Once, Nana and her family were troubled by the anxiety caused by separation. After half a year of gradual training, as well as through observation and experimentation, they found new ways to break through the bottleneck. Now, even when her mom and dad are not around, Nana can wait calmly and securely. This is not only Nana's personal growth but also the fruit of the never-giving-up love between her and her parents.
First Impressions and Initial Observations
Nana is a gentle four-year-old Shiba Inu. On our first meeting, she was willing to approach and sniff at me, a stranger, to read my dog scent. While observing Nana's reactions to the outdoor environment, I also closely watched the interactions between her and her parents. When we returned home together, I helped Nana wipe her paws and remove her harness, while her parents explained her condition and the difficulties they were facing.
The Core Issues
Nana's main problem was separation anxiety. When her family left the house, Nana would bite the walls so badly that nails were exposed, damage stainless steel doors, chew large holes into wall panels, and even break her own teeth. She would also urinate near the door or climb to high places like the clothes drying rack when hearing certain sounds, such as thunder.
From the words of her parents, I felt their deep love, reluctance, and helplessness toward Nana. This is what makes being a trainer challenging—I too felt heartfelt sympathy for the family, but I had to stay calm in order to rationally analyze the problem and help them.
What Did We Do to Help Nana?
Addressing separation anxiety requires not only psychological care but also meeting physical needs first. Nana's eating habits had always been unstable—sometimes she would eat, sometimes she wouldn't. When her body was chronically undernourished, her mood was more likely to fluctuate. So the first priority was to stabilize her eating condition.
Another critical factor was the very high level of attention Nana was used to from her parents and even previous family members. Over time, Nana grew accustomed to constant attention, so when left alone, her anxiety symptoms emerged. Therefore, practicing reducing the attention given to her was also a key direction.
Challenges During Training
Nana was