Separation Anxiety Post Pandemic

As the country starts to open back up after the Coronavirus pandemic of 2020; many pet parents may start to notice their dog exhibiting new behaviors. These behaviors may be minor, like whining or barking when you leave the house. Or they can be severe like chewing on baseboards or even escaping the yard. As it often happens; several dog behaviors get lumped into one over-utilized term, separation anxiety. However, true separation anxiety is when a dog experiences true stress when its parent leaves. As I will go over, some of the behaviors we often associate with separation anxiety are learned behaviors that can be addressed with training.

According to VCA true separation anxiety is described as “They become extremely anxious and show distress behaviors such as vocalization, destruction, or house soiling when separated from the owners. Most dogs with separation anxiety try to remain close to their owners, follow them from room to room, and rarely spend time outdoors alone.” If your dog is displaying these behaviors, you should speak with your veterinarian and a dog trainer on how best to address these behaviors. If your dog is fairly independent most of the time and only exhibits anxiety when you get ready to leave the house, you may not be dealing with separation anxiety.

In 2020, your dog became accustomed to you and your family staying home. You started to work from home, the kids got schooled at home and you even worked-out from home. So your dog has picked up on this pattern of the family being in one place. As restaurants and movie theaters open back up, your dog's routine will be adjusted once again. Not all dogs will be able to adjust quickly and seamlessly. Here are some ways you can help your dog ease back into being comfortable with your absence from the house.

Give your dog a Zen Den: Establishing your dog’s area in the house and then being home when your dog is in their designated area can help your dog feel more secure for the times you aren’t around. Oftentimes pet parents only utilize a crate or dog area when they leave. But utilize the crate and/or area when you are home first. So your dog knows that their space is a good, safe area that they can use when they choose.

Recognize your habits: Start to notice what your daily habits are when leaving the house. Do you pick up your keys? Do your keys make a sound? Does this sound trigger your dog’s behavior? When you start to recognize your daily habits around exiting you can start to notice when your dog gets anxious. It may be with a particular object, like keys. Or it may be a specific area, like around the door you leave out of.

Switch-up your routine: Once you have started observing your habits and your dogs' reaction to them; you can narrow down what specific thing is making your dog anxious. If it is your keys; then change when you pick up your keys. Pick up your keys when making your coffee, then set them down and snuggle on the couch with your dog. All your dog knows is that when they hear the jingle of your keys, you leave them. But if you pick up your keys several times throughout the day and then snuggle with them or give them a treat after you pick them up; then you are training your dog that the sound of the keys means 9 times out of 10 something good happens instead of something unwanted. The more you utilize the object of their anxiety differently, your dog will start to develop a different reaction to that object. Dogs are experts in picking up patterns so the more you can associate an object or area that is causing them stress with positive reinforcement, the more they learn to release that stress.

Another way to help reduce the stress of you leaving the house is to not make a big deal out of leaving. We sometimes kiss our dogs a thousand times and tell them how much we love them before heading out, but by emphasizing your departure you could be making their anxiety worse.

Provide enrichment: Sometimes behaviors that are sometimes associated with separation anxiety like chewing objects or barking; are actually because your dog is bored. Working your dogs' mind can help curb these behaviors in some dogs. Kong’s are a fun toy that you can fill with your dogs' kibble or peanut butter and your dog loves working to get those treats. But again, don’t just utilize a kong or enrichment toy when you leave. Use them when you are present first and then you can start to use them when you are heading out of the house.

I hope this article helps you better understand why your dog may be developing some unwanted behaviors and how best to address them when we are officially post-pandemic.

A Dog’s love language

For anyone who has read The Five Love Languages, you know that not everyone speaks the same love language. Everyone expresses and feels love in very different ways. Well, dogs do as well. Since Valentine's Day is fast approaching, I thought it would be a great time to go over the ways in which our dogs show us love. Here is a guide to help you interpret your dog’s behaviors and how you can show your love in their language.

