It’s the new "it" diagnosis in dogs, but what is it exactly? And more importantly, what is it NOT? Well, just like most terms associated with dogs, there is not an across the board definition of separation anxiety. However, simply by the label given we can assume that it is some level of angst at the fact that your dog is separated from you. Lately, I have been concerned with the number of dog owners inquiring about medication for separation anxiety. While there are cases out there that MAY need TEMPORARY medication to help them get over their issues, most dogs do not need medication, just a little training (or maybe a LOT!).
Separation anxiety can run the gamut. From dogs who simply become unhappy that they do not get to go to work with you every day, to dogs who are so distressed when you leave them alone that they will actually cause physical harm to themselves trying to get to you.  While we are on the subject of defining separation anxiety, let's discuss what is NOT separation anxiety. When you have a puppy that does not know he is not supposed to eat your couch (hey, its stuffing covered in fabric just like his other toys right?) so he has a party while you are running to the post office is NOT separation anxiety. Your adult dog who knows he will get in trouble for dumping over the trash and rummaging through it when you are there, but not when you are away, is NOT separation anxiety. I have had many owners self diagnose separation anxiety when in reality it is a lack of self control and boundaries on the part of their dog, not emotional distress. So whether we have a dog who is just misbehaving, acting out because we are gone, or truly afraid of being alone, what causes it and what can we do about it?

Like many behavior issues, separation anxiety has 2 main elements, nature and nurture.

The first is genetic predisposition. Some breeds are more likely to develop these tendencies than others. Most of the time it is because of what they were bred to do. German Shepherds for instance have had many jobs over the years: herder, war dog, police dog, service dog, etc. but all of these jobs have a common thread. They were expected to work very closely with a human. Therefore their brains are wired to think they need to be with us constantly! German Shepherds are definitely not the only breed that falls into this category but it is one of the most commonly known.

The second element is their environment, sometimes we try so hard to be great "puppy parents" that we create separation anxiety ourselves. When we bring home our new bundle of fur when it is 8-10 weeks old, it is so cute we can't hardly help but take it everywhere with us. Even our boss doesn't really mind it being at work because it is so darn cute! Then a few weeks pass and it starts getting bigger and more active so we decide it needs to stay home more often. Talk about getting the rug pulled out from under you! Most puppies go from being a permanent fixture under your arm to being relegated to the crate for hours on end with no transition period in between. You see, they are so cute and agreeable when we first get them, and we want to spend as much time with them as possible, that we forget to teach them how to be alone. Then when they stop being so cute, we don't realize they never learned how to be by themselves. The other possible environmental factor has nothing to do with you,  the current owner. Some dogs, especially dogs adopted from a shelter, have had bad experiences, or just plain bad owners. You can be undoing some of the injustices of other owners that may have neglected the dog in the past by leaving them by themselves for hours, or even days on end.

 The best thing you can do for your dog to begin helping them learn to be away from you is crate train them. For anyone who is against crate training, check out my other blog "Crate Training: Puppy Prison or Pooch Palace" for more information. Since I like defining things so much, lets talk about what exactly I mean by crate training. You see, I don't just mean teach them not to potty in their crate. This is what most owners associate with the term. I also do not just mean teach them to be quiet in their crate and not fuss. Yes I do mean those things but the most important thing crate training should accomplish is getting your dog to like it's crate. Wait, not like, LOVE! My dog loves her crate, it sets on the back porch out of view and she sometimes chooses to go in it and take a nap all on her own. She even gets upset when I have other dogs visiting and they are in her crate, that's HER spot! I had a puppy I was crate training and I had taken her crate out to clean it and she kept pacing around where it was supposed to be wondering what happened to her place!  So how do we get them to love their crate?

Teach them a "Kennel" command- not only does this pair going into their crate with getting rewarded, it also allows them to enter willingly instead of being forced in. You would be surprised what a difference that makes in their attitude about their crate.

Make their favorite times of day happen in the crate- What do dogs love? Eating stuff! So feed them their meals in their crate. If they get a daily dental treat, feed it to them in their crate. If you brought them a new bone home, let them start it off in their crate. Buy a Kong, fill it with something yummy, and give it to them in their crate.

Start off by asking for only short increments of time in their crate, and make it when you are there with them! That way you can reward good behavior in the crate and discourage bad behavior.

