2 minute read
SOOTHING SEPARATION
Soothing Separation Helping Anxious Dogs to Cope
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Separationanxietyisacommon canineproblem,diagnosedinas manyas40percentofdogsseenby veterinarybehavioralspecialists.When thedogisleftalone,itmayserenadethe neighbors,soilthehouseorcausedamage. Storiesaboundofunstuffedcouches,dugupfloors,destroyedwindowcoveringsand doginjuryfromchewingoutofacrateor tryingtoescapethroughwindows. Inanarticleonseparationanxiety syndrome(SAS)intheJournal of American Veterinary Medicine,StefanieSchwartz, DVM,citesseveralstudiesthatagreeon commonriskfactorsforSASindogs:historyoftraumaticseparation,inexperience withbeingalone,excessivegreetingsand prolongeddeparturesbyowners,relocation andchangesinroutineorfamilystructure. Symptomsvaryinscopeanddegree, butSASispainfulforbothdogandparent. Repeatedlyreturninghometocomplaints fromneighborsorconsiderabledamage cancauseownerstosurrendertheirdogs.
Get the Diagnosis
Ifadogisactingout,anassessmentis neededtoensurethatwhatseemslike SASisn’tcausedbyunderlyingconditions. Boredom,illnessorcaninecognitivedysfunctioncouldresultinactionsandsymptomssuchaspacingorexcessivesalivating thatmimicanxiety.IfSASisdiagnosed, ownersmustunderstandthatdogsaren’t exactingrevengeandshouldneverbepunishedforbehaviorexhibitedwhentheyare terrified,adviseveterinarians.
Natural Solutions Human Tricks
A2018studyintheJournal of Veterinary Behaviorsuggeststhatpettingadogforone minutebeforeleavingmaymakethedog calmerduringseparation.Somedogsfeel safestwhenleftinacratecoveredwitha blanket.Thehumanattitudetowardseparationcanbefeltbythedog,aswell,butsome dogssimplyneedmorehelpcoping. Changingthebrainmightbetheway togo.CalmerCanineisadevicethatsends targeted,pulsed,electromagneticfield (tPEMF) signalstothedog’sbrain.Unlike approacheslikemedications,supplements andcannabidiol(CBD) thathavetobe administeredrepeatedlyasneeded,“the doggetstwo,15-minutetreatmentsper dayforfourtosixweeks,”saysveterinarby Julie Peterson
ianJudyKorman,atAssisiAnimalHealth,inNewYorkCityand SantaFe,NewMexico.A2019pilotstudyofninedogsthatshe conductedincooperationwiththeNorthCarolinaStateUniversityofVeterinaryMedicine,whichdevelopedthedevice,showed thatthetPEMFsignalsreducedanxietyandrestoredcalm.
Exercise
“I’vetriedmedicationandnaturalsupplements,andhavefound thatwhatworksbestforallthreeofmydogsisplentyofexercise. Longwalks,especiallyinnewlocationswithnewsmells,area favorite,”saysKimberlyGauthier,abloggeratKeeptheTailWaggingandDogMomStyle,inMarysville,Washington. Thereisaphysiologicalreasonforengaginginwalksguided bythedog’snose.“Themorethedogisabletotakeinscent,the moreittriggerstheseekingpartofthebrain,themoreenriching lifeisforthedogandthemoreitcalmsthemdown,”saysMittsy Voiles,abehaviorspecialistattheLakeMillsVeterinaryClinic, inWisconsin.
Food and Supplements
Goodnutritionallowsdogstobemoresuccessfulcitizens.“Ifyou makethebaselinefundamentalsgood,itgivesthedogtheability tothink,processitsenvironmentandhavelessanxiety,”saysholisticveterinarianCatherineAlinovi,atHealthyPawsibilities,in Clearwater,Florida.Processedkibblewithfoodcoloringisdoggiejunkfood.“KibbleQuandary:AFreshLookatPetFood,”at NaturalAwakenings.com,suggestshealthierfeedingoptions.
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Howadogisfedcanalsohaveanimpact.Puttingfood inpuzzletoysfacilitatesabrainexercisethatimprovesconfidence.“Dogswhospendpartoftheirdayworkingoutpuzzles arereallyengagingthatopportunisticscavengerpartoftheir biology,”saysVoiles. Commonly,petownersareturningtothehempplant derivativeCBDasacalmingaid.Forthoseconsideringnutraceuticals,herbsandsupplements,aholisticveterinariancanmake recommendations.
Accessories
Diffusingcalmingessentialoilsmayrelaxsomedogs,butamild scentforhumanscouldsupersaturateadog’solfactoryorgan, preventingthemfromsmellingwhat’snecessary.Learninghow touseessentialoilssafelyaroundpetsiscritical.Butthepacifying scentofnaturalpheromonesthatmimicthecomfortofnursing arehardtobeat;pheromone-basedproductsinsprays,diffusers, wipesandcollarscanbefoundinnatural-healthstoresandpet stores.“It’seffectivefordogswhoneedtofeelsafeorwhenadjustingtoanewenvironment,”saysVoiles. ThunderShirts,specialblanketsandDogTVaretriedby many,butnooneoptionworksforeverydog.“Whenpeopletry thingsanddon’tgetimprovement,theyshouldseekaholisticveterinarianwhocanhelpfigureoutwhatisgoingon,”saysAlinovi.
