One of the most common behavioral challenges when living with dogs is separation-related behaviors, or separation anxiety. Separation-related behavior is a term used for undesirable behaviors that dogs may engage in when their human or other attachment figure is absent. For example, when a dog is left alone or is away from people, a dog may bark excessively, drool excessively, defecate/urinate, or chew and destroy objects or furniture to the point of hurting themselves. These behaviors are stressful for the dog and can be very problematic for the family. These behaviors can result in the dog being surrendered to an animal shelter. In the worst case, the dog can be euthanized (Flannigan & Dogman, 2001; DeMartini-Price, 2020). Studies have shown that approximately 22.3% to 55% of dogs experience these problems (de Assis L.S. et al., 2020). Is there a way to help dogs and their families who experience separation-related behaviors live comfortably? Meet our dogs, Chuu and Remy, both rescued from animal shelters! We welcomed Chuu into our family in 2020 and Remy in 2024. When we left home, they engaged in very worrisome separation-related behaviors. For Chuu, he would bark continuously for a long time, and sometimes he would chew on our shoes, electrical cords, and our personal items to the point of bleeding. He would also aggress towards Peepers, our senior dog, and chase him into corners of the room or under the coffee table until we returned home. For Remy, he would jump and bark at the door, climb on top of the table and kitchen counter, and break things. In the kitchen, he would get into dangerous objects like knives, forks, and other objects. These behaviors continued every time we left the house and until we returned home. What can we do in training so that the dogs are relaxed when home alone and the family feels safe to go out? Let's learn together to find solutions to separation-related behaviors! Webinar Overview In this webinar, we will present two case studies with Chuu and Remy. Through the case studies, we will share a behavior analytic view* of understanding the separation-related behaviors, a potential reason why this behavior can get worse, and a new solution to help dogs experiencing separation-related behaviors. Through the guided videos and graphs, we will explain our training process with Chuu and Remy to illustrate how their behaviors improved in a step-by-step fashion. We will also show how Constructional Affection* was very helpful for Chuu and Remy’s separation-related behaviors. We hope this webinar will provide a discovery and tips for training and living with dogs struggling with separation-related behaviors! *What is Behavior Analysis? The science of behavior. Using a scientific method to understand behavior by studying the relationship between behavior and the environment, asking questions such as “Why do we do [behavior]?” “Why does the behavior repeat?” *What is Constructional Affection? Constructional Affection is a training technique that uses affection in the form of petting and gentle stroking to build desirable behaviors and interaction between dogs and humans. It is developed by Dr. Sean Will, his colleague, Chase Owens, and Dr. Jesús Rosales-Ruiz.

Sponsor:Constructional Approach to Animal Welfare and Training (CAAWT)
Speaker(s):Dr. Sean Will & Maasa Nishimuta, M.S., BCBA

Contact: Dr. Sean Will
 Email: caawtcontact@gmail.com
 Web: https://www.caawt.com/