Don't allow them to only associate the crate with you leaving-  most owners only put their dogs in the crate when they are getting ready to leave. If we do this the dog starts associating the crate with us leaving. Most owners who say their dog doesn’t like their crate are wrong, the part they don't like is that they know the crate means YOUR LEAVING. Practice crating them when you are working around the house, like cooking dinner.

So now that we are working on them liking (wait, LOVING) their crate, we must now address the separation part. Start at a level your dog can handle, this level will be determined by your dogs personality, current skill level of training, and history. If you have adopted your dog from a shelter, many times you do not know the background of that dog. The sad reality is that if they wound up at the shelter, chances are someone did leave them and never came back. We have to give them a chance to understand that we will always come back. Consider a dog who is learning to not break a "Stay" command when his owners leaves his sight, the first few times the dog gets worried when he cannot see his owner. But each time the owner leaves and eventually returns, the dog is not as concerned. It has taken my Mix breed dog a few years not to get concerned when she is the only dog going for a ride in the car (I found her dumped on the side of the road as a 4 month old puppy). Each time she went for a ride and came back home her confidence rose. So even if a successful level for your dog is that you put them in their crate and go out onto the porch, or even just into the next room, that is where you need to start. Actually, it is better to start at this lower level, as stated above, so that you can address their behavior while being away from you. Once your dog is able to handle that level, slowly increase the time away and the freedom also. Allow them to graduate from the crate to a confinement area (see definition of this below under special circumstances), then eventually, they may have the run of the entire house!

Many times I find it easy to relate parenting to dog training, as it is a category many owners have had experience in. A dog's crate is much like my son's crib, it is a place where they can relax and feel safe. My son went through his own stage of separation anxiety (and maybe more to come!) where he did not like when you left him in the living room and when outside. Even if you were doing nothing more than running to the mailbox! However, everyday without fail at naptime, I could take him upstairs to his crib and he would start to relax and drift off to sleep before I ever made it back down the stairs! What's more, when he wakes up from his nap, he rarely cries or even yells to get our attention. We have to just keep going up to check on him because he will just entertain himself in his crib until someone notices he is awake! This is because he knows that is HIS spot and he is safe there. He knows if we put him down for a nap, we will ALWAYS come back to get him. He is also much better about leaving him in the living room when I run outside because we have practiced this many times in small increments that he can handle. I will run to the mail box or out to the car and every time I come back without fail, he is less worried. However, if I had left him in the living room by himself for 8 hours while I went to work, I can only imagine the mess he would make, let alone the amount of stress he would feel! So when we look at  separation anxiety in dogs from this standpoint, it is amazing that it only takes them a year or two to be ready to have the run of the house while we are gone to work, our kids can't handle that responsibility until they are teenagers…and they still make a mess!

*Special circumstances*

As I stated above, there are many times when a dog's history is working against us and our goals to help them become better adjusted. Sometimes special circumstances dictate we take another route. For instance, if you have adopted a dog who spent his entire life in a crate and has a very high level of anxiety associated with that (a good example of this are breeder dogs from puppy mills), then maybe you use a confinement area instead of a crate. A confinement area is a room that is as "dog proof" as possible and will hopefully not allow them to act out, for example, the bathroom, utility room, kitchen, or garage depending on your house setup. Don't be afraid to modify the program if your dog has special circumstances.  The point is that we are able to keep their destructive behavior under control until they can be rewarded with more freedom. However you can accomplish this on a successful level for you and your is what you should do.

So if your dog is exhibiting bad behavior while you are away, ask yourself these questions:

Have I given my dog too much freedom too quickly and he doesn't know how to handle it?

Have I devoted time while I am at home to teach my dog how to appropriately be away from me?

Am I using the building block that is given to me as an owner of a den animal (the crate) to help communicate my message?

If you have dedicated a significant amount of time to these things and see NO progress, then you should talk to a professional trainer about other options. Once you have talked to a trainer, if there are no other options, then (and only then) should you consider medication.

As my calendar fills up with wonderful dog events for this Spring and Summer, I decided to devote this week's blog entry to these events, so come out and support these local groups!