Doggie Kisses

Dogs show love through licking as well. This behavior in the canine world is called “all grooming” which is when dogs lick other individuals they are attached to. (Animal Wellness). If they lick your face while you are lying down this is another sign they love you because they may be worried if you are unconscious or sick and by licking you they are checking to make sure you are well.

Lean on Me

Dogs also show us, love, by leaning on us. If you lean on them as well they understand this as a sign of affection. This may not always be at the best time, like when we are cooking dinner or trying to run out the door, but it's important to understand your dog is doing this as a sign of affection, not to be disruptive. 

Velcro Dog

Whether that is snuggling up on the couch with you or following you from room to room. If your dog is following you that is a sign they feel safe and secure with you. You may have noticed when you are snuggling with your dog they let out an audible sigh; that is another sign of love from your dog. It shows contentment as well as a feeling of safety.

Say My Name, Say My Name

One of my favorite ways dogs show their love for us, is by being able to recognize our names. I love hearing from my clients that when they say my name within earshot of their dog, their dog becomes excited! That dog is showing their love for me and anyone else they start to recognize by name.

Have you Herd

Has your dog ever tried to herd you? Maybe you were in another room and your dog tried to lead you to the couch? Herding is a common behavior shown in dogs that shows they feel protective and what to make sure we are safe.

Face Time:

If your dog has ever rubbed their face on yours, you may have already guessed that that behavior was a sign of affection. And you are right! "It's a common way to show affection. By rubbing their face on you, your dog is marking you as theirs” (Insider) Also if your dog looks into your eyes for long periods of time, this is another way they are showing their love. From the time they are puppies, they start to look into their human's eyes, which is a sign of attachment. (Insider)

Now it's your turn to show your dog how you feel through their language. For many human’s our firsts instincts are to kiss and hug their dogs to show affection. However, this may not be the best. Some dogs can view hugging as a threat, you can tell if your dog doesn’t like you hugging them if they display lowering their tails, pulling their ears back, tensing up, or trying to move away. (Animal Wellness)

Dogs really love to be scratched behind their ears. This is a great way for you to show your love to your pup. Research shows that dogs release the love chemical oxytocin and endorphins when they get their ears scratched.

Another idea for showing your dog lots of love is playing with them. If you play with their favorite toy it helps your dog develop social skills, releases energy as well as creating a bond between you and your dog.

I hope you have enjoyed this article and I would love to hear if your dog does any of these behaviors in the comments below.

What does being your dog's advocate mean?

Recently, I have gotten several inquires from dog parents that are having trouble with their anxious dogs. After getting feedback from my clients, and fellow trainers; I realized that these anxious dogs are looking for an advocate. Someone who can voice their concerns to others, when needed. Our dogs can’t voice what bothers them, so it is up to us as their pet parent to voice those concerns for them. 

You will be able to tell if your dog needs an advocate if they start to display signs of anxiety. Anxiety in dogs can look like pacing, panting, shivering, barking, escaping, and destroying furniture. These are the ways your dog is trying to communicate with you that they are not comfortable with something in their environment. Being able to identify what your dog is trying to say to you is the first way you can advocate for them. 

Important body language to observe is, if your dog is displaying displacement behaviors. Displacement behaviors are normal canine behaviors that are displayed out of context, which indicate conflict or anxiety. An example of displacement behavior is licking of the lips when there is no food around. If your dog licks its lips while you are out on a walk, do a quick scan of the environment and see if maybe there is another dog or person around that your dog has noticed. Then your first response should be to create distance between your dog and the object of their anxiety. Once you have created space for your dog, observe if and when your dog becomes relaxed. You did it! You just became your dog's advocate, by listening to your dog's signals and acting in your dogs best interest you advocated for your dog, which will help build trust between the two of you.

