1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,320
This is episode two of the Fixing Separation Anxiety podcast.

2
00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:09,440
Welcome to the Fixing Separation Anxiety podcast,

3
00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:11,680
where it's all about healing your dog,

4
00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:16,040
regaining your freedom, and getting your life back on track.

5
00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:23,520
Now, here's your host, Julie Naismith.

6
00:00:24,799 --> 00:00:28,000
Well, hello there, and welcome to

7
00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:31,879
the second episode of the Separation Anxiety podcast.

8
00:00:31,879 --> 00:00:34,080
I'm your host, Julie Naismith.

9
00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:36,320
In today's episode,

10
00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:40,680
we're going to be talking about a question that comes up all the time.

11
00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:43,000
Tell me if you haven't heard this one.

12
00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:45,880
Did you cause your dog separation anxiety?

13
00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:47,520
Now, be honest.

14
00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:48,880
Have you been told that?

15
00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:50,560
Have you thought it?

16
00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:52,500
I bet you have.

17
00:00:52,500 --> 00:00:56,240
Because if you haven't heard that and if you haven't thought that,

18
00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,160
you're just about the only separation anxiety pet parent

19
00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:01,680
I've ever come across who hasn't thought that.

20
00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:08,080
But I'm here today to tell you your dog separation anxiety is not down to you.

21
00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:13,639
So it's time to stop feeling guilty and start taking action.

22
00:01:13,639 --> 00:01:15,480
But where does all this stuff come from?

23
00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:19,120
This notion that we as separation anxiety pet parents are

24
00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:24,279
causing this issue in our dog is definitely not backed by any strong evidence.

25
00:01:24,279 --> 00:01:27,080
There's no strong research which says,

26
00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,000
yes, it's absolutely something you as an owner do.

27
00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:34,519
Also, if you've ever had or if you've currently got a non-anxious dog,

28
00:01:34,519 --> 00:01:38,279
do you do anything different with a non-anxious dog?

29
00:01:38,279 --> 00:01:39,959
I bet you don't.

30
00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:43,320
I bet the stuff you do like letting that dog,

31
00:01:43,320 --> 00:01:45,080
the non-anxious dog sleep on the bed,

32
00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,160
isn't causing your dog to freak out when you leave.

33
00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:50,959
It's just something about those separation anxiety dogs.

34
00:01:50,959 --> 00:01:56,680
So time to forgive yourself and let go of this notion that it's all your fault.

35
00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:58,519
The thing is with separation anxiety,

36
00:01:58,519 --> 00:02:01,199
most of the time the answer to what caused it is,

37
00:02:01,199 --> 00:02:03,279
well, nobody really knows.

38
00:02:03,279 --> 00:02:06,120
A big part of it could well be genetic.

39
00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:07,879
We don't have the research on that yet.

40
00:02:07,879 --> 00:02:09,279
I hope one day we will.

41
00:02:09,279 --> 00:02:12,199
And there's certainly leaders in the field of

42
00:02:12,199 --> 00:02:14,119
veterinary behavior science who think that

43
00:02:14,119 --> 00:02:16,679
there's a genetic component to separation anxiety.

44
00:02:16,679 --> 00:02:19,000
One day, hopefully, there will be research into

45
00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,679
the genes that may or may not cause this.

46
00:02:21,679 --> 00:02:25,440
But my gut tells me there probably is a genetic component.

47
00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:30,399
Why do I say that? I don't always like going on gut when there's research that can help us.

48
00:02:30,399 --> 00:02:31,520
And as most of you know,

49
00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:34,679
I'm big into evidence and science-based dog training.

50
00:02:34,679 --> 00:02:37,919
But here's why I think there could be a big genetic component.

51
00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:43,679
First off, we know that with things like stranger fear and noise phobia,

52
00:02:43,679 --> 00:02:47,440
noise phobia in particular has a known genetic component.

53
00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:50,639
And with things like stranger fear, well, dogs,

54
00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:54,160
guarding dogs, herding dogs, dogs who are there to protect us,

55
00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:58,600
are often bred selectively to be wary of strangers.

56
00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:01,199
So we know there's a genetic component there.

57
00:03:01,199 --> 00:03:03,039
So why not separation anxiety?

58
00:03:03,039 --> 00:03:06,479
If we can see all of these things popping up as a result of genetics,

59
00:03:06,479 --> 00:03:09,279
why couldn't it be possible that separation anxiety

60
00:03:09,279 --> 00:03:12,639
is also something that is caused by genetics?

61
00:03:12,679 --> 00:03:18,440
Also, remember that we have over the years bred dogs to be friendly towards us,

62
00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:24,000
notwithstanding the guarding dogs who we like to breed for standoffishness.

63
00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:28,800
But for the most part, domesticated dogs are bred to be friendly towards us.

64
00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,279
So there's a genetic component too.

65
00:03:31,279 --> 00:03:35,839
So I'm sure one day some research will crop up which says there is almost no doubt

66
00:03:35,839 --> 00:03:39,800
that part of the cause of separation anxiety is something that happens way,

67
00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,199
way, way back in the dog's genes.

68
00:03:42,199 --> 00:03:44,880
Another thing that makes me think, could this be genetic,

69
00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:47,880
is the number of young dogs to be prone to it.

70
00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:53,039
So if separation anxiety is just all about life experience,

71
00:03:53,039 --> 00:03:58,639
why are we seeing so many young dogs who clearly are exhibiting signs of discomfort,

72
00:03:58,639 --> 00:04:00,679
fear, panic at being left alone?

