If you really feel you can’t solve the problem without using the anti-bark collar, please reach out for the help of an accredited dog behaviour expert. Would you become less afraid of that situation, or more so? Imagine the most fear-inducing situation you could be in (spiders? Zombies? Needles? Flying?) and then imagine wearing a collar that shocks you or sprays you in the face every time you try to ask for help. It may address the short-term issue of barking, but you will almost certainly see further unwanted side effects (including potentially dangerous aggressive behaviours) as their mental health unravels. It’s not only unethical but scientifically, it just doesn’t work. Given that your dog is already very distressed when left alone – does this seem like something that will work in the long run? If you do attempt to use an anti-bark collar to fix unwanted behaviours, you need to be prepared to cause your dog fear and / or pain (note – many manufacturers of these devices will use words such as “stimulus”, because it sounds nicer, don’t be fooled!). They are two different things, albeit they are of course related. I’m sure you don’t need me to spell it out, but just in case: stopping barking does not cure separation anxiety. Whether an electric shock, vibration, spray, or other “stimulus”, in order to be effective, the punishment must be highly distressing in order to effectively supress the behaviour. Your dog performs a behaviour and then a stimulus is applied that is uncomfortable or upsetting enough that it discourages them from performing that behaviour again. We need to be very clear about what this means. “Stop separation anxiety with an anti – bark collar”Īnti-bark collars work by applying an aversive stimulus to punish a behaviour. If your dog does appear distressed (barking, whining, panting, digging or trying to chew their way out), you should go back to them immediately, to prevent further emotional trauma. This way you can make absolutely sure that your pup is calm and relaxed, and not just anxious but out of behavioural options. If you’re not sure, and you do try crating your dog as a cure for separation, make sure you use a camera or video call app to watch them in real time if they are crated or confined. I often suspect that those dogs that have been “cured” by being crated, never actually suffered from separation anxiety but were maybe engaging in a bit of mischief whilst home alone! More often that not crating does not fix anxiety and can even cause an escalation into all out panic. But ultimately the problem isn’t the unwanted behaviour, it is the underlying anxiety. It is a sad truth that many dogs with separation anxiety are crated or confined, and it may therefore appear the problem has been solved. A crated dog can’t chew on your furniture, will hold his bladder and bowels to avoid soiling his sleeping area, and – if out with human earshot – can bark and cry all day without anyone being any the wiser. The one thing crates do very effectively is limit behavioural options. But like many quick fixes, it is good to take a moment and think about why this might appear to work. “Crating your dog will cure separation anxiety”īarely a week goes by when I don’t see someone recommend crating your dog as a cure for separation anxiety. To help you in your efforts to help your separation anxiety dog, I’d like to share my thoughts on three of the most commonly touted “quick fixes” out there. This is especially true if the source seems credible – a trusted friend for example or a well-regarded trainer. In our desperation to help our dogs, the idea of a quick fix can seem incredibly alluring. It is human nature though to be curious, and to hope that somehow you might be one of the people who gets an easy win. If you’ve read any of my articles, or indeed if you have been researching dog separation anxiety for any length of time, you have probably already received the message loud and clear that there are no quick fixes for separation anxiety.
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