Your goal as your dog's advocate should be to make them feel safe. If you begin to notice your dog's body language becomes anxious every time they see a child or perhaps a larger dog, then begin to scan the environments of places you take them to for these triggers. Once you identify these triggers in your dog you can better help your dog. Help them through with distance, as explained earlier, or through a dog trainer and some counter-conditioning exercises.

Sometimes you will need to be your dog's advocate to other humans. If your dog gets anxious with other people, then when a friendly person comes up and asks to pet your dog, it’s your responsibility to voice your dog's concerns. Simply by saying “Thanks for the offer but my dog likes her space” tells the person what your dog's boundaries are. And it shows your dog that you are listening to them and are actively trying to help them feel safe.

By showing up as your dog's advocate, you are building trust as well as helping your dog overcome these fears. If your dog is exhibiting any of these signs of anxiety,  I would highly recommend speaking with a dog trainer or dog behaviorist. Someone who can help you and your dog work through these anxieties to help your dog live a more balanced life.

Decompression and Enrichment Walks

A dog’s most prominent sense is their sense of smell. You could say it is their superpower! Far too often we (humans) don’t do enough to foster their sense of smell. I have often encouraged my clients to play scent games with their dogs or as discussed in a previous blog post to use a Snuffle Mat at feeding times. These are just two ways in which every dog owner can foster this natural superpower at home. But what about ways to enrich our dog's snout outside the home?

One of the best ways is through a Decompression walk. This term was coined by Sarah Stremming on her Cog-Dog Radio podcast. Sarah Stremming defines decompression walks as “a walk where the dog is allowed freedom of movement in nature.” She says this can be done off-leash or on a long line with a back clipping harness. Furthermore, she suggests decompression walks should be done out in nature in a secluded area. This will allow your dog to be a dog. To let their nose be their guide, and to get back in touch with their instincts. The benefits of decompression walks are said to be physical, mental, and behavioral.

After learning of this term I became very excited! It was like the dog training world was finally catching on to something that dog owners have been noticing for years, even though the majority of the information that was available on the subject told us to do the opposite. It was widely encouraged throughout the dog-owning world that walks are for exercise only! No sniffing or doodling around! 

In my over 5 years as a dog walker, I noticed the dogs I walked, that were active sniffers, were more tired and content after the walks, as opposed to dogs who were taught not to sniff on walks. Some trainers and pack walkers discourage sniffing to maximize the physical exercise of a walk. And I do believe that technique works and is beneficial for some dogs. However, just like people, every dog has different needs. There is not a “one size fits all” fix for behavioral, physical, and mental enrichment. We need to look at each dog individually and determine what will work best for that specific dog.

There has been anecdotal evidence that for dogs who experience fear, anxiety, stress, and reactivity; decompression walks have benefited them in the reduction of those behaviors. Trainers and pet parents who have implemented decompression walks into their schedules have noticed their once aggressive or anxious dog behaving more calmly.

Enrichment walks can also be as beneficial as Decompression walks as well. Enrichment walks are not as long, only 45 mins, and don’t have to be done in a secluded area. But the goal is the same to allow a dog to let their nose be their guide and explore. On these walks, the handler can vary their average pace from a slower walk to a quick jog. Also, the handler can sprinkle treats in a nearby bush or under rocks for the dog to discover. Using the environment, such as fallen trees, to create a makeshift obstacle course is great for the dog that is very athletic and energetic.

Both of these options offer your dog more stimulation both mentally and physically, which can reduce stress and unwanted behavior. For anyone who may be dealing with a hyper dog or one that has shown anxious behavior these are two great options to assist your dog with adapting to our human world.

12 Days of Christmas

Every year since I started Doggie Dreamz back in 2014, I have chosen twelve gifts, from companies that give back to animal rescue organizations, to be a part of a Gift Giving Guide. I look forward to discovering new companies that offer products that do more than just one thing. To me, the holiday season is more than getting presents, it’s about helping those that need it most. The holiday season has always been about lending a helping hand to those less fortunate. All twelve of these companies help spread this giving spirit and help charities that support animal rescue efforts across the country. I hope you enjoy this list and that these suggestions assist you with some of your loved ones on your shopping list.