April 28th- Valley Falls Saddle Club Ponies and Puppies Clinic
The Saddle Club is hosting a fun day for the kids on Saturday, April 28th starting at 9:30 a.m. This will be a great opportunity for your kids to get outside and learn more about horses and dogs! The Saddle club will provide horses and instructors to teach children about many aspects of horsemanship such as: how to approach a horse, how to lead, groom, feed, saddle, and even ride a horse if they would like to! Camo Cross Dog Training will also be teaching the kids about Dog Safety and will be talking to the kids about the different kinds of activities that they could do with their own dogs! Whether your children have a dog and a horse or they have never even seen a dog or a horse, this is a great learning experience for children of all ages so please come out and support this organization! The amazing part about this clinic is that it is  absolutely FREE! What a great way to spend the weekend with your kids without breaking the bank AND educating them about animals! For more information about registering for this event, e-mail me at [email protected]

May 12th- Arthritis Foundation Topeka Dog Walk
The Arthritis Foundation is doing their annual Arthritis Walk and it has gone to the dogs! It will be held at Shawnee Lake Saturday, May 12th at Shelter House #2.  Dr. Snyder from University Bird and Small Animal will be on hand talking about his exciting stem cell treatments for dogs. Camo Cross Dog Training will have a demonstration on dog safety for the kids. There will also be a doggie costume contest, doggie games, bandanas, and many dog related booths as well. Support the Arthritis Foundation by building a team and raising some donations today! Just visit www.letsmovetogether.org to get started!

May 19th/May 20th- Kent and Lori Herbel Herding Clinic hosted by Ashcraft Aussies
The third weekend in May my parents will be holding a herding clinic outside of Mayetta. If you have a herding dog and think you may be interested in getting involved in herding livestock, you can register to audit the clinic for $35 or both days for $50. Kent and Lori travel across the country and Canada putting on clinics teaching people how to herd with their dogs. They have experienced every aspect of the world of herding by being trainers, handlers (trials and everyday ranch work), and trial judges. They use every day analogies to explain the world of herding to anyone from the complete novice to the professional trialer.  No matter what your level of ability, you will get great information from this clinic. I know I will be there! For more information on registering for this clinic contact Denny and Donna Ashcraft at [email protected]  or call 785.364.7973

May 26th-2nd Annual Saving Death Row Dogs Carnival
This local 501 (c)(3) charity is a state licensed no kill, foster based, dog shelter. It is holding it's annual carnival, fundraiser, and adoption event on Saturday May 26th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Topeka West High School. This a great event with many, many activities to enjoy! There will be Adoption & Education Booths, Prize Drawings, Dunk Tank, Petting Zoo, Giant Toys, Bounce House, and much more! There will also be several area rescues there with dogs that are looking for their forever homes! Even if you already have a furry best friend, come out and get your dog microchipped by Dr. Esau of Companion Animal Clinic (equipment provided by Saving Death Row Dogs) for a low carnival rate of just $21 including registration! Microchipping is a wonderful way to help your dog find its way back home if it ever gets lost or stolen. Collar tags can come off or be removed but microchipping is a permanent means of identification. There are booth sites available for rescues, shelters, and non-profits free of charge and retail space can be reserved for just $20. If you or anyone you know would like to support Saving Death Row Dogs by purchasing booth space, please contact Jessica Little at [email protected] or 785.817.3358 Camo Cross Dog Training will have a booth there answering training questions and handing out information on our training programs, so come out and see us!

Most of us that have owned several dogs are bound to run into trouble with aggressive behavior eventually, especially if we own more than one dog at a time. So if you are a dog lover who always has a four legged friend next to you,  the question probably isn't "Will I run into aggression?" but more  "What will I do when I run into aggressive behavior?".

First, we must acknowledge that we have a problem. I am finding more and more people who are afraid to admit they have a problem because they think there is no solution. There are several different types of aggression that can be handled in different ways, but there ARE solutions out there!  We shouldn't ignore that our dog has an issue, or simply try to avoid situations where they may exhibit these bad behaviors. When we do, we are not enjoying our dog to the fullest and gambling every day that those situations may throw themselves at us when we have no control over them. A great (non-aggression) example of this is owners who know their dog does not come when he is called so they simply never let him off leash anywhere. Unfortunately, chances are they will get out of the fence, dart out of the car, or out the front door at some point, no matter how hard we try to keep it from happening. At this point, we have no ground to stand on because instead of working on the issue, we have just avoided it like the plague. Instead, we should acknowledge the problem and take steps to manage it.

