is seen scanning the kitchen counters and garbage cans for goodies – then that’s an entirely different problem…
The most common and most erroneous misconceptions that owners have is that their dog is being “spiteful”, “ungrateful”, and/or “angry” at being left alone. They will often say that their dog “knows that it did something wrong”. This is NOT the case and it is imperative that owners understand that their pet is exhibiting panic associated with adistress response specifically related to being separated from social group members. These animals are in panicked distress, not angry. The dog’s apparent “knowing it did something wrong” behavior can be explained, however. In cases where there is destruction and/or inappropriate elimination, the dog is often punished by an angry and frustrated owner. The dog is aware of the owner’s anger and of the urine, feces, and destruction. The dog DOES NOT associate the punishment with the act of creating the mess, but the dog DOES associate the punishment with the combined presence of the [angry] owner and the mess. So, when these conditions are met: Owner + Mess, the dog will act to appease – crouching down with tail between its legs. Owners mistake this behavior for “knowledge” of an inappropriate act and believe that the dog is “guilty” or “sorry”. These misconceptions can hinder treatment and are counterproductive for a healthy human-animal bond. Also, inappropriate punishment may result in fear-motivated and defensive aggression. Not only is videotaping a great diagnostic tool, but it allows the owner to see exactly what the dog is doing. They can see the “panic”. It helps to explain to the owner what is going on, and it is useful in monitoring the effect and extent of treatment.
The correct diagnosis involves the history of one or more of the “distress behaviors” occurring in the owner’s absence and/or excessive excitement behavior when the owner returns. There may or may not be evidence of a strong attachment to the owner. Also, if these behaviors occur when the owner is with the dog, then other differentials must be considered. For example, destruction can be an element of play or exploratory behavior. It can occur in the course of territorial displays at windows and doors, and can also occur during phobic episodes related to noises or storms. Excessive vocalization can be in response to provoking stimuli outside, social facilitation with other dogs, part of a territorial display, or part of play behavior. Inappropriate elimination can be indicative of incomplete house training or urine marking. It can also be a sign of a medical problem or cognitive decline. Knowing when the behavior occurs, again using a videotape, can help to rule out these other differentials.
One should take into account the dog’s age when considering a diagnosis. It is important to rule out “normal” puppy behavior: destruction, elimination, etc. Conversely, in an older dog one should consider the possibility of cognitive decline [CDS] – especially if it is a recent behavioral change.
Another thing to consider is “when” the behavior occurs. If the dog is okay for Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday departures but “goes berserk” on Tuesdays – what’s going on? It may be that Tuesday is trash pick-up day, or the day when the pool people come. If the behavior is even more random, it’s advisable for the owner to keep a log of when the dog exhibits the anxious behavior. Did the dog’s excessive salivation coincide with a storm? Did the dog’s damage to the blinds occur because of a package delivery? Often, it is not until we start looking for a pattern that we find one…
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