Julie Peterson writes about wellness and the environment. Reach out at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.
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Kindn ess Co un ts
Cultivating SelfCompassion in Children
Inthecourseoftheirlives,childrenfaceinnumerablelosses, challenges,heartbreaksanddisappointments.Children’sresiliencedepends,inpart,onthequalityoftheirrelationships withthemselves.Inotherwords,howwellchildrenpersevere throughadversityappearstobestronglyassociatedwiththeir abilitytorelatetothemselveswithkindnessandcompassion. by Lauren Sophia Kreider
What Is Self-Compassion?
KristinNeff,internationalexpertandpioneerresearcherinthefield ofself-compassion,says,“Self-compassionmeanstreatingyourself withthesamekindofkindness,care,compassion,asyouwould treatthoseyoucareabout—yourgoodfriends,yourlovedones.” AccordingtoNeff,self-compassioniscomprisedofthree elements:
Self-kindness:“Irespondtomyflawsandshortcomingswith understandingandcare.” Commonhumanity:“It’snotjustme.Everyonemakesmistakesandstruggleswithdifficultfeelings.” Mindfulness:“Icanfeeluncomfortablefeelingswithoutpushingthemawayordistractingmyself.”
Why Self-Compassion Is Helpful
Asaresearcher,authorandprofessorattheUniversityofNorthCarolinaatChapelHill,KarenBluthhasspentyearsstudyingtheimpact thatself-compassionandmindfulnesshaveonouryouth’swellbeing.Inonestudy,Bluthandhercolleaguesfoundthatcultivating self-compassioninteensappearstoenhancetheirresilienceaswell astheirinterestinlearningotherhealthywaystocopewithstress. Agrowingnumberofresearchershavefoundsimilarly encouragingresults.NeffandcolleagueChristopherGermer write,“Researchincreasinglysuggeststhatthedegreetowhich onetreatsoneselfwithcareandcompassionplaysanimportant roleinpsychologicalhealth.”Theygoontohighlightgrowing evidencethatself-compassionisaneffectivewaytoenhancewellbeingbothwithinindividualsaswellasbetweenthem.
Strategies for Teaching Self-Compassion to Children
Thefollowingstrategiesmaybeusedindividually,inpairingsor asacollectivewhole.Childrenasyoungas5or6canbeginto understandtheconceptofself-compassion.
Define It and Discuss It
Definecompassionandself-compassionforthechild. Compassioniswantingtolessenthepainofsomeoneor something.Apersoncanshowcompassionbysaying,doingor thinkingthingsthatarekindorbringcomfort. Self-compassionissaying,doingorthinkingthingsthat bringcomforttoourselveswhenfeelingsad,mad,scared,lonely, regretfulorembarrassed. Askthechildoneormoreofthefollowingquestions: • “Thinkofatimethatyoufelt sad,scared,lonelyorembarrassedandneededcompassion.Howcanyoushow compassiontoyourselfthe nexttimeyoufeel______?” • “Howmightshowing compassiontoyourselfbe helpful?” • “Whatthingsbring youthemostcomfort whenyouaredisappointedorsomething difficulthappens?”
Create a Mantra
Helpthechildcreateamantrathatcanbe repeatedwhenexperiencingachallengingsituationoruncomfortableemotion. Amantraisawordorphrasethatcanbe silentlysaidtooneself. Instructthechild tochoosewordsandphrasesthatarecomforting,kind,andencouraging.Popular mantrasinclude,“feelingsalwayschange,I lovemyself,”and“Iambrave.”
Bring Awareness to the Body
Whencalmer,askthechildtolocate theplaceinthebodywhereshefeltthe uncomfortableemotion.Thechildmay noticetightness,jitterinessorpaininone ormoreplacesinthebody. Practicedeepbreathingwiththe child.Takeadeepbreathinthroughthe nose,fillingthebellywithair.Ontheexhale,breatheoutthroughthemouthasthe bellygetsflatter. Onthenextexhale,invitethechild tosendcompassiontotheidentifiedbody parts.Thechildmayoffercompassion throughamantra,imageorimaginary
hug.Manychildrenliketoofferanice creamconetotheidentifiedbodypart.
Model It
Thenexttimethereisadisappointment orfailureinlife,practiceoneormoreselfcompassionstrategiesinfrontofachild. Aseducationalconsultantand authorMicheleBorbawrites,“Exampleis everything.Infact,theGreekphilosopher Aristotleyearsagosaidthatthebestway toteachcharacterisbymodelinggood example.”
Moving Forward
Perhapsthereisnogreatergiftwecan offerchildrenthantheabilitytorespond tolife’slosses,challenges,heartbreaksand disappointmentswithresilienceandto relatetothemselveswithcareandcompassion.AsAbrahamLincolnsaid,“Lifeis hard,butsoverybeautiful.”
Lauren Sophia Kreider has a master’s degree in counseling psychology and is the owner of Sophia Says Mindfulness Teaching. As a grief counselor at a local hospice, she provided individual and group counseling. She lives in Lancaster with her husband and son. Connect with her by email at KreiderLauren@ gmail.com or visit Sophia-Says.com.
