separation anxiety in dogs

You can find everything from doggy psychiatrists to aroma therapy for treating separation anxiety in dogs. And, as per our pill-popping culture, there are of course medications you can ask your vet about. But this option is not advisable, at least not before a concerted effort has been made to address the behavior through training.

Training involves a combination of methods, including: 1) desensitizing your departure cues, 2) toning down your departures and arrivals, and 3) staging a series of absences that gradually increase the duration they are left alone.

Crate training also plays an important part in addressing your dog’s separation anxiety, and helps to keep your house safe in the meantime. However, what it might not do is keep your dog safe from itself, since severely anxious animals can rub their nose raw or tear up their paws on the crate door. You’ll have to follow a gradual training regime to introduce this method without making things worse.

1) Rehearse Departure Cues:

Your anxious dog will sense any act or routine you initiate as you prepare to leave. Putting on shoes and picking up keys are the most common examples. These actions are like triggers for your dog’s uneasiness.

It has been shown to help your dog adjust to absences when these cues are “desensitized” – that is, you can break the association with these actions with you disappearing for a while. This is easy. Simply go through the motions of putting on your shoes, picking up keys (or whatever it is that clues in your dog to your departure) without actually leaving. 

The repetitive act, newly coupled with the outcome of ‘owner not leaving,’ will calm your dog and eventually allow them to pay less attention to these routines when they do mean you have to leave for real.

2) Tone down arrivals:

Obviously, everyone loves a wildly enthusiastic welcoming committee every time you walk in the door. But with a dog with separation issues, your ecstatically happy reunion repeatedly sends the message that, yes, this is a HUGE deal, huge enough to feel like it’s been years since you saw each other last, and could be years until you see each other next!

Extra happy returns will not cure separation anxiety; rather, they will make it worse. You need to resist the urge, and it is even advisable to ignore overexcited pets for a few minutes until they regain some degree of composure.

I trained one dog with a jumping problem and a mild case of separation anxiety. After we let him blow off a bit of steam and do a few cartwheels, he had to sit down before being rewarded with a greeting. Also, the owner would always kneel down to greet his friend, which not only helped with the jumping, but also allowed the exchange to take place in a more controlled and civil manner, and ‘on the dog’s level.’

3) Stage Exits:

Conditioning your dog to be alone, and to be comfortable without you, is the goal. It is necessary to budget time to undertake this training process. You will have to stage exits. That is, practice leaving him first, confined to another room in your house for a few minutes with you at home; next, getting used to very short exits and entrances – as short as a minute or two at first; then finally for incrementally longer absences.

You will NOT be able to leave your dog alone for longer than you have successfully “staged” with practice. Try crate training or arrange for a dog sitter in the meantime to make sure you are not taking two steps back with every step forward.

TIP: I’ve had success in some cases standing just outside the door after I’ve departed, then, upon hearing the anxious behavior – whining, crying, or scratching the door itself – I gently talk to the dog and let them know that what they’re doing is inappropriate. It not only corrects the behavior on the spot, but helps them understand that you don’t vanish when you walk out the door.

Finally, in the long run, time IS on your side. Dogs will learn that you’re always coming back, whether you’re leaving them in the car or a few minutes while running an errand, or in the house for an afternoon. They will grow in confidence as they grow in maturity.

In the meantime, some things to do and keep doing:

• Exercise – it’s my answer for everything I’m told, but it sure helps most everything
• Personal activities – remember, they’re dogs. They enjoy chewing on things. Give them something to chew on. If they’re left inside, switch on the radio.
• Visits – try to arrange short visits from friends if you work long hours. (The great thing about having a very sweet and very obedient dog is that everyone WANTS to see them)

cat peeing in house

There is no mistaking the heavy, ammonia smell of cat urine. Whether your cat is simply urinating wherever he or she wishes, or is spraying urine to mark territory, the result will be the same.

 This is a strong odor that will affect a surprisingly large area of the home, even if the problem area is relatively small. You should actually account yourself lucky if you are able to spot a puddle or a wet area on the rug or upholstery and begin treating it immediately. However, once the urine has dried, in most cases you will have to locate it by smell or by using a black light. 

Odor Removal Once the Urine Is Found 

Once you find out the problem area, it's important to take some care to remove the urine as completely as possible; not only for the sake of your nose, but to discourage your cat of thinking of that particular spot as a bathroom. 

The organic compounds found in cat urine can pose some problems in removing the odor - some of the compounds are water soluble, but the uric acid not only is capable of binding to adjacent surfaces, but is not soluble by water. When you find fresh urine you should: 

Wipe up the urine from hard surfaces with a paper towel and use the same to blot urine in furniture or rugs. Don't use cloth unless you are prepared to throw it away afterwards.

An enzyme cleaner is your best choice for removing cat urine. These cleaners are specifically designed to break down the uric acid into ammonia and carbon dioxide, which will simply off gas naturally afterwards.

Do not try to hasten the drying process after using an enzyme cleaner since it interrupts the normal dissipation of the ammonia and carbon dioxide.

Use the best enzyme cleaner possible - inexpensive cleaners often require multiple uses before they remove the odor of cat urine.

Be generous when applying the cleaner; you should soak the target area to allow the enzymes to really do their job.

After leaving the cleaner on for approximately a quarter of an hour, blot it up, then let the spot dry naturally.

Although rugs are the usual areas where your cat may urinate, beds, sofas, and clothing can also be sullied. Use the same procedure on these as you did on your rug. Slipcovers and clothing should be washed separately after they have been treated with the enzyme cleaner. Spray marking will be found on a vertical surface such as a door frame or chair leg.