Episode 53 – Separation Anxiety – To crate or not to crate, that is the question

Welcome to the first episode in this second year of The Pet Behaviour Chat Podcast!

This episode was inspired by a Facebook post I saw in one of our local dog groups where an alarming number of people advised the poster, who has a dog showing Separation Related Behaviours to "just get a crate for the dog and put it in the crate when you are away from the home".

This approach has so many potential pitfalls and could actually do more harm than good when it comes to the welfare of the dog in question.

Have a listen to this episode where I chat through my thoughts on this issue and highlight the potential problems that could arise from recommendations such as this one.

Don't get me wrong, a crate or a safe space *may* be an option for some dogs, but it is not ok to just make blanket statements or recommendations such as this when the details of the case are not fully known.

Listen as I chat through:

1. The importance of obtaining an accurate diagnosis

2. The importance of the dog feeling comfortable in a crate

3. The underlying mental and emotional health implications and motivations

4. Why blanket statements such as this can actually make things worse

5. How we, as Veterinary Behaviourists, always consider the long-term health and longevity of a good quality life for the pets in our care

Here are some of the resources I mention in the episode:

1. King, J. N., Simpson, B. S., Overall, K. L., Appleby, D., Pageat, P., Ross, C., Chaurand, J. P., Heath, S., Beata, C., Weiss, A. B., Muller, G., Paris, T., Bataille, B. G., Parker, J., Petit, S., Wren, J., & Clocsa, T. (2000). Treatment of separation anxiety in dogs with clomipramine : results from a prospective , parallel-group , multicenter clinical trial.

2. Ballantyne, K. C. (2018). Separation, Confinement, or Noises: What Is Scaring That Dog? Veterinary Clinics of North America - Small Animal Practice, 48(3), 367–386. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2017.12.005

3. Karagiannis et al. BMC Veterinary Research (2015) 11:80, Dogs with separation-related problems show a "less pessimistic" cognitive bias during treatment with fluoxetine (Reconcile™) and a behaviour modification plan DOI 10.1186/s12917-015-0373-1

We really hope you enjoy this episode; it is packed with so much information!

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