Now that we have acknowledged that we have a problem, we need to be realistic about our goals with our aggressive dog. A dog who has a history of aggression, no matter what the motive, is a dog that can be managed, not cured. Aggression is a topic very close to my heart because I have an aggressive dog. Yes, I admitted it to the world! I have a dog who does not like other dogs, she doesn’t even particularly like one of the dogs she lives with! Her name is "Cena" and there is a lot I will never know about her past. I found her on the side of a gravel country road when she was about 4 months old. I can only guess what breeds she may be and what her life may have been like before her first owners decided to give up on her. She has always been food aggressive towards other dogs and any dogs who do not cower to her dominance. She is now 6 years old and still has the same personality but we now have it managed. So what does "management" look like? Well for Cena, it is that she controls her urges to "put other dogs in their place" and if she doesn't feel like she can control herself, she comes to me and asks me for help. I have seen her many times try to deal with a dog and if she can't she simply comes to sit next to me (or behind me) and expects me to keep the dog at a distance from her. Cena is not "cured", she didn't go from being aggressive to loving all dogs but she is "managed" in that she controls her urges, and when she can't, she lets me know instead of the other dog.

So we know we have a problem, and we know we need to be realistic about the outcome. Next, we should decide what kind of aggression we are dealing with because this will dictate how we handle it. The best way to evaluate which type of aggression you have is to ask a professional to come and assess your dog safely. While there are several different types of aggression, they can usually be put into one of three categories: Predatory, Dominance, and Fear.

Predatory: Fortunately, in my experience, this is the least frequent motive behind aggression but does occur. Usually, it is triggered by motion (i.e. bikes or cars) or smaller animals (i.e. cats, squirrels, even smaller dogs). This is a dog who enjoys being aggressive and seems to get some kind of fulfillment out of it. Before you picture a dog frothing at the mouth and acting crazy, think about the fact that we have developed breeds to carry out jobs where this type of behavior is necessary and encouraged. Terriers entire reason for existence was to keep the rodent population under control where they lived so it is no surprise that terriers can sometimes have this type of aggression. We wanted them to! Usually a training program for this type of behavior would include many exercises that work on impulse control and conditioning a better response to these stimuli.

Dominance: Ask 10 people about dogs ,packs, pack leaders, dominance, and aggression and you will get 10 very different answers. Do dogs see us as a part of their pack? The answer is we will likely never know unless we find a way to teach them to speak English and ask them. However, I do feel that it would be silly to think that they do not interpret our behavior in the way they would communicate to each other. Therefore, it is important for us to realize that the fact that they are hardwired as pack animals does effect our relationship with them, whether they deem us a member of their pack or not. Some dogs are born with the personality to be a leader, they want to be in charge, are good at it, and will look for even the tiniest sign that they are in said position. If we are not careful, they can assume the role of leader above their owner. If this happens, they literally think that all of your possessions are theirs. They may even think YOU are their possession. Dogs who are overprotective of you, territorial, or resource guarders (have possessions they do not want you or anyone else to have such as a bone), usually fall into this category.  While we love the fact that our dogs would protect us if ever in a dangerous situation, if they are protecting you in situations that are not dangerous, chances are it isn't because they love you but because they own you. Training programs for dominant dogs include behavior modification as well as communicating to your dog that YOU are the leader, not he. Make sure the trainer you choose to work with has a program that is not confrontational or intimidating. A true pack leader uses subtle means of communicating that they are in charge and there is very little conflict, oppression, or intimidation. I have a program that I use called the "Work for a Living Program" that fits this bill and works very well on dogs with these issues. Dr. Sophia Yin also has a similar program called the "Learn to Earn Program". You can read more about Dr. Yin's program here: http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/the-learn-to-earn-program

Fear: This may be the most common reason for aggression that I see. Your dog is afraid of things so they choose to try and scare it away before it has a chance to hurt them. This type of aggression is most common with dogs who were not properly socialized as a puppy. When dogs are about 8-16 weeks old, their curiosity outweighs their fear of the world. This is a perfect time to socialize your puppy because as they get older they are more likely to be afraid of something new than be curious about it. Training programs for this type of aggression will focus on disrupting the pattern of fear, training more appropriate responses to these stimuli and desensitization (the more they are exposed to these stimuli in a positive manner, the less afraid they will be). Disrupting the pattern of fear simply means that we will not allow them to get more and more worked up. Imagine you are lying in bed one night and hear a strange noise, you can choose to go see what it is or lie in bed wondering. The longer you wonder about it, the scarier it gets. However, if you would just get up and investigate you might find that it was not something scary at all.

