Like countless others worldwide, Emily decided that the era of the global pandemic, mandatory shutdown, and the unprecedented opportunity to work from home full-time represented the perfect time to get a puppy. She and her “shihpoo,” Beauford, quickly became devoted companions to one another.

The honeymoon ended abruptly, however, once shutdown restrictions were lifted, allowing Emily to leave home to run errands and tend to the business of life. Beau was convinced that each time she stepped out the front door it would be the last he’d ever see of her. Soon, Emily felt trapped at home and guilty for taking even short amounts of time to leave home for necessary trips like groceries and gas. Determined to help her faithful friend overcome his panic over her departures, Emily contacted me. Fast forward a few months, and Emily is starting to get her life back after diligently implementing the training recommendations I gave her.

The following video shows Emily and Beauford before they started working with me and again after a few months of separation anxiety training. Before we began working with Beau, he was quite anxious when Emily left home (restlessness, crying, and even howling ). After a few months of training, Beau rests comfortably in his bed while Emily is away.

What is Separation Anxiety?

Separation anxiety is a behavioral problem[1] in which dogs show signs of extreme distress when their owners or favorite people are not present. It has become an all-too-common reality for many dogs and their humans due to the highly unusual circumstances associated with the pandemic and pet owners seldom leaving the home. Currently, over half of dog owners[2] in the United States believe their pets suffer from separation anxiety.

Dogs exhibit separation anxiety when they are left alone and/or separated from the people to whom they are closely bonded. According to the ASPCA, there is no conclusive evidence why dogs have separation anxiety, although it is common in (but not limited to) dogs who have been rehomed and may be the result of the loss of important people in a dog’s life.

Separation Anxiety Symptoms

• Stress vocalizations when you’re away like persistent barking, whining, or howling
• Chewing, scratching, or otherwise destroying your home or things in the home, particularly around doors and windows
• Indoor elimination (inappropriate urination or defecation), especially if the dog is otherwise completely potty trained and never has accidents when you’re home
• Restlessness, excessive drooling, inflicting self-injury, or drinking large amounts of water when you’re not there
• Repeated efforts to escape the home, but only when you’re not around

Separation Anxiety Training

An effective separation anxiety training plan allows us to systematically desensitize your dog to your absence. We’ll teach your dog to calmly tolerate your pre- and post-departure cues like putting on your shoes and pulling the car out of the driveway. We’ll then work on short absences from home and gradually build to progressively longer absences until we achieve your training goal.

Contact me today and get help for your dog’s separation anxiety or other problem behaviors.

[1] Stepita, Meredith (July 29, 2019) Separation Anxiety: The Great Imitator, Part 1, retrieved March 31, 2021

[2] Slater, Georgia (November 24, 2020), More Than 50 Percent of Dog Owners Believe Their Pets Have Separation Anxiety, Study Finds, retrieved March 31, 2021

Whether purchased from a breeder or rescued from a shelter, Americans have been bringing companion animals into their homes at an unprecedented rate since the global coronavirus pandemic and accompanying shutdowns started over a year ago. Unfortunately, a significant number of these dogs have been deprived of a proper socialization experience, and now they (and their humans) are suffering the consequences.

Trainers have been inundated with inquiries from folks whose dogs are triggered by the sight and sound of people and dogs not living in the home. A large percentage of the “pandemic puppies” I’ve met become hyperaroused and explode in a frenzy of growling, barking, lunging, charging, and jumping when they hear sounds coming from outside the home like other neighborhood dogs barking and neighbors talking in an outdoor voice, or (heaven forbid!), the sight of someone in their own yard.

So, what’s a concerned pet parent to do?

Identify Barking Triggers

First, figure out why your dog is barking, because they’re trying to communicate something to you! Use their body language and context cues to help clarify this. If you suspect they’re frequently engaging in defensive alarm barking at home, use effective management strategies to prevent your dog from “practicing” the unwanted behavior by identifying common triggers.

If your dog plays self-appointed sentry at the front door, close the door or use a visual barrier like window privacy film placed far enough up the glass to block their view. If external sounds are setting them off, use a sound buffer such as a white noise machine played at low volume, along with Through a Dog’s Ear or iCalm Dog (calming music for pets).

Training Tips for Barking

Next, implement ways to help your dog settle down in general, such as by providing adequate daily mental enrichment opportunities to tire them out in a way that promotes relaxation. A great resource for inspiration is Shay Kelly’s book Canine Enrichment, along with her Facebook group page of the same name. Calming supplements like Composure from VetriScience Laboratories or NutriCalm by Rx Vitamins for Pets can be very helpful, too. You may also want to speak with your pupper’s veterinarian to get their recommendations.

Last but not least, work with a qualified, certified positive reinforcement trainer. Modern trainers use current behavioral science and fear-free methods to help dogs learn calm, thoughtful behaviors to replace knee-jerk stress reactions by changing the dog’s emotional response to anxiety-inducing triggers.

If you’re in the Kansas City area, or are interested in virtual training, learn more about my services here.

You can also find certified modern trainers through the Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partners (KPA CTP) directory, The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) directory, the Fear Free Certified Professional directory, and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) directory.