Here is what worked for another Client:
- I made my comings & goings CALM. No fawning or fussing over Molly when I left or came home. (I was always petting her and hugging her and doing very lively, active, entrances and exits…something we all do everyday with our pets, but not good for a dog with SA)
- I made ZERO eye contact or interaction with Molly 20 minutes prior to leaving home. Eye contact with your dog is just the same as speaking or touching them – so when you don’t make eye contact, they begin to relax and realize nothing is going on of any importance. This was the HARDEST thing to do. You don’t realize how often you make eye contact with your dog! Give it a try someday, you’ll be amazed!
- I filled a Kong with treats, sealed it with peanut butter, and froze it the night before. Then I put it in her crate with her when I left in the morning to give her something super tasty to distract her while I left.
- I put a blanket over her metal crate so it would be more “den-like”.
- All meals & treats were provided in the crate so it would be a happy place.
- We started Behavior Training. I would have her go in her crate (give her a treat) with a stay command, and then walk just a few feet away, while not acknowledging her. Then I would return and give her another treat for reward. I continued this several times every night, and would increase the distance when she became comfortable with the previous distance. Before I knew it, I was standing outside my home, with Molly sitting comfortably in her crate. We did this for weeks on end until she had no problem with me leaving and being gone for a period of time.
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