73
00:04:00,679 --> 00:04:04,600
So in my Facebook group, which at the time of this episode

74
00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:06,720
has two and a half thousand people in it,

75
00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:09,160
around 30% of people in that group,

76
00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:12,080
30% of the people whose dogs have separation anxiety,

77
00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:14,440
have dogs who are under one year.

78
00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:17,160
Now, fear is really easy to come by.

79
00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:22,480
So there's no reason why dogs who had no predisposition,

80
00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:25,279
so no genetic disposition to a particular fear,

81
00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:29,279
couldn't develop it that quickly, i.e. couldn't get it in under a year.

82
00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:30,880
But 30% is a lot.

83
00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:35,160
Certainly in the past, we didn't think that puppies had separation anxiety.

84
00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,160
We didn't think that puppies could get separation anxiety.

85
00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,440
We just thought the stuff that went on when puppies were left alone

86
00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:42,920
was normal puppy stuff.

87
00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,359
But now we know, we're pretty certain that puppies do get it.

88
00:04:46,359 --> 00:04:49,040
So if puppies get it, where does it come from?

89
00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,079
Is it early life experience or is it genes?

90
00:04:52,079 --> 00:04:54,320
Like I said, one day I hope we'll know.

91
00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:59,000
But in the meantime, what do we know for sure about this condition?

92
00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,079
Well, there's a fabulous piece of research,

93
00:05:01,079 --> 00:05:03,359
and it's open source so you can look at it,

94
00:05:03,359 --> 00:05:05,799
and I've linked to it in the show notes.

95
00:05:05,799 --> 00:05:08,880
It's a study of studies that was done in 2014.

96
00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:12,480
A study of studies, a really comprehensive piece of research

97
00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,519
that takes all of the research on a topic

98
00:05:15,519 --> 00:05:19,320
or a very broad range of research on a topic and pulls it together.

99
00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,839
So they kind of do all the hard work for us.

100
00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:25,480
That study of studies concluded that the key factors

101
00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:29,640
that affect the likelihood of separation anxiety

102
00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:32,000
are mixed and inconclusive.

103
00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,640
There could be a number of factors that contribute,

104
00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:38,399
but none of them really stood out as being definitive.

105
00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:40,200
So when you read the study, you don't go,

106
00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:44,239
oh, right, so that's why dogs get separation anxiety.

107
00:05:44,239 --> 00:05:46,079
But let me just run through some of the things

108
00:05:46,079 --> 00:05:49,559
and some of the trends that they saw in this study of studies.

109
00:05:49,559 --> 00:05:54,760
So first of all, and I've seen this in the data from my clients

110
00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:57,959
and from the several thousand people who complete the questions

111
00:05:57,959 --> 00:05:59,200
when they joined my group.

112
00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:03,880
Male dogs are more likely to have separation anxiety problems

113
00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:05,440
than female dogs.

114
00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:10,000
Not every study showed this, but more studies than not showed this.

115
00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,079
So in the population that I look at,

116
00:06:12,079 --> 00:06:14,880
so my separation anxiety group and my client list,

117
00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:18,519
about 60% of the dogs are male and 40% are female.

118
00:06:18,519 --> 00:06:20,160
So there's a reasonable difference.

119
00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:22,760
And most of the studies that are in this study of studies

120
00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:24,760
seem to show the same thing too.

121
00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,279
I think one or two studies showed there was no difference.

122
00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:28,679
Interestingly, I don't think there's a study

123
00:06:28,679 --> 00:06:30,679
which says it's more females than male.

124
00:06:30,679 --> 00:06:33,279
So it seems to be something about males.

125
00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:34,160
We don't know why.

126
00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:35,640
I think that's going to be your question.

127
00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:36,480
We don't know.

128
00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:39,480
Other things that this fantastic study of studies came up with

129
00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,040
is that separation from the litter,

130
00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,519
so taking a puppy away at a very young age,

131
00:06:44,519 --> 00:06:46,959
could be problematic and could be something

132
00:06:46,959 --> 00:06:49,079
that brings about separation anxiety,

133
00:06:49,079 --> 00:06:50,760
especially in younger dogs.

134
00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:53,079
And in the study, they looked in particular

135
00:06:53,079 --> 00:06:55,640
at dogs who came from pet shops or online.

136
00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:57,920
So these are dogs that would be taken away,

137
00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:00,239
puppies taken away at very young ages,

138
00:07:00,239 --> 00:07:01,959
four or five weeks, something like that,

139
00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:05,279
and then sold online or through pet shops.

140
00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:07,079
So one thing I always say is,

141
00:07:07,079 --> 00:07:10,160
if you don't want to get a puppy with separation anxiety,

142
00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:12,880
definitely avoid online shops and pet shops.

143
00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:14,359
And then another thing kind of linked

144
00:07:14,359 --> 00:07:16,239
to that whole puppyhood factor

145
00:07:16,239 --> 00:07:18,279
is experience outside the home.

146
00:07:18,279 --> 00:07:21,519
We all know how important socialization is,

147
00:07:21,519 --> 00:07:24,959
but it seems to play a part in separation anxiety too.

148
00:07:24,959 --> 00:07:27,679
Though, interestingly, in this study of studies,

149
00:07:27,679 --> 00:07:30,160
they looked at experience outside the home

150
00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,320
for puppies aged five to 10 months.

