Crates can be helpful tools, but with dogs with Separation Anxiety I recommend NOT using one….or any confinement unless absolutely necessary. As a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer, I spend my time helping dogs overcome their separation anxiety, and confinement can actually exacerbate the anxiety they have about being left.
Confinement anxiety Vs Separation anxiety
Dogs who have anxiety about being home alone can very often also have confinement anxiety, and the outward symptoms of both can be very similar. Therefore if you have your dog in a crate, or shut in the kitchen behind a dog, you will not be certain how much of that behaviour is due to being alone, and how much is due to confinement. However there is a definite correlation between separation anxiety and anxiety about being confined.
It is far better to shut OFF access to rooms you do not wish your dog to go in, than shut them IN somewhere. It is fine to allow them freedom to access and see the exit point, in fact it is better.
Think about where your dog likes to relax and chill out during the day, and ensure they have access to that/those areas during the controlled absences. If your dog’s favourite spot to relax is on the sofa in the living room, and that’s where he chooses to spend a lot of his time, and then when you leave him he is suddenly shut in the kitchen where he doesn’t choose to relax, not only is that not setting him up for success, but potentially shutting him in the kitchen can become another ‘departure cue’ – ie he could learn being shut in the kitchen predicts you are about to leave him.
Confinement can increase anxiety
With dogs with Separation Anxiety, confining them to a crate, pen or even a room behind a door can very often increase their anxiety and fear. Imagine having anxiety about being in the Underground in London, for example, and then that train broke down and being forced to stay in the train, unable to get out if we wanted to, not knowing how long we will be there for, what is happening. Even those without specific anxiety of the Tube would most likely feel less than comfortable in that situation.
Now imagine you are a dog with separation anxiety – terrified of being alone, and as well as being left alone, you are also confined to a small area with any choice taken away from you. Its not surprising so many dogs with Separation Anxiety find being confined too much to cope with.
As previously mentioned, confinement anxiety can also exist outside of Separation Anxiety. If you have a dog who is fearful of being alone AND of being confined, that dog will never be able to learn being home alone is safe if they are still experiencing that confinement anxiety.
Dogs can panic and injure themselves
Often confinement is used to prevent damage to the home and toileting accidents , but in actual fact confining a dog with Separation Anxiety can cause even more destruction in an attempt to get out of that confinement area. If the dog is in a crate, they can panic and literally rip teeth and claws out trying to escape. If the dog is confined in the kitchen, they can destroy the door, and their claws, trying to escape. Dogs have even been known to chew around window frames to escape.
No confinement = less anxiety
If the dog has more freedom, we are then increasing the likelyhood of them being able to make more progress. Once this anxiety is eliminated we are able to start the behaviour modification programme with the least amount of anxiety as possible, giving the dog as much chance of success as possible.
The dog doesn’t necessarily need access to every room in the house however – doors to any rooms you would like the dog to stay out of can be closed, and a stair gate can be put across the bottom of the stairs if you wish to prevent your dog going upstairs.
No panic = no destruction
As previously mentioned, one of the reasons confinement is often used it to protect the home. If your dog tends to toilet in the house when left alone, or chews up cushions or has pulled down the venetian blind, it is understandable you would want to prevent that happening again! However, a key point to remember in terms of addressing Separation Anxiety is that while teaching the dog that being home alone is safe, it is vital to keep those durations well under the point where they start to feel even close to the level of anxiety which triggers those behaviours such as destruction, toileting, vocalising etc. In fact we want absences to end either when the dog is still comfortable, or at the maximum when they have started to feel a bit ‘itchy’ about it. Therefore, because they will not be reaching that same level of anxiety during alone time, they will no longer be feeling the need to destroy the sofa or toilet in the house. It is only in this way that we can increase the length of time that the dog is left home alone feeling safe.
If you would like help with how to address your dog’s separation anxiety please complete the form on this page and I will be in touch to arrange an introductory call: Remote Online Separation Anxiety Dog Training (politepawsdogtraining.co.uk)