Your dog can be just one of these types or can be a combination. It is best to enlist the help of a professional to decide which categories fit your dog and decide on a training program that will make you and your dog happier. Remember, you are not alone, there are many owners out there dealing with the same issues you are experiencing and there is hope!

Earthdog-  I cannot tell you how many times I get an owner who comes to me and says "My dog digs everywhere, barks, and tries to kill anything that is small and furry!" and then I ask what kind of dog it is (I could guess and be right) and they inform me its either a terrier or a dachsund. Well of course they do! That is exactly what we bred them to do, and did you know that there are events called Earthdog tests that will evaluate and qualify your dog on those skills in particular?! The first test is called Introduction to Quarry and it simply evaluates whether your dog will pick up a scent, follow it into a dark den, and "work" the quarry. Working the quarry is defined as barking, digging, growling, lunging, biting at the protective bars or any work that the judge feels displays a desire to get to the quarry. To get started, you want to get your dog accustomed to following scent trails of small mammals. Some say you can do this by simply taking your dog to an area that you know squirrels or rabbits inhabit. I feel it might be better to go out and purchase the scent and lay the trail yourself, so you know where the dog should be following it to. Your next step would be to get your dog used to entering "tunnels" in search of the quarry. If you are not interested in digging tunnels in your backyard (that is, if your dog hasn't already accomplished this!), you can start with above ground tunnels made out of cardboard or wood. The main idea here is to get your dog used to going into dark places in search of his quarry. Once you have done these two steps, take a look to see if there are any earthdog tests near you to see how your pooch's skills compare! You can find out more about earthdog, including upcoming events at: http://www.akc.org/events/earthdog/index.cfm. Unfortunately, the closest club I was able to locate is in Omaha and is called the Greater Omaha Terrier Association and here is a link to their contact information:  http://www.akc.org/akc_clubs/?GreaterOmahaTerrierAssociation 

Lure Coursing- While we are on the subject of breeds developed to chase quarry, lets talk about a category called sight hounds for a moment. Sight hounds are a group of breeds developed to rely strictly on their eyes and speed to hunt. For the American Kennel Club events, this category includes: Whippets, Basenjis, Greyhounds, Italian Greyhounds, Afghan Hounds, Borzois, Ibizan Hounds, Pharaoh Hounds, Irish Wolfhounds, Scottish Deerhounds, Salukis and Rhodesian Ridgebacks. The American Kennel Club hosts Tests and Trials that utilize a 'lure' of white plastic strung around a course of 600 to 800 yards in an open field to evaluate a dog's lure coursing ability. The dogs are judged by two judges, on the dogs overall ability, speed, endurance, agility, and how well they follow the lure. Find out more here: http://www.akc.org/events/lure_coursing/ 
Don't have one of the breeds listed above but still think your dog would be good at this event? No worries, they have started a program called the Coursing Ability Test (CAT) that allows all breeds, including mix breeds, to participate! The CAT is a fairly new event, but there has already been 15 Australian Shepherds, 19 Doberman Pinschers, 31 Boxers, and 37 Mixed breeds successfully winning titles, and that is just to name a few!  I just recently found out there will be a CAT event held this weekend in Wichita if you are interested in going to watch what it is all about (I know, I know, what's with the short notice right?) Get more information on the CAT here: http://www.akc.org/events/coursing_ability_test/

 I did find a somewhat local club that does lure coursing events close by, in fact, many of their practices are held in Lawrence. However, they are affiliated with the American Sighthound Field Assocation and only allow the following breeds to compete:
Afghan Hound, Azawakh, Basenji, Borzoi, Cirneco dell'Etna, Greyhound, Ibizan Hound, Irish Wolfhound, Italian Greyhound, Pharaoh Hound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Saluki, Scottish Deerhound, Sloughi, and Whippet.

The American Sighthound Field Association: http://www.asfa.org/index.htm

Heartland Coursing Association: http://www.heartlandcoursing.com/index.html