Why Did Robbie Have Separation Anxiety?
In Robbie's lifetime, he lost his "pack" three times since being a puppy. Once when he got separated from his mother, second when he left the shelter to go to Pups for Parole, and a third time when he left the prison handlers to come to me. As a result, he was unsure if we would be his permanent pack or leave him. As a result, when we did leave him, even though it was only for a short time, he did not know that we were coming back each time.
How Did We Tackle This Problem?
Each day, we would leave Robbie in his kennel with a favorite toy, something that was safe for him to be left with. We then leave the house for 5 minutes, and when we returned, we stayed very calm so as not to feed his excitement. Once he was calm again we'd praise him in a calm manner & release him from his kennel. It was a very slow process. Some days we seemed to be making progress and the next he was howling & barking. Luckily we live in the country.
Other times, we'd work on making the kennel a good place to be. Giving him a favorite toy while we're in the same room is one way we'd achieve that. Also, he sleeps in it every night. He does not mind being in the kennel as long as he could hear us in the house. It's when he knows we're gone that he would get anxious.
By no means did Robbie have a severe case of it. He mostly made some noise and tried to chew on or paw at his kennel door. With time and consistency, we were able to get to where we could leave him on his own for an hour or two in his kennel without him getting nervous.
Other times, we'd work on making the kennel a good place to be. Giving him a favorite toy while we're in the same room is one way we'd achieve that. Also, he sleeps in it every night. He does not mind being in the kennel as long as he could hear us in the house. It's when he knows we're gone that he would get anxious.
By no means did Robbie have a severe case of it. He mostly made some noise and tried to chew on or paw at his kennel door. With time and consistency, we were able to get to where we could leave him on his own for an hour or two in his kennel without him getting nervous.
Service Dogs are Supposed to Be Attached to Their Handlers... Is the Separation Anxiety Really a Problem?
Yes, they are supposed to be attached to their handlers, but they still need to be a little independent. If a handler needs to leave them sitting or lying down someplace & briefly step around a corner, the dog needs to be reliable enough to stay there without panicking.
There may be times when the handler and dog are separated, if the handler goes into surgery or is admitted to a hospital that will not allow the dog to be present, the dog needs to be calm and collected despite not being glued to the handler's side.
When Robbie was still in training, he would not go everywhere with me & not restaurants yet - leave it needed some work! At the time, it would be awesome if we could've left him in the house alone, in his kennel, and run errands or go out to eat without having to drag him along before he was ready to be in public or skip date night another 6 months.
There may be times when the handler and dog are separated, if the handler goes into surgery or is admitted to a hospital that will not allow the dog to be present, the dog needs to be calm and collected despite not being glued to the handler's side.
When Robbie was still in training, he would not go everywhere with me & not restaurants yet - leave it needed some work! At the time, it would be awesome if we could've left him in the house alone, in his kennel, and run errands or go out to eat without having to drag him along before he was ready to be in public or skip date night another 6 months.
Tips on What to Do If Your Dog (Pet or Working) Has Separation Anxiety...
- REMAIN CALM - when leaving or returning to your dog, try to stay calm & act like it's no big deal. If you talk to him a lot, using a high pitched voice, this will only put him in an excited state of mind. From that point on, your dog will associate you leaving/returning with "I need to be really excited right now"
- Work on this problem with your dog whenever you can! Small bursts of time, devoted to working on this.
- Consider using a crate when you leave the house. This keeps the dog confined which can keep your house safe from destructive behavior, and your dog safe from getting into something that could harm them.
- When you return, ignore your dog for an additional 10-15 minutes. When you go to the kennel, stand or sit outside it patiently. If the dog starts getting excited again, just be patient. Don't take the dog out until he is calm (no panting, licking lips, trembling, or whining) so that he/she learns the best way to be in the kennel & leave the kennel is calmly.
- Make his crate a safe place. NEVER use the crate as a punishment. The dog will not understand why he is being put there. The crate should always be a place that is accessible to the dog, and some place he will feel comfortable going if he is tired, stressed, unsure, or just needs a break.
- Read articles about separation anxiety in dogs. Consult with a trainer for professional help.
Updates on Robbie's Progress
March 2015 (one month post-adoption) - Could only leave Robbie for 2 minutes before the coyote-like howling/barking would erupt from his kennel
6/20/15 (four months post-adoption) - Robbie can now be left in his kennel with or without a Kong toy for 15 minutes with no barking/whining/howling!!! And when we return inside he is calm & either lying down but alert or sleeping
11/15/15 - Robbie was left with family for an hour while my boyfriend & I went deer hunting. Robbie waited by the door for a bit, but did not whine. He then went and laid in his dog bed (our kennel was not with us) until we got back. When we returned, he was calm and polite in greeting us.
2018 - Robbie is a finished service dog, with zero separation issues. When we pop out of sight, or need to leave the house without him, he is either in his kennel or left on a place rug. He stays there, quietly listening to his surroundings, eventually falling asleep.
6/20/15 (four months post-adoption) - Robbie can now be left in his kennel with or without a Kong toy for 15 minutes with no barking/whining/howling!!! And when we return inside he is calm & either lying down but alert or sleeping
11/15/15 - Robbie was left with family for an hour while my boyfriend & I went deer hunting. Robbie waited by the door for a bit, but did not whine. He then went and laid in his dog bed (our kennel was not with us) until we got back. When we returned, he was calm and polite in greeting us.
2018 - Robbie is a finished service dog, with zero separation issues. When we pop out of sight, or need to leave the house without him, he is either in his kennel or left on a place rug. He stays there, quietly listening to his surroundings, eventually falling asleep.