November 19, 2004

Ask the Animal Behavorist

Separation anxiety can result in a destructive dog

By Maureen Strenfel
Special to the Times

Q: Each day I go to work, my dog becomes destructive when left alone. He barks, digs and chews things. Help!

A: Your dog is suffering from separation anxiety. You must teach your dog to accept isolation as part of his life. The following list will help your dog cope with your absence:

1. Time-outs. Before you leave your dog alone, deliberately ignore him for 20 to 30 minutes at least three times a day. Do not pet him or say anything to him. Once he accepts these time-outs calmly, proceed to step two.

2. Practice putting your dog in the place he will stay when you are not home. Remember to pick a place where he cannot rip up the carpet or chew on your favorite pillow. Start by leaving him alone for five minutes several times in one day. Gradually increase the time he is alone until you can safely leave him for two hours at a stretch. Correct any unwanted barking or destructiveness but do not let him out unless he is calm and quiet.

Animal Behaviorist Maureen Strenfel and her dog Ms. Jitters.

Use time buffers. Most dogs are at their destructive worst right after you leave. Fifteen minutes before you need to leave the house, put your dog in the area where he will spend the day and ignore him. When it is time for you to leave, just leave. This teaches your dog to settle in for the day and not get so emotional when you say goodbye.

Remember to increase your dog’s daily exercise. A tired dog is a good dog. Feed him two meals a day to prevent destructiveness due to hunger. Also, it’s important to provide a special toy for your pooch while you are gone. Dogs relieve stress through chewing, so if you have something available for Fido to gnaw on, he’s less likely to go to work on the fence or your nice couch. Kongs stuffed with bits of biscuits or kibble make good chewing toys.

Lastly, if you come home to a house that has some sort of destruction, do not shout at or hit your dog. In order to correct a dog for misbehavior, you must catch him in the act. Even showing your dog the “misdeed” afterwards will create only more confusion and anxiety. Just clean up the mess and resolve to put your dog in a safe place until you have worked with him more or until he grows out of this destructive phase of his life.

For more information, visit http://www.hssv.org/BEHAVIOR/dog.htm and click on Separation Anxiety.

Humane Society Silicon Valley unveils van to transport animals to shelter for rehabilitation, adoption

Next time you’re out on the road, don’t be surprised if you see the Humane Society Silicon Valley’s (HSSV) new animal van transporting animals from rescue groups and shelters throughout the Bay Area to HSSV.

Beth Ward, vice president of HSSV Animal Care, hoists a dog up into the van.

Dubbed H.A.R.T., which stands for Humane Animal Rescue Transport, the van brings surplus animals to HSSV, where they receive any necessary medical care, rehabilitation and behavioral training before they are placed up for adoption. The $67,000 van was made possible through public donations.

“We want to reach out to the community and bring these dogs, cats and rabbits that may need extra care and attention or just a second chance at getting adopted into our facility,” said Christine Benninger, president of Humane Society Silicon Valley.

So far, HSSV has picked up dozens of cats and dogs from nearby shelters, such as the new San Jose Animal Shelter, that had more animals than they could handle to help ease their space shortage.

“It’s a win-win situation,” Benninger explained. “Humane Society Silicon Valley can help other animal welfare groups that may not have the resources or space to handle a lot of animals. In return, our customers will be exposed to a greater variety of animals to choose from and more animals will have a second chance at being adopted.”

State-of-the Art Animal Van
The outside of the 24-foot van features three photos depicting the human-animal bond along with the Humane Society’s logo, phone number and Web site address prominently displayed on the door.

The inside of the van houses 16 – 18 separate stainless steel animal cages, rubber flooring throughout and Owens Corning Refrigeration grade insulation to increase heating and cooling efficiency. The van also features a sink and a rollout side awning with a 12-foot canvas overhang, which can provide shade for animals at outdoor pet fairs.

“We want to promote the human-animal bond and have the public view the Humane Society as ‘The Best Place to Adopt a Pet,’ ” Benninger explained. “Our adoption counselors work with people to match them with the right pet, and we offer post-adoption resources on nutrition, animal behavior and training.”

All animals adopted from HSSV are behavior-tested, spayed or neutered and vaccinated. They receive a health examination, flea control medication and a microchip for identification. For a nominal fee, the animals are covered for any health problems up to 10 days after they are adopted.

For more information about Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV), visit the Web site at www.hssv.org or call (408) 727-3383.