Step 1: Be aware of signs of separation anxiety. It is real, especially for our pets who have been used to us being home all day.
第一步：留意分离焦虑的出现，尤其是对于已经习惯了我们整天待在家里的宠物来说。

• Separation anxiety can be precipitated by
  分离焦虑可能由以下因素引起:
  • moving to a new home, loss of another pet, or prolonged separation from owner (like post-pandemic when owners return to work)
    搬到新家、失去同伴或与主人分离（如疫情后主人重返工作岗位）
• A lot of people misinterpret boredom with anxiety (i.e. becoming destructive)
  许多人将无聊误解为焦虑（如突然的破坏性行为）
• Anxiety will occur if the pet is hyper-attached and behavior only ever occurs when pet is alone
  如果宠物过度依恋，就会出现焦虑，并且只有在宠物独处时才会表现出来
• Anxiety is usually oriented against barriers such as doors
  焦虑通常针对诸如门之类的障碍物。
• Episode usually will begin within 30 min of the owner leaving
  通常会在主人离开后30 分钟内开始出现。
• Signs
  具体表现:
  • Defecates or urinates when you're gone, becomes destructive, vocalizes loudly (i.e. barking or howling), may pant a lot, over groom, pace, drool, or try to escape
    在你离开时，它会排便，开始搞破坏，大声喊叫（如吠叫或嚎叫），可能会喘地厉害，过度梳毛、踱步、流口水或试图逃跑。
• Dogs who are more prone to it
  以下情况下狗更容易出现分离焦虑:
  • Dogs owned by single owners are 2.5x more likely than dogs living with more than one
    单人养的狗比和多人一起生活的狗患病的几率高2.5倍。
  • Dogs in households with multiple dogs actually develop separation anxiety just as often as dogs in single dog households
    多狗家庭中的狗狗实际上与单狗家庭一样容易出现分离焦虑。
  • Senior pets are more likely as they develop cognitive changes associated with aging
    老年宠物更有可能因为衰老而产生认知障碍。
  • Breeds predisposed: German shepherds, aussies, labs, vizsla, border collie, cocker spaniel, bichons, cavalier king charles, greyhounds, toy poodles, havanese, basset hounds
    容易出现焦虑的犬种：德国牧羊犬、澳大利亚犬、拉布拉多、维兹拉犬、边境牧羊犬、可卡犬、比熊犬、查理王骑士犬、灵缇犬、玩具贵宾犬、哈瓦那犬、巴吉度猎犬。
• Having separation anxiety
  分离焦虑:
  • Puts them at risk of long-term stress or serious injury while you’re away
    在您离开时让它们面临长期压力或严重受伤的风险。
• Ensure your pet has proper ID (tag, collar, microchip) if they do happen to escape
  确保宠物身上有准确的身份证明（标签、项圈），以防它们逃跑。

Step 2: Discourage Hyper-attachment before returning back to work if possible:
第二步：如果可能，在重返工作岗位之前，不要让宠物过度依恋：

• This is the hardest part because we want to give our pets all of our love and attention but we have to teach them to be self-sufficient.
  这是一项很难的工作，因为我们总想给宠物所有的爱和关注，但我们仍然要教会它们自力更生。
• Try to leave for small periods of time before all of a sudden one day going back to work for the whole day. Start with 10-15 minutes, then return, slowly add time to this every few days until your dog can tolerate a few hours at a time. If they begin to freak out when you add time, decrease it back for a while then try to increase it again.
  尝试离开一小段时间，慢慢增加离开的时长，直到你正式返岗工作。从 10-15 分钟开始，每隔几天慢慢增加时间，直到您的狗狗一次可以忍受几个小时。如果当你增加时间，它们表现反常时，先调整一段时间，然后再试着增加。
• Resist temptation of petting dog when approached for play or contact
  在狗狗靠近想要玩耍或和你互动时，抵制住诱惑。
• Be aloof when coming home and when greeting, the human should be the initiator of contact with the dog not the other way around
  回家和打招呼时保持冷淡，人应该是互动关系的发起者，而不是被动接受。
• Do not allow your dog to settle down in close proximity to you, reward the dog for laying across the room or out of your bed
  不要让狗狗过于靠近你，鼓励它躺在房间的另一边或离开你的床。
• Try to divide the care of the pet with someone else in the household
  与家庭中的其他人一起分担宠物护理工作。
• Encourage independent playing by using interactive toys like kong toys containing food reward
  使用互动玩具和食物鼓励独立玩耍，如 kong玩具。

Step 3: Relaxation during separation & keeping them happy while you are gone :getting them relaxed when they are alone
第三步：在分开时保持放松，即便你不在，也让他们保持快乐和轻松