151
00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:34,239
Now, most dog trainers will tell you

152
00:07:34,239 --> 00:07:36,359
that we now look at a socialization period

153
00:07:36,359 --> 00:07:38,519
of up to 12 weeks, and at that point,

154
00:07:38,519 --> 00:07:41,160
we see the socialization window closing.

155
00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:44,760
But what the studies into separation anxiety are showing

156
00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:46,920
is that there's still a period of age

157
00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:49,160
between, say, five to 10 months,

158
00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:53,519
where if we give our dogs comfortable, happy,

159
00:07:53,519 --> 00:07:56,440
non-fearful exposures to the outside world,

160
00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:58,359
and we show them how to be alone

161
00:07:58,399 --> 00:08:00,799
in that time period of five to 10 months,

162
00:08:00,799 --> 00:08:03,440
we're less likely to trigger separation anxiety.

163
00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:06,480
Another factor that they saw was late-age adoption.

164
00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:09,519
So that would be dogs adopted in adulthood.

165
00:08:09,519 --> 00:08:11,320
So not necessarily puppies,

166
00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,160
but mature dogs adopted into a new household

167
00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:15,239
later in their lives.

168
00:08:15,239 --> 00:08:17,480
There were some factors around dogs

169
00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:19,200
coming from animal shelters,

170
00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:20,839
or those that were found as strays.

171
00:08:20,839 --> 00:08:22,760
Now, my hypothesis on that is that

172
00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:24,799
people don't always give the reason

173
00:08:24,799 --> 00:08:26,839
why they're surrendering dogs.

174
00:08:26,839 --> 00:08:29,359
And I find that in the shelter that I volunteer at.

175
00:08:29,359 --> 00:08:31,799
We don't always know the full history.

176
00:08:31,799 --> 00:08:32,760
Why is that?

177
00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:34,039
Well, sometimes people don't know,

178
00:08:34,039 --> 00:08:35,559
so they're not being dishonest.

179
00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:38,599
But sometimes, and you can totally understand why,

180
00:08:38,599 --> 00:08:41,039
sometimes people are really uncomfortable

181
00:08:41,039 --> 00:08:42,320
disclosing the full history

182
00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:43,479
because they're worried

183
00:08:43,479 --> 00:08:45,320
that their dog isn't gonna be adopted.

184
00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:47,719
And most people, when they surrender a dog,

185
00:08:47,719 --> 00:08:50,599
their aim is for that dog to be adopted out again.

186
00:08:50,599 --> 00:08:54,039
So if they disclose something like separation anxiety,

187
00:08:54,039 --> 00:08:55,440
which there's a view

188
00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:57,919
that is a very difficult condition to fix,

189
00:08:57,919 --> 00:08:59,119
not true, by the way,

190
00:08:59,119 --> 00:09:00,760
but you can see why some owners

191
00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,599
are reluctant to disclose that when they're surrendering.

192
00:09:03,599 --> 00:09:06,719
So does being in a shelter cause separation anxiety,

193
00:09:06,719 --> 00:09:09,200
or did the dog have it before they came in?

194
00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:11,520
Hard to tell if we're not getting full disclosure

195
00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,159
on the dog's condition when they enter the shelter.

196
00:09:14,159 --> 00:09:15,919
When I looked at the data

197
00:09:15,919 --> 00:09:18,559
based on the questions that I asked people entering my group,

198
00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:20,760
about 40% of people said

199
00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:22,919
they'd got their dog from a breeder.

200
00:09:22,919 --> 00:09:24,919
So getting your dog from a breeder

201
00:09:24,919 --> 00:09:26,280
isn't even a guarantee

202
00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:29,320
that you're not gonna have a dog with separation anxiety.

203
00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:31,840
A few other things from this fabulous paper,

204
00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:34,440
dogs who live in apartments are a bit more prone.

205
00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:36,960
Now, I wonder, and I postulate,

206
00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:39,760
is that actually because barking dogs

207
00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:43,479
are more likely to be flagged up in apartments?

208
00:09:43,479 --> 00:09:44,320
I think so.

209
00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:46,799
I think that it's much harder

210
00:09:46,799 --> 00:09:48,280
to have a dog who barks all day

211
00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:51,400
if you've got neighbors on every single wall.

212
00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,880
And another factor that came out from the studies

213
00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:57,599
is that homes without children,

214
00:09:57,599 --> 00:10:00,840
that's without human children, not without fur babies,

215
00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:03,000
are also at higher risk,

216
00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,599
or more likely to have dogs with separation anxiety.

217
00:10:05,599 --> 00:10:08,200
I wonder, is it cause or is it effect?

218
00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:10,520
But in a lot of homes with children,

219
00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:12,880
parents are coming home, picking up kids from school,

220
00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,599
they're not necessarily out of the house for 12 hours a day.

221
00:10:15,599 --> 00:10:17,320
So I think that could be a factor there too.

222
00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:19,640
So it's a fascinating piece of research,

223
00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:22,640
and I highly recommend it if you want to dig it out.

224
00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,760
Links in the show notes, Sargison, 2014.

225
00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:27,440
And just continuing on with this theme

226
00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:31,239
of the big factors in separation anxiety triggers,

227
00:10:31,239 --> 00:10:34,080
two things we are really quite clear on

228
00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:36,479
that are likely to exacerbate

229
00:10:36,479 --> 00:10:39,559
or bring on separation anxiety for the first time.

230
00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:43,359
The first one is a change in household circumstances.

231
00:10:43,359 --> 00:10:46,719
So that could be changing the family makeup.

