Separation Anxiety

Understand that the dog cannot help it and punishment has no place in treating this disorder.

Submission Training - "Nothing is free." The dog must respond to owner commands before anything positive is provided in return; i.e. require a "sit-stay" command execution to get food or a biscuit etc.

Ignore attention-seeking behaviors - Pet and talk to the dog only when the dog is quiet. Decrease following behaviors - teach the dog to sit and stay; the dog will be more relaxed. Ignore the dog before leaving and upon returning, until the dog has quieted down.

Counter-conditioning - The owner should teach a new task upon leave-taking. For example, teach the dog to sit or stay by the door for a food reward.

Habituation - The owner repeats the presentation of predeparture cues without leaving. Reward the dog for not demonstrating anxiety and ignore attention getting behaviors.

Graduated planned departures - The owner starts, after one week of habituation, leaving for 2 minutes, then five minutes and so forth, only increasing the length of absence if no anxiety is exhibited upon the return.

Drugs - Clomicalm can be given for several weeks if needed but must be used with behavior modification to eventually wean the dog off the medication.