• Try to still have time during the day when you are separate from them (like in another room)
  尽量在白天也与它们分开一段时间（如呆在另一个房间）
• Try to not change up your routine too quickly, try to avoid the “triggers” of anxiety like I mentioned
  尽量不要频繁改变你的日常生活规律，避免出现焦虑状况。
• Exercise beforehand
  提前锻炼:
  • How much exercise does a dog need?
    狗需要多少运动量？
    • General rule: 30-60 minutes per day, varies a lot with breed, more athletic breeds obviously need more
      一般要求每天30-60分钟，因品种而异，运动类型犬种显然需要更多运动
    • Exercise before leaving would be best
      在你离开前最好带狗狗去锻炼一下
• Create positive enrichment: special treat, or toy or both given only when pet is left alone
  积极奖励：美味零食，或玩具，仅在宠物独处时给予
  • Hard rubber toys are my favorites. They are hardy enough not to break apart easily but not too hard as to break their teeth
    硬橡胶玩具，品类比较丰富，此类玩具足够坚硬，不会轻易裂开，但也不会太硬以至于折断牙齿。
  • "feeder" toys are rubber toys that can be filled with treats and keep your dog busy.
    喂食器橡胶玩具可以装满零食，让您的狗忙碌起来。
    •  These types of toys are very mentally stimulating and can keep a dog busy for an extended period of time.
      这类型玩具非常刺激精神，可以让狗长时间忙碌。
    • I also like to use them for anxious dogs, it can also help giving your dogs these when you leave the home to stimulate them physically and mentally while home alone
      这些玩具常用于焦虑的狗狗，当然您在离开家时也可以给狗提供这些玩具，让独自在家的它们保持精神亢奋。
  • It can be helpful to rotate your dogs toys on a weekly basis to keep them interested
    每周轮换狗狗玩具让它们保持兴趣
  • You do not want to have toys that your dog may accidentally swallow or ingest.
    注意防止狗狗不小心吞下玩具。
  • You also do not want to have too hard of toys like antlers or real bones which can cause your dog’s teeth to actually break.
    不要选择太硬的玩具，比如真骨头，这会导致狗狗牙齿折断。
  • Lick mats also provide positive enrichment
    舔垫也可以提供积极互动趣味
    • Lick mats are usually rubber or plastic mats with grooves. They are about the size of a plate and are made of various textures and patterns.
      舔垫通常是带凹槽的橡胶或塑料垫，大约有盘子大小，制成各种纹理和图案。
    • The grooves and patterns make dog food and treats get stuck so the dog has to actively lick to obtain the food instead of eating whole and chewing
      凹槽和图案会卡住狗粮和零食，因此狗必须主动来舔获取食物，而不是整个吃下去咀嚼。
  • You can use adaptil (appeasement pheromone), which is a plug in diffuser. There is also a collar version
    您可以使用adaptil（舒缓费洛蒙），是一种插入式扩散器，还有项圈款式的哟。
• Medications are an option when it’s bad
  情况不佳时可采用药物治疗
  • 2 types of dogs FDA-approved for anxiety, often require giving 4-6 wks before seeing affect (ex: fluoxetine) .
    经FDA批准用于焦虑狗狗的药物，通常需要4-6周才能看到效果（例如：氟西汀）
  • Zylkene is a once a day supplement that works for some.
    每天吃一次威隆Zylkene，适用于某些犬种。
  • There are situational anxiety medication options as well, that you can use here and there
    还有适用于不同情况的焦虑药物可供选择。
• Leave TV or radio on, there has been studies that light classical music is best for relaxing.
  开着电视或收音机，有研究表明轻古典音乐最适合放松
• Crate or free roam:
  是否用宠物箱
  • Depends how long you are gone for, needs to be a limit on number of hours in crate
    取决于您离开多长时间，在宠物箱中呆的时间最好不要太长
  • Does crate add anxiety or take it away?
    宠物箱会增加或消除焦虑吗？
    • Depends on the dog
      取决于狗
• Consider a dog walker
  考虑遛狗师
• Consider doggy day care a few times a week
  每周安排几次狗日托
  • Visit beforehand
    事先考察
  • Talk to staff
    向工作人员了解情况
  • See if your views align
    确定是否适合

Step 4: Desensitize to separation
第四步：对分离脱敏

• Dogs learn the cues that indicate you are leaving
  狗狗能够察觉到你要离开的线索
• Helpful to uncouple these, for instance, at random times, do the things you do before leaving but do not actually leave (i.e. grab keys, put on shoes) until they become meaningless
  注意分散两者的联系，如在随机时间，做你在离开前才会做的事情，但不要真正离开（如拿钥匙，穿鞋），直到这些的动作对狗狗来说变得毫无意义
• Do not punish your pet, dog will not understand to associate the two
  千万不要惩罚你的宠物，因为狗狗不会明白你惩罚它与你们之间分离有任何关系。