232
00:10:46,719 --> 00:10:50,640
It could be even something like losing a pet,

233
00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:51,520
losing another pet.

234
00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:54,840
So maybe you had two dogs in the house and you lost one,

235
00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:57,000
or even a cat, we've seen that too.

236
00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,239
So changes in the household circumstances

237
00:10:59,239 --> 00:11:02,960
can be a really big trigger for separation anxiety.

238
00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,719
We often see it coming on in that situation

239
00:11:05,719 --> 00:11:08,400
or getting worse if the dog already has it.

240
00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:11,520
And the other one, and this is probably really obvious,

241
00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:12,919
but moving home.

242
00:11:12,919 --> 00:11:14,880
So moving home can have a massive effect

243
00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:16,599
on separation anxiety.

244
00:11:17,479 --> 00:11:21,239
Either making it worse or bringing it on in the first place.

245
00:11:21,239 --> 00:11:24,159
It's really helpful to know that changes in the household

246
00:11:24,159 --> 00:11:27,799
or moving home can affect your dog's separation anxiety

247
00:11:27,799 --> 00:11:29,479
because at least you're prepared for it.

248
00:11:29,479 --> 00:11:30,919
But what are you going to do?

249
00:11:30,919 --> 00:11:33,760
You're not gonna stay in the same house forever.

250
00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:37,080
Although my husband has said to us that we are not moving

251
00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:40,039
because we are not going through separation anxiety again

252
00:11:40,039 --> 00:11:41,159
with Percy.

253
00:11:41,159 --> 00:11:42,359
But what are you gonna do, really?

254
00:11:42,359 --> 00:11:44,719
You're not gonna stay in the same house

255
00:11:44,719 --> 00:11:47,320
or not split up with your partner

256
00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:48,200
just because you're worried

257
00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:49,679
about your dog's separation anxiety.

258
00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:52,760
You might try, but at the end of the day,

259
00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:54,479
stuff is going to happen.

260
00:11:54,479 --> 00:11:57,039
There are some things that weren't covered in the study

261
00:11:57,039 --> 00:12:00,760
in great detail I think really have an impact

262
00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:01,719
on separation anxiety,

263
00:12:01,719 --> 00:12:03,719
because I see it time and time again.

264
00:12:03,719 --> 00:12:06,400
The first falls into kind of a heading of

265
00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:09,400
dog having a really bad experience while he's home alone.

266
00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:12,880
And the classic one there is a thunderstorm.

267
00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:15,200
So the dog is fine up to a point,

268
00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:17,520
then all of a sudden it could be one season

269
00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:20,159
or it could be just a one-off thunderstorm

270
00:12:20,159 --> 00:12:22,679
and your dog really goes into a panic.

271
00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:25,599
Now often that's because the dog is noisephobic anyway

272
00:12:25,599 --> 00:12:27,320
or the noisephobia was triggered

273
00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:29,840
by a particularly bad storm season.

274
00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:33,200
But we often see a dog who was fine at home alone,

275
00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:34,919
all of a sudden starting to freak out

276
00:12:34,919 --> 00:12:39,000
because he started to get frightened or phobic of noise.

277
00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:40,559
So you've now got noisephobia

278
00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:43,799
and this phobia of being alone.

279
00:12:43,799 --> 00:12:45,599
And the other thing that can happen

280
00:12:45,599 --> 00:12:48,400
is your dog can have bad experiences at home

281
00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:52,840
if you're using aversives to control his home alone behavior.

282
00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:54,520
And what do I mean by that?

283
00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:56,919
Usually bark collar.

284
00:12:56,919 --> 00:13:00,140
So a bark collar is a electric shock device

285
00:13:00,140 --> 00:13:03,880
that frightens your dog basically into not barking.

286
00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:05,919
So if you've tried to use one of those at home

287
00:13:05,919 --> 00:13:08,320
and don't worry if you have, don't feel bad.

288
00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:09,679
The manufacturers of these things,

289
00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:11,799
honestly the marketing behind them,

290
00:13:11,799 --> 00:13:14,039
that they just give your dog a static shock.

291
00:13:14,039 --> 00:13:15,000
Oh my goodness.

292
00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:16,559
By the way that's not true.

293
00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:19,080
These things only work because they hurt.

294
00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,719
So if like loads of people you've been taken in

295
00:13:22,719 --> 00:13:24,719
by the marketing, don't feel bad

296
00:13:24,719 --> 00:13:28,159
because it's very slick and they are very convincing.

297
00:13:28,159 --> 00:13:31,200
But unfortunately if you use that to control barking,

298
00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:33,340
I don't know, say your dog is a barker at stuff

299
00:13:33,340 --> 00:13:35,320
in the street and you're out all day

300
00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:37,640
and you are getting complaints from the neighbors,

301
00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:38,640
not because your dog's anxious,

302
00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:40,760
but he's just doing his guard doggy stuff.

303
00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:42,919
So you stick a bark collar on him.

304
00:13:42,919 --> 00:13:46,159
Now what's happened is every time you go out,

305
00:13:46,159 --> 00:13:48,799
he has this electric shock device on him

306
00:13:48,799 --> 00:13:51,960
and he hates it, he freaks at it.

307
00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:54,679
Over time, can you see what's gonna happen?

308
00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:57,400
You get ready to go out and he remembers

309
00:13:57,400 --> 00:13:59,820
you only put it on him when you go out.

