When a dog has separation anxiety it goes out of its mind, trying to “be with you” even when you’re not on the property. So, almost as if it has PTSD, it will tear under, through, and over practically anything that it believes is separating it, from you.
This is usually caused by over-carrying, and a lack of separation during its very early formative years.
For those of you who have a puppy that does NOT yet suffer from separation anxiety, you need to leave it in a crate a little bit every day and not respond to its crying. It will figure out that it must be “away from you“ at least for a little while every day and it won’t go out of its mind when it happens in adulthood.
If, when it’s in the crate, you go run to it every time it whimpers, you will for sure create a dog with separation anxiety.
Just a little bit of hardship in its youth, will create a degree of forbearance.
But sometimes you don’t control that, because you get the puppy when it’s like, a year old?
What then?
Separation anxiety can be managed at least three different ways.
The low hanging fruit of the situation is giving it drugs. There are individual drugs for monotherapy, there are combinations which are effective. It pretty much doesn’t teach The Dog anything or create confidence, and The Dog will have separation anxiety whenever it doesn’t have the medicines on board, but, it works in the short term.
Very careful acclimation, and training, behavioral therapy, with a highly qualified professional can help. Atlanta is lucky enough to have one or two veterinarians that do this. Dr. Siebert is one of them. So if you have a ton of time and money, knock yourself out.
This is how you CAN fix separation anxiety.
The non-negotiable, secret sauce, from which there can be no deviation, is that you need a kennel that is inescapable, and does not create the impression that it is escapable.
If the Cage or Kennel has any budge. If it flexes, bends, rattles, or jiggles then the dog will entertain the idea that if it tries hard enough, it can get out.
So for this to work, and for your dog NOT to hurt itself, you will spend a chunk of money buying a cage that is absolutely rock solid. You can ask the veterinarian to show you the kinds of cages that they have. I will include a picture of that kind of Cage in this article.
IF YOU DECIDE TO DO THIS, YOU SHOULD PERHAPS CONSIDER BUYING CAGES BY SHOR-LINE, SUBURBAN, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT GIVE DOGS ANY SURFACES OR OTHERWISE ON WHICH OR THROUGH WHICH THEY CAN HURT THEMSELVES.
A dog was separation anxiety will attempt to escape the cage for anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, and then it will give up.
The next time it is put in the cage, it will barely try at all. They are not stupid. They are not going to destroy themselves.
Unless.
Unless!
Unless!!!!!
Unless it’s a wire cage or something that’s not very strong, that when they claw at it or throw themselves at the wall, and it moves, they will destroy themselves and rip all their toenails out trying to get out of that cage. They will jam the door open and stick their head through and get it stuck, and possibly die. There will be blood everywhere, and you will regret using some crappy cage from Petsmart.
That is why it is non-negotiable, that you spend the money to get a cage that does not rattle or shake or bend when the dog is having its tantrum.
For your information, over the course of one year, I was able to purchase a dozen stainless steel Shorline Cages one at a time from Craigslist, OfferUp, and let go. eBay is also a good source. Keyword search, “stainless steel veterinary cage kennels”.
This is not something I just made up. This is something that has worked every time. At least when people buy the correct kennels. They simply put them in the kennel, the dog has a tantrum for 30 minutes to an hour, and then it gives up. The owner is supposed to act nonchalant. And firm.
If you want to combine medications with a professional cage, knock yourself out, Acepromazine works and softens the blow when you say “Hey bud, we’re gonna be separated for an hour or six, get over it”
Feedback:
“My dog is fighting it a lot longer than you said. In fact, he has a tantrum for about 30 minutes every day for the last five days. Should I give up?”
“No, keeping in mind he shouldn’t be injured in any way, he should have all of his nails, teeth, hair if the crate or kennel is professional in quality and durability. So he is probably just getting very tired and winded. This is OK. Some dogs figure it out sooner than others. And he will.”
Mark my words.
Dogs can and will adapt to literally anything (that does not kill them), literally as soon as they figure out “this is the way it is.”