 For the first day, we have chosen Rescue Chocolate. Not only do they make delicious chocolate but they also donate 100% of the net profits to animal rescue organizations around the country. This is perfect for any sweet tooth in your life that also enjoys helping animals.

For Day 2 we chose Fetch Eyewear. They have stylish frames for both prescription and sunglasses. They donate 100% of profits to animal welfare groups, making them a perfect gift for the pet obsessed!

Day 3 is for any dog lover that loves to represent their love. Hendricks & Co is an apparel company that donates to animal rescue organizations with every shirt, hoodie, bracelet, or dog accessory purchased. More than 600 rescues, shelters, and sanctuaries in the U.S. and Canada have partnered with Hendrick & Co. and to date, Hendrick & Co. has donated more than $2 million!

Day 4 of our Gift Giving Guide is all about coffee! Grounds and Hounds make delicious coffee all with a doggie theme. They support rescue organizations providing second chances to pups in need of a helping hand. 20% of all Grounds and Hounds Profits are given to rescue organizations working to make the second-chance mission a reality.

Day 5 is a great gift for a cartoon enthusiast in your life. Mutts Shop is merchandise from the classic comic strip Mutts. And 2% of the retail price of every item in their shop goes to The Humane Society’s Animal Rescue Team.

Day 6 of our 12 Days of Christmas Gift Giving Guide answers a question I get a lot…Where did you get your shirt? I have this shirt in black and it is a perfect idea for a Game of Thrones fan that is also a dog lover. What is even better is that the company, Animal Hearted, donates 25% of proceeds from every order to non-profit animal shelters and rescue organizations.

Day 7 in our Gift Giving Guide is one of the cutest things I have ever seen! It's an Operation Res-cute pup! This item comes with a book, based on the true story of a real-life rescue dog, along with a plush stuffed animal and Operation ResCUTE sticker. 100% of the profits will go towards helping shelter dogs get adopted.

Day 8 of our Gift Giving Guide is perfect for the practical Pet Parent. It's a seatbelt from Kurgo for your pup in the car to keep them safe while allowing them to enjoy the ride as well. And what is great is that Kurgo has its own foundation that helps people explore the world together, as well as organizations that help dogs in natural disaster situations.

Day 9 in our 12 Days Gift Guide is for the candle obsessed. Light and Bark Candle Co. These smell amazing and also go with any home decor style. A portion of the profits from every purchase is donated directly to a deserving rescue. These donations help shelter and rescue dogs to stay healthy and happy while they wait for their forever homes by covering costs for things like microchips, medical care, enrichment items, and funding for shelter prevention.

Day 10 in our Gift Guide is from Arm the Animals. This mask says it all, it really does save lives. For the past 8 years, this amazing company has been providing donation funds, supplying low-cost website development, graphics, and marketing services to help other organizations increase their impact.

Day 11 of our Gift Giving Guide would be perfect for your Instagram obsessed friend. The popular Instagram Profile The Dogist that was started to showcase the cute dogs of New York has become a phenomenon. And now they have started their own shop that helps fund animal rescues. The Dogist Rescue Partner Program empowers local shelters by helping fund their rescue work and highlighting adoptable dogs from their shelters and foster networks. Each season, we partner with a new rescue organization and donate a portion of each sale from The Dogist Shop to help continue their work.

Day 12! It’s the final day of our Gift Giving Guide and today’s pick is for you make-up lovers out there. Karity is a cruelty-free make-up brand that not only is reasonably priced, and is carried at CVS, but for every palette that is sold each month, Karity donates a meal to a shelter animal through the SPCA. Truly a beauty company that knows the real meaning of beauty.

Let me know of any other companies that you enjoy or buy from that give back to animal rescues in the comments below.