310
00:13:59,820 --> 00:14:03,659
So he's petrified of you leaving because this thing hurts

311
00:14:03,659 --> 00:14:07,380
and he only has it on him if you leave him home alone.

312
00:14:07,380 --> 00:14:09,179
Dogs learn by association.

313
00:14:09,179 --> 00:14:13,659
So really quickly he's associating being at home with pain.

314
00:14:13,659 --> 00:14:17,539
Bad experiences while home alone can definitely contribute

315
00:14:17,539 --> 00:14:20,340
or trigger separation anxiety.

316
00:14:20,340 --> 00:14:21,500
And one thing I mentioned earlier

317
00:14:21,500 --> 00:14:23,440
about changes in the household,

318
00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:26,140
now we used to think that a second dog

319
00:14:26,140 --> 00:14:28,580
was not the answer to separation anxiety.

320
00:14:28,580 --> 00:14:31,020
And I still think that for the most part.

321
00:14:31,020 --> 00:14:31,859
Why?

322
00:14:31,859 --> 00:14:33,659
Because we see it time and time again,

323
00:14:33,659 --> 00:14:35,859
people get a second dog thinking that it's gonna

324
00:14:35,859 --> 00:14:38,739
fix separation anxiety and it doesn't.

325
00:14:38,739 --> 00:14:41,460
And then sometimes you end up with double the trouble.

326
00:14:41,460 --> 00:14:44,460
But when dogs have lost a companion

327
00:14:44,460 --> 00:14:46,719
and that losing of a companion dog

328
00:14:46,719 --> 00:14:48,419
has triggered their anxiety,

329
00:14:48,419 --> 00:14:52,739
that's when a second dog can be the thing to do.

330
00:14:52,739 --> 00:14:55,700
Getting a second dog is definitely not a fix

331
00:14:55,700 --> 00:14:58,739
for all separation anxiety dogs.

332
00:14:58,739 --> 00:15:02,460
However, we can see anxiety being triggered

333
00:15:02,460 --> 00:15:04,979
when your dog loses a pal.

334
00:15:04,979 --> 00:15:07,979
When all of a sudden they're the only dog at home.

335
00:15:07,979 --> 00:15:09,460
If that's the case,

336
00:15:09,460 --> 00:15:11,739
you may well be a candidate for getting a second dog.

337
00:15:11,739 --> 00:15:13,940
Everybody else just switch off here,

338
00:15:13,940 --> 00:15:15,979
just tune out because what I don't want

339
00:15:15,979 --> 00:15:17,979
is everybody rushing out and getting a second dog

340
00:15:17,979 --> 00:15:20,159
thinking it'll fix separation anxiety.

341
00:15:20,159 --> 00:15:23,539
The vast majority of instances it doesn't.

342
00:15:23,539 --> 00:15:25,940
But if your dog lost a companion dog,

343
00:15:25,940 --> 00:15:28,780
it might be something to think about.

344
00:15:28,780 --> 00:15:30,299
All right, I've talked a lot about

345
00:15:30,299 --> 00:15:33,500
what does cause separation anxiety or what triggers it.

346
00:15:33,500 --> 00:15:36,380
And hopefully I've made you feel better

347
00:15:36,380 --> 00:15:38,460
about the fact that it wasn't you.

348
00:15:38,460 --> 00:15:40,979
So now let's talk a bit more about that.

349
00:15:40,979 --> 00:15:42,460
And let's really dive into

350
00:15:42,460 --> 00:15:45,219
what doesn't cause separation anxiety.

351
00:15:45,219 --> 00:15:46,919
First off, the biggie.

352
00:15:46,919 --> 00:15:49,179
Having your dog sleep on your bed

353
00:15:49,179 --> 00:15:52,419
does not cause separation anxiety.

354
00:15:52,419 --> 00:15:53,700
Have a look at the research.

355
00:15:53,700 --> 00:15:56,020
Again, go back to the paper I've linked in the show notes

356
00:15:56,020 --> 00:15:58,340
because there's a ton of studies in there

357
00:15:58,340 --> 00:16:00,099
that looked at this very issue.

358
00:16:00,099 --> 00:16:01,659
And I think only one,

359
00:16:01,659 --> 00:16:04,739
and that might have been a study of perhaps 20 dogs,

360
00:16:04,739 --> 00:16:05,979
maybe even 12 dogs,

361
00:16:05,979 --> 00:16:08,460
only one suggested there could be a link

362
00:16:08,460 --> 00:16:10,659
between letting your dog sleep on the bed

363
00:16:10,659 --> 00:16:11,859
and separation anxiety.

364
00:16:11,859 --> 00:16:14,099
So honestly, no.

365
00:16:14,099 --> 00:16:15,619
Letting your dog sleep on the bed

366
00:16:15,619 --> 00:16:19,859
is not why he freaks out when you go out of the house.

367
00:16:19,859 --> 00:16:23,219
If you've had a, quote, normal dog who's fine when you go,

368
00:16:23,219 --> 00:16:24,099
you'll know.

369
00:16:24,099 --> 00:16:25,940
You can let them sleep on the bed

370
00:16:25,940 --> 00:16:27,599
and honestly you could walk out of the house

371
00:16:27,599 --> 00:16:28,979
and they probably wouldn't leave the bed

372
00:16:28,979 --> 00:16:30,380
and could stay there for a week

373
00:16:30,380 --> 00:16:32,299
if you fed them and watered them.

374
00:16:32,299 --> 00:16:35,340
So yeah, no, it really isn't the case

375
00:16:35,340 --> 00:16:36,960
that letting your dog sleep on the bed

376
00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:40,020
is why your dog's separation anxiety was triggered.

