Treating Separation Anxiety in Dogs
Malena Demartini-Price
Language: English
Pages: 192
ISBN: 1617811432
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Committed trainers and owners can solve this problem! Treating separation anxiety in dogs is not quick or easy—but it can be done. The successful ingredients are cooperation, commitment and time on the part of the dog trainer and the owners. In this important new book, author Malena DeMartini-Price shares her 5 Phase Treatment Protocol and related strategies to help dogs overcome the fear of being left alone and addresses the trauma it can inflict on both the dog and their owners. Trainer handouts, detailed step-by-step training tips and a sample initial interview questionnaire are included. Learn about: • The critical role that “suspending absences” plays in the early part of the treatment plan and how owners and trainers can make this more manageable. • How dog trainers can make the treatment of separation anxiety in dogs a specialized business. • The role that management techniques and medications can play to help support the recommended behavior modification strategies. • How technology, including remote feeding devices and web cams, can be used to monitor a dog’s progress in overcoming his fear of being left alone. What experts are saying about Treating Separation Anxiety in Dogs: This new book gives us all a road map, not just for assessing severity and hitting all the stops treatment-wise, but also for supporting clients through the process. Countless dogs will be saved from euthanasia or a life of perpetual misery. Jean Donaldson, Founder and Director, The Academy for Dog Trainers, author The Culture Clash An absolutely indispensable guide for anyone looking to make successful treatment of separation anxiety an integral part of their training business. There are many books all trainers should have on their bookshelves. This is one to keep on your desk. Veronica Boutelle, dog*tec founder, author How to Run a Dog Business Two paws up! Separation anxiety is a major league problem affecting millions of dogs in this country and Malena’s new book is recommended reading for anyone working with a dog affected with this disorder. The book includes useful information, pointers and advice so that owners can take steps to help their dogs better cope when they are left alone. Dr. Nicholas Dodman, Director of Animal Behavior Clinic, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, author The Dog Who Loved Too Much Malena outlines in great detail one of the clearest and most comprehensive protocols for treating separation anxiety. This is the best single resource I have ever seen for dealing with this very common and serious problem. Ken Ramirez, Executive VP Animal Care & Training, Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL
can associate with his bed, the better. This will give him a place that acts as a security blanket when he is eventually left alone. His bed will become the place he wants to go when Mom and Dad are away, because it’s the place he feels most connected to them. Think of Linus in Peanuts. That is the kind of connection you want the dog to feel to his bed when his owners aren’t around. Remember: When working on relax/stay exercises, increase the distance and duration criteria separately. And
be excited about it. The main differences between using a Treat & Train in a separation anxiety protocol versus just Kongs or other interactive toys are: 1) you need to be mindful of the variable time ratio, and 2) you need to pay close attention to body language to see if the dog is learning to self-soothe. If the dog is so intently focused on the Treat & Train’s next payout that he never relaxes, it’s impossible for you to predict how he may fare when the Treat & Train is turned off. That’s
owners to rehearse at each level until the dog is quite relaxed with the activity. Mind you, even dogs who don’t suffer from separation anxiety will look up and notice their owners are walking out, so some sort of reaction is normal. You are looking for ho-hum here rather than uh-oh. Go as slowly as you deem necessary. I often tell owners that even if they think they are going slow enough, they should slow down a notch more and that’s likely the right pace. In the beginning, owners should set
not just a verbal commitment, but a financial one, you increase the likelihood that they’ll complete the training. Since SA packages tend to run longer and require larger investments, you’ll want to take credit cards. Credit cards will allow clients who don’t have the cash on hand to say yes to your service. Taking credit cards is pretty easy these days. You can set up a merchant services account with your bank, utilize online services like PayPal, or go with smartphone apps like Square. In
there’s light at the end of the tunnel, and suddenly the dog seems to fall apart and their belief is shaken to its core. I jumped back in with encouragement, support, counseling, a review of how the process works, and did what I could to normalize the setback. The plateau was a big one and lasted several days, but we got through it and eventually moved forward again. In total, Pumpkin’s program lasted just about five months. At the end, she could be left alone for four to five hours until the