- The current coronavirus lock-down means we are spending a lot more time at home with our dogs. Whilst this is a lovely thing for some of us, on the flip-side, some dogs may be becoming extra clingy to their owners as a result. This can of course lead to them developing separation problems – which in the case of truly distressed dogs, is equally as distressing for the owners.
- Some puppies & older dogs I have seen for separation problems are literally unable to cope if their owner so much as leaves the room to visit the bathroom, or put the rubbish outside in the dustbin. Crying, howling, scratching at the door, toileting, barking & in extreme cases, self-harming etc. can ensue as soon as the human moves away & out of sight. If our four-legged friends can’t cope with even the shortest amount of separation, how on earth can they cope for longer spells? e.g. when we go to the shops, to work, a night out etc.
- The only true way to see how your dog copes in your absence is to obtain video footage via webcam for instance, so you can see if there are indeed problems occurring – is your dog really distressed? (if yes, how long do they exhibit distressed or frustrated behaviour? - the whole time you’re absent, or just a minute or two)? Or are they just using the time whilst you’re gone, to amuse themselves, with their toys, or perhaps your things!? (most people could ascertain the emotional state of their dog from video footage), Or are they simply taking an opportunity to get a nap whilst you’re gone?
The ‘Signal of No Attention’.
- Introducing a ‘signal of no-attention’ can help your dog distinguish when they are able to have your attention at home…….& when not.
- To understand this concept, a good analogy would be in a radio station:
- When the ‘On Air’ sign is illuminated, you cannot go into the studio & talk to the broadcasters.
- When the ‘On Air’ sign is no longer illuminated, then you can!
- This provides visual structure & clarity & can also help minimise frustration.
- (You can also use a specific phrase e.g. ‘back soon’ or ‘see you later’ in conjunction, so this again emphasises that there now follows a small period of time alone).
- Choose a unique item that only ever comes out for this exercise e.g. a set of windchimes, or a flag, or simply a home-made A4 poster with a smiley face drawn on it, for example!
- Set out your signal, with your dog watching, then your dog gets no further attention from you i.e. no eye-contact, touching, nor talking to.
- After say 30 seconds, take down the signal, with your dog watching again & put it away out of sight & then give your dog attention.
- Build up the time slowly to say 1 minute, 2 minutes etc.
- Start to combine this training with use of Kongs, or similar safe toys to keep your dog amused.
- Your dog will start to see the contrast between when the signal is up, compared to when it is down & out of sight.
- The idea we want to foster, is that your dog is no longer bothered whether you are in the room or not, as they have something much better to do!
**Remember though, behaviour problems can only be helped with steady, progressive training at a pace your dog can cope with. All behaviour modification should be addressed using only reward-based methods & following advice from qualified behaviour trainers. Work with your dog as a team, not against him or her…..& before behaviour training is undertaken, a vet should be the first port of call, to ensure a full check-over is obtained to rule out any underlying medical cause for your dog’s behaviour.