377
00:16:40,020 --> 00:16:41,940
Another thing that definitely doesn't cause it

378
00:16:41,940 --> 00:16:44,460
is letting them hang out with you when you're at home.

379
00:16:44,460 --> 00:16:48,219
Dogs who follow you around the home, Velcro dogs,

380
00:16:48,219 --> 00:16:49,219
are very common.

381
00:16:49,219 --> 00:16:53,320
And in fact, lots of non-anxious dogs can be Velcro dogs.

382
00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:54,380
If you think about it,

383
00:16:54,380 --> 00:16:59,159
we're the source of all things fun and amazing to dogs.

384
00:17:00,020 --> 00:17:02,760
We make good stuff happen,

385
00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:06,599
like walks and food and treats and toys.

386
00:17:06,599 --> 00:17:08,839
So it's no wonder that dogs are really interested

387
00:17:08,839 --> 00:17:10,160
in what we're doing.

388
00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:12,040
They like to follow us around because you never know,

389
00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:14,000
we might be heading to the cookie jar,

390
00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:17,280
we might be heading to the cupboard where the treats live

391
00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:19,239
or might be getting the toys out.

392
00:17:19,239 --> 00:17:22,160
So Velcro dogs, and the research supports this,

393
00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:26,760
are just as common amongst non-anxious dogs as anxious dogs.

394
00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:29,359
Both non-anxious and anxious dogs can follow their owner.

395
00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:33,400
One of my dogs, Tex, is one of these Velcro dogs.

396
00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:35,359
Not with me, by the way, with my husband.

397
00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:36,199
Why?

398
00:17:36,199 --> 00:17:38,020
Well, Tex is a quarter lab,

399
00:17:38,020 --> 00:17:39,520
but I always joke that when it comes to food,

400
00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:43,760
he's 100% lab and my husband is the feeder.

401
00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:48,020
So Tex knows every move that my husband makes.

402
00:17:48,020 --> 00:17:50,140
He follows him like a hawk

403
00:17:50,140 --> 00:17:52,000
and he will follow him around the house

404
00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:53,719
because you never know,

405
00:17:53,719 --> 00:17:56,520
my husband might be about to produce a food bowl.

406
00:17:57,280 --> 00:17:59,359
And Tex is the least Velcro dog you can imagine

407
00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:00,640
when it comes to leaving.

408
00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:02,160
He's just like, are you going, are you?

409
00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:03,079
Do you leave me any food?

410
00:18:03,079 --> 00:18:04,760
All right, maybe, see you later.

411
00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:07,699
So yeah, don't think that letting them have attention

412
00:18:07,699 --> 00:18:10,640
or hang out with you in the house is a cause for concern.

413
00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:12,959
It's not why your dog's got separation anxiety.

414
00:18:12,959 --> 00:18:15,479
Other things that fall into the doesn't cause it bracket,

415
00:18:15,479 --> 00:18:17,000
rewards-based training.

416
00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:20,319
Now I've heard this from trainers who use punishment,

417
00:18:20,319 --> 00:18:21,959
fear, and force to train dogs,

418
00:18:21,959 --> 00:18:25,079
that all this, I don't even know where this comes from,

419
00:18:25,079 --> 00:18:28,000
soft training is causing problems with dogs.

420
00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:28,959
They don't know boundaries.

421
00:18:28,959 --> 00:18:31,400
I tell you what, rewards-based training

422
00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:33,400
is one of the most powerful way

423
00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:35,560
to establish boundaries with your dog.

424
00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:38,199
We use rewards-based training to teach them

425
00:18:38,199 --> 00:18:39,760
what we don't want them to jump up.

426
00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:41,979
We don't want them to steal things from counters,

427
00:18:41,979 --> 00:18:43,180
knock visitors over.

428
00:18:43,180 --> 00:18:44,560
We want them to be on a mat

429
00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:46,640
when stuff's going on in the house.

430
00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:48,319
We want them to walk nicely on leash.

431
00:18:48,319 --> 00:18:51,000
Rewards-based training is incredibly powerful for that.

432
00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,300
It doesn't undermine the concept

433
00:18:53,300 --> 00:18:55,219
of boundaries in dogs at all.

434
00:18:55,219 --> 00:18:57,819
In fact, what it does is it confirms them,

435
00:18:57,819 --> 00:19:00,219
and it confirms them using the most powerful message,

436
00:19:00,219 --> 00:19:01,540
which is food.

437
00:19:01,540 --> 00:19:02,859
So don't buy into that.

438
00:19:02,859 --> 00:19:06,339
Rewards-based training does not cause your dog's anxiety.

439
00:19:06,339 --> 00:19:09,020
Finally, in the what doesn't cause it bucket

440
00:19:09,020 --> 00:19:13,020
is not being alpha does not cause your dog.

441
00:19:13,020 --> 00:19:14,219
Is that a double negative?

442
00:19:14,219 --> 00:19:16,239
Yeah, not being alpha does not cause your dog

443
00:19:16,239 --> 00:19:17,660
to have separation anxiety.

444
00:19:17,660 --> 00:19:20,979
Anyway, what I mean by that is forget the alpha myth.

445
00:19:20,979 --> 00:19:22,979
It's been totally debunked.

446
00:19:23,660 --> 00:19:27,099
Your dog knows 100% who's in charge in your house.

447
00:19:27,099 --> 00:19:30,619
You decide everything in your dog's life.

