Essay: Separation anxiety syndrome in dogs

The issue is about the separation anxiety syndrome that has been taking an increasingly important these days, especially due to the very hectic lifestyle of the owners (work all day outside), as well as a strong dependence that humans They began to acquire in relation to their dogs as if they were your children, or even an extension of their owners.
It is known that humanity is increasingly solitary, individualistic, not by pure will, but by the need of modern times to work more and, as a consequence, more profit and “be happier.” This behavior requires an outlet, because we do not live alone, without family nearby or friendless. It is within this sense of loneliness and neediness that some people go to buy a pet and make this the center of their attention when they are together. Sleep together, eat together, often sharing the same food, providing a mutually dependent relationship. Most of the time, this attitude of acceptance and affection that the owner has for the dog is something you do unconsciously trying to fill some space and in exchange give something good to the animal. It is not for any judgment to any owner of this attitude, because if it does not have any awareness of what it might mean truly for the dog, he is not to blame, just do not know and do the best of intentions.
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However, before an extremely dependent relationship we have as a result exactly the extreme dependence. It seems redundant, is not it? But it is something that is known but not understood. Transpose to human relationships. For example, parents can create a child seeking two ways: either inducing the child to be independent, teaching which attitudes to it, or the other way is overprotect her, which will make an insecure child, afraid not have opportunity to meet the new, to test its possibilities and how far you can go, and parents of dependent, at first and a partner (a) in a second moment of life.
See chat with the therapist dogs on SEPARATION ANXIETY:
That’s how you can do with a dog, or give the possibilities for you to demonstrate your potential, make their findings, facing the difficulties with the fear aside and own them, or accepting way too much all manifestations of fear, anxiety, not allowing the dog can experience.
It is on this that I propose that we understand better what it is the Separation Anxiety Syndrome (SAS). This is a series of behaviors expressed by dogs when left alone. The worst is that when the owner does not realize the cause of the problem itself and get home faces a couch totally destroyed, punish your pet. Punishment is done improperly and this contributes to the increased frequency of unwanted behavior.
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Dog behavior seen as inappropriate is given by his response to the stress direction to the separation of one or more persons who maintains close contact.
This relationship gives the dog as a puppy, first with his mother and littermates and later in the socialization period, the puppy will turn to other animals of the same or / and other species. Socialization determine the type of social relationship he will have, as well as communication processes, hierarchy, ways to solve problems and also not least, the type of relationship that will be established with the owner, and this is based on trust. But when the dog remains too dependent on the owner, behavioral issues denoting the separation anxiety can be developed.
Signs that the dog is with Separation Anxiety
Among the behaviors may be observed pee and poop in the wrong place as the door or owner of the bed, excess vocalization (howls, barks, cries), destructive behavior (scratching sofas, biting personal belongings of the owner, windows, standing table, standing chair, doors), depression, anorexia (loss of appetite), hyperactivity, can chew doors and windows when the owner is not trying to follow it, mobile chew wires, walls, clothes, do not eat or drink while owner does not return, may also have self-mutilation in an attempt to combat boredom. It notes that each case is different and must be rigorously analyzed by a professional, raising an entire behavioral history of the animal so that it can reach the separation anxiety hypothesis.
To better understand, we need to know a difference between fear and phobia. Fear is the feeling of apprehension associated with the presence or proximity of an object, person, or situation. Fear is normal, which is part of the development and that is overcome in the face of situations that are presented to the dog, during the experience.
A phobia is a response that the animal shows and this immediate, acute, profound, abnormal, translated as an extreme fear of behavior compared to panic. Phobia, unlike fear, is not extinguished with the gradual exposure of the dog that generates despair.
Typical separaçãoSinal anxiety Separation Anxiety: destruction
How to diagnose Separation Anxiety
It is given when the animal manifests the anxious behaviors in the absence of the owner which maintains a very strong relationship, even though the presence of most other people.
When a puppy, various events can lead to the development of separation anxiety, for example, have been taken from the very young mother, so did not have enough contact with littermates, environment sudden change in which he was accustomed, style change owner life, going to have less time together, divorce, children who grow up and leave home, a newborn in the family, a new pet. It can also occur through a traumatic event that has happened in the absence of the owner, for example, storms, earthquakes, explosions, assaults, raids at the residence.
There is no specific race for the development of the syndrome, but dogs that develop are very agitated, follow the owner everywhere, jump on top of it all the time. Dogs with Separation Anxiety, feel and know when its owner is out and this time whimper, requesting attention, jump, shake, insistently follow the owner.
Separation Anxiety
How to Treat Separation Anxiety
The first step in the treatment of the animal is to understand what the real reason that led him to this point and give all the support and explanation to the owner about how the operation of reasoning, dog cognition, making him understand that owner changing some aspects of their behavior together in an animal source of the problem specification is what will result. The animal that is dependent on the extreme need that the owner realizes what you’re doing wrong and sometimes accentuating the anxiety of the dog.
If the animal is in this state was because the behavioral stimulus dog was reinforced to be so therefore we must identify what are the reinforcing stimuli. In Separation Anxiety Syndrome, we need to identify stimuli that precede the departure of the owner, the behavioral responses after a certain time of the owner’s departure, the intensity of these responses regarding the amount of time the owner is away and incentives in return owner, that is, if it reinforced inappropriate behavior of the animal or not.
For the treatment of separation anxiety should include an owner’s relationship change with the dog, physical activity by the animal, training for obedience, stimulus modification history the departure of the owner and consequent upon arrival thereof, prevention and use of anxiolytics in some cases, always associated with the entire reorganization of dog life and the owner, for only the drug will not change or solve the cause of the problem, it will only mask it and the goal is to bring the animal to the conviviality and not pull it. The main point is to teach the dog to tolerate the owner’s absence, gradually gradually, for example, with small matches the owner, increasing the time off at short intervals not necessarily increasing, ie, the owner may first go out 30 minutes, then at 10, then by 25 by 15, so the dog understand that it will return.
Separation Anxiety
In return the owner should not overly greet the dog, because this behavior would only negatively reinforcing the animal. While the dog remains excited the owner should ignore him until he calms down and only then, greet him. “Make party” before you leave or arrive at home just makes the dog becomes even more anxious.
Next to this, the dog will be attentive to the movements of the owner before leaving home and is eager. The owner can then perform all the movements that would do before leaving home, but not out. One can also perform counter-conditioning. In this case the dog is trained to remain calm while the owner moves increasingly away from until you get near the door. During the absence of the owner of a television or radio can remain attached to the animal has the feeling of not being alone, helping to positively associate the absence.
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It is important that the owner can deal with your feelings also making sure that ignore the dog for a while will not cause the animal like him less, but will decrease the extreme dependence, allowing the dog to tolerate its absence, making the more balanced and happy animal. Punishments and negative punishments are not recommended as a treatment, bringing only fear and aggressiveness of the dog with the punisher.
Remember that a super dependent dog is not a happy dog ​​and nor is there a healthy relationship with the owner. Pass to work your mind to help your best friend to be happier!
Source: PINHEIRO, R. G. Changes in canine behavior: aggression, separation anxiety and noise sensitivity. Goiânia, 2010.