Dr. Pawz:
Welcome to Dog Talk. I’m your host, Dr. Pawz. All right, let’s go to our first caller. Hi, Miles. How can I help?

Miles:
Hi. Yeah, my dog Olive is destroying things in my house and it’s really getting frustrating.

Dr. Pawz:
Oh, interesting. Let me put that up on the board. Is she otherwise well-behaved?

Miles:
Yeah. Let me step outside. I don’t want to embarrass her.

Dr. Pawz:
Okay. Sure.

Miles:
Oh, that’s better. Here’s the thing. She also poops in the house.

Dr. Pawz:
Okay. Hold on. Did you just exit your house?

Miles:
Yeah.

Dr. Pawz:
And that’s your dog inside the house, barking?

Miles:
Yeah.

Dr. Pawz:
Does she also tried to escape when you leave?

Miles:
Yup.

Dr. Pawz:
Do these things happen when you’re at home with her?

Miles:
No, but she does follow me around like she’s my shadow. Is that connected somehow?

Dr. Pawz:
Ah, yes, it is. Actually, I think I know what’s going on. Your dog might suffer from separation anxiety.

Miles:
Seriously? That’s a thing?

Dr. Pawz:
Yeah. It’s actually something that affects a lot of dogs, especially recently adopted dogs.

Miles:
Oh. Okay.

Dr. Pawz:
Here’s the thing. Helping Olive isn’t going to be easy, but over time, it’s possible to reduce her anxiety.

Miles:
Dude, I’ll do anything to get her to stop destroying my vintage T-shirt collection.

Dr. Pawz:
I should also say that it’s possible to cause more harm than good if you don’t go at your dog’s pace, which sometimes can be painstakingly slow.

Miles:
Okay. I think I get it.

Dr. Pawz:
And unfortunately-

Miles:
Seriously, another disclaimer?

Dr. Pawz:
Unfortunately, yeah. Since we’re running short on time, I can only give you some general tips. You really should ask … Oh, I see here that Olive goes to my favorite vet. They’re amazing. Anyway, you really should ask them for help.

Miles:
Got it. In the meantime, could you give me some suggestions?

Dr. Pawz:
Of course. When you leave or return to the house, try to keep things as low-key as possible. If you make greetings and goodbyes a big deal, it might contribute to her anxiety or even reinforce her unwanted behavior. She might be picking up on your pre-departure routines as well, things like picking up your keys or putting on your shoes.

Dr. Pawz:
To reduce her negative associations with these departure cues, trying to periodically do them without leaving the house. Also, make sure Olive gets plenty of exercise before you head out. That’ll leave her with less energy for mischief while you’re away. And try giving her a calm filled with a tasty treat, peanut butter, for instance. This’ll keep her preoccupied for 20 to 30 minutes and create a positive association with being alone. Crate training can also be helpful, but only after the crate has been strongly established as a safe place.

Miles:
Wow. This does sound like a challenging process. Isn’t there a pill I could give her to fix all this?

Dr. Pawz:
Medications, along with pheromone diffusers, thunder shirts, and calming music can help manage anxiety, but training is really the only way to address the underlying problem. And again, my number one suggestion is connecting with Olive’s vet. They’ll be best equipped to help you develop a training plan. Good luck, Miles. That was great talking with you.

Dr. Pawz:
Let’s move on to our next caller, whose dog Jackson seems to have become romantically attracted to his favorite stuffed toy.