448
00:19:30,619 --> 00:19:34,140
You even make life or death decisions for your dog.

449
00:19:34,140 --> 00:19:37,520
He knows exactly who's in control.

450
00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:39,619
So you don't need to prove that you're the leader.

451
00:19:39,619 --> 00:19:42,719
You don't need to, quote, dominate him.

452
00:19:42,719 --> 00:19:43,979
Forget all that stuff.

453
00:19:43,979 --> 00:19:48,199
None of that is, A, relevant anyway

454
00:19:48,199 --> 00:19:49,579
to your relationship with your dog,

455
00:19:49,579 --> 00:19:54,339
and B, isn't at all why your dog's got separation anxiety.

456
00:19:54,339 --> 00:19:57,219
So forget alpha, forget leadership nonsense.

457
00:19:57,219 --> 00:20:00,239
It's got nothing to do with your relationship with your dog.

458
00:20:00,239 --> 00:20:02,979
But here are things that can affect separation anxiety,

459
00:20:02,979 --> 00:20:05,319
but luckily they're things you can work on.

460
00:20:05,319 --> 00:20:08,180
So spending all your time with your dog.

461
00:20:08,180 --> 00:20:11,040
One of the unfortunate outcomes of the way we train

462
00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:13,819
for separation anxiety is that you end up spending

463
00:20:13,819 --> 00:20:16,939
way more time with your dog than a normal owner

464
00:20:16,939 --> 00:20:19,020
and a normal dog would spend together.

465
00:20:19,020 --> 00:20:21,859
I hate that term normal, but a dog without anxiety.

466
00:20:21,859 --> 00:20:25,339
A dog without anxiety doesn't spend 24-7 with their owner.

467
00:20:25,339 --> 00:20:27,380
What happens with separation anxiety dogs

468
00:20:27,380 --> 00:20:29,619
is quite often because we can't leave them,

469
00:20:29,619 --> 00:20:32,020
we end up spending a disproportionate amount

470
00:20:32,020 --> 00:20:33,000
of time with them.

471
00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,260
So one thing I really like to encourage pet parents to do

472
00:20:36,260 --> 00:20:40,739
is even if you can suspend all absences

473
00:20:40,739 --> 00:20:42,859
and be with your dog the whole time,

474
00:20:42,859 --> 00:20:47,260
think about options like dog sitting and dog walking,

475
00:20:47,260 --> 00:20:49,819
or even just getting a friend around to take your dog out

476
00:20:49,819 --> 00:20:51,780
when she goes to the dog park with her dogs.

477
00:20:51,780 --> 00:20:55,180
I don't want your dog to think that the only good things

478
00:20:55,180 --> 00:20:58,420
that happen in his life are as a result of you.

479
00:20:58,420 --> 00:20:59,260
Do you see what I mean?

480
00:20:59,260 --> 00:21:01,300
I want him to see that good things happen

481
00:21:01,300 --> 00:21:03,300
even when you're not involved.

482
00:21:03,300 --> 00:21:06,979
Otherwise we can create a bit too much of an over-dependence.

483
00:21:06,979 --> 00:21:10,219
Other things that might not help separation anxiety,

484
00:21:10,219 --> 00:21:13,219
not getting a puppy gradually used to being on its own.

485
00:21:13,219 --> 00:21:15,619
It's really important that we do teach puppies

486
00:21:15,619 --> 00:21:17,540
to be okay on their own.

487
00:21:17,540 --> 00:21:20,219
However, what I don't want you to do

488
00:21:20,219 --> 00:21:22,219
if you're thinking about getting another puppy,

489
00:21:22,219 --> 00:21:25,900
what I don't want you to do is just abandon your puppy

490
00:21:25,900 --> 00:21:28,459
in a crate for several hours and let them cry it out.

491
00:21:28,459 --> 00:21:30,979
We used to think that's what you did with puppies,

492
00:21:30,979 --> 00:21:33,680
but now we know not a good idea.

493
00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:36,619
So just gradually, gradually in the time from day one,

494
00:21:36,619 --> 00:21:39,180
from the very first day that you get your puppy,

495
00:21:39,180 --> 00:21:41,540
just show him that being on his own is fine.

496
00:21:41,540 --> 00:21:42,979
And actually sometimes it's amazing

497
00:21:42,979 --> 00:21:45,060
because you leave great things in his crate.

498
00:21:45,060 --> 00:21:47,900
So you'll start with a few minutes of him being alone

499
00:21:47,900 --> 00:21:49,859
and you'll build up very gradually.

500
00:21:49,859 --> 00:21:51,180
It's exactly the same principles

501
00:21:51,180 --> 00:21:52,699
as separation anxiety training.

502
00:21:52,699 --> 00:21:54,540
So just build up really gradually

503
00:21:54,540 --> 00:21:56,819
and get him comfortable on his own alone.

504
00:21:56,819 --> 00:22:00,500
Definitely don't leave him to cry out for hours though.

505
00:22:00,500 --> 00:22:01,900
It's not gonna help him.

506
00:22:01,900 --> 00:22:05,020
And if your dog has any predisposition to being anxious,

507
00:22:05,020 --> 00:22:06,660
there's a good chance you're gonna trigger

508
00:22:06,660 --> 00:22:08,699
full-blown separation anxiety.

509
00:22:08,699 --> 00:22:10,459
Here's a biggie.

510
00:22:10,459 --> 00:22:11,739
So we talked about things

511
00:22:11,739 --> 00:22:13,800
that can affect separation anxiety.

