Playing videos of guardians when going out can worsen separation anxiety

When a pet dog shows symptoms of separation anxiety, such as barking or sniffing, when separated from its guardian, many guardians wonder if playing a video of the guardian while they are out will be helpful. According to a CarePet video, playing a general video of a guardian can actually have the counterproductive effect of worsening separation anxiety.

The impact of watching videos on separation anxiety and effective alternatives

A situation where the guardian appears in a video and then suddenly disappears can increase anxiety in the pet dog. It explains that while the dog may feel interested for the first few minutes of the video, once it realizes the guardian is not actually there when it looks to the side, the separation anxiety can intensify. In other words, the visual stimulus leads to the confirmation of absence.

However, rather than general videos, providing a recording containing the guardian's voice or clothing infused with the guardian's scent may help alleviate stress. According to related research, when dogs with separation anxiety were provided with the guardian's voice and clothing containing their scent, their blood cortisol (stress hormone) levels were measured to be lower than when nothing was provided. The purpose of these methods is not to completely eliminate separation anxiety, but to delay the Onset time—the time it takes for anxiety symptoms to appear—as much as possible. For example, if a dog that becomes anxious immediately after the guardian leaves can endure for 10 minutes through clothing or nosework, the method involves the guardian returning at that specific time to teach the dog the fact that 'if you wait, the guardian comes back.'

The core of separation anxiety training and the purpose of medication

Separation anxiety is not a condition that naturally disappears simply by getting older. Stable attachment formation with the guardian during early childhood is essential, and if such learning is lacking, symptoms can persist even into adulthood. The core of training is to gradually teach the belief that 'the guardian will eventually return' even if they disappear from sight. A process is required to gradually increase the distance from the guardian to 3m, 5m, or to gradually increase the time the dog can endure situations where the guardian is not visible but only their voice can be heard.

Caution is also required when considering the help of medication or products if symptoms are severe. Medication is not a 'cure' that solves separation anxiety all at once, but a supplementary means to lower anxiety levels to create a 'state where training is possible.' In particular, when control is difficult to the point of being close to a panic attack, step-by-step training must be carried out in conjunction with lowering anxiety levels through medication. The goal is not the act of taking medicine itself, but creating an environment where training can be attempted with the help of medication.