512
00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:15,560
This is the biggest thing,

513
00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:18,040
and that's leaving your dog alone

514
00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,280
for longer than he can cope with.

515
00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:22,400
And it's the most controllable thing too.

516
00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:24,119
It's quite encouraging.

517
00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:26,040
Leaving your dog for longer than he can cope with

518
00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:29,520
is something that makes separation anxiety worse

519
00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:31,540
or can bring it on in the first place.

520
00:22:31,540 --> 00:22:34,579
Every time your dog goes into panic and is over threshold,

521
00:22:34,579 --> 00:22:37,040
there's a really good chance that his brain chemistry

522
00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:39,180
is changing and changing for the worse.

523
00:22:39,180 --> 00:22:40,959
So we need to stop that

524
00:22:40,959 --> 00:22:43,400
because it's a big, big trigger

525
00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:46,079
for separation anxiety escalating.

526
00:22:46,079 --> 00:22:48,319
But as I said, I think what's encouraging

527
00:22:48,319 --> 00:22:50,040
is you are in control of that.

528
00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:51,439
I know it doesn't seem like it.

529
00:22:51,439 --> 00:22:53,459
I know it seems impossible

530
00:22:53,459 --> 00:22:56,640
that you feel like you just can't get anybody

531
00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:57,479
to help with your dog.

532
00:22:57,479 --> 00:22:58,640
You're gonna have to leave him.

533
00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:01,520
Not leaving him and making sure he stays under threshold

534
00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:04,959
is the key to getting him over his separation anxiety.

535
00:23:04,959 --> 00:23:09,160
So see it not as a challenge or a hurdle,

536
00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:11,680
but see it as an opportunity

537
00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:15,319
because you are totally in control of his fear.

538
00:23:15,319 --> 00:23:16,920
You can manage his fear.

539
00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:20,359
You can keep it so low that he doesn't have any, in fact.

540
00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:24,079
So see suspending absences as an opportunity,

541
00:23:24,079 --> 00:23:26,000
not as a great big challenge.

542
00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:29,479
In other words, I want you to control what you can control

543
00:23:29,479 --> 00:23:31,479
and stop worrying about all the other stuff

544
00:23:31,479 --> 00:23:34,300
that people tell you is causing anxiety

545
00:23:34,300 --> 00:23:35,680
because frankly, it's not.

546
00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:37,479
Focus on what you can do.

547
00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:40,119
Focus on getting your dog over separation anxiety

548
00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:42,339
because that is within your control.

549
00:23:42,339 --> 00:23:44,640
So we need to stop worrying about

550
00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,060
why our dog's got separation anxiety, what might.

551
00:23:47,060 --> 00:23:50,239
Of course, instead of expending valuable brain cells

552
00:23:50,239 --> 00:23:51,199
on trying to work out

553
00:23:51,199 --> 00:23:53,479
why your dog's got separation anxiety,

554
00:23:53,479 --> 00:23:56,040
focus on what we do know and what we know is

555
00:23:56,040 --> 00:24:00,199
that you are totally in control of getting him over it.

556
00:24:00,199 --> 00:24:02,359
That's what you need to focus on.

557
00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:04,439
Remember, you didn't cause separation anxiety,

558
00:24:04,439 --> 00:24:07,640
but you absolutely can be the one to fix it.

559
00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:10,160
So jump into my Facebook group.

560
00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:14,000
The link is subthresholdtraining.com forward slash Facebook.

561
00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:18,439
There you'll find lots of incredibly sympathetic pet parents

562
00:24:18,439 --> 00:24:20,400
all going through what you're going through.

563
00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:21,920
It's a wonderful community

564
00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:23,319
where we all support each other

565
00:24:23,319 --> 00:24:26,959
through this incredibly challenging condition.

566
00:24:26,959 --> 00:24:29,359
And don't forget to download my free cheat sheets

567
00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:30,979
you can find in the group.

568
00:24:30,979 --> 00:24:33,140
Do what you can to suspend absences

569
00:24:33,140 --> 00:24:35,239
because if there's one takeaway from today,

570
00:24:35,239 --> 00:24:36,880
I'd like you to remind yourself,

571
00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:39,099
you didn't cause a separation anxiety,

572
00:24:39,099 --> 00:24:41,060
but you can be the one to fix it.

573
00:24:41,060 --> 00:24:42,260
Chat to me anytime.

574
00:24:42,260 --> 00:24:45,900
You can book a call, subthresholdtraining.com, free call.

575
00:24:45,900 --> 00:24:48,660
All the links I call out today are in the show notes.

576
00:24:48,660 --> 00:24:50,099
Thanks for listening in today

577
00:24:50,099 --> 00:24:52,540
and I look forward to seeing you online soon.

578
00:24:52,540 --> 00:24:57,540
Thanks for listening to the Fixing Separation Anxiety Podcast

579
00:25:00,859 --> 00:25:02,099
with Julie Naismith.

580
00:25:04,060 --> 00:25:06,579
For more information,

581
00:25:06,579 --> 00:25:11,579
visit the website at www.subthresholdtraining.com.

582
00:25:12,859 --> 00:25:15,420
If you haven't yet, go to Apple Podcasts

583
00:25:15,420 --> 00:25:19,339
and subscribe, rate and review this podcast.

584
00:25:19,339 --> 00:25:20,739
Thank you for joining us.

585
00:25:20,739 --> 00:25:22,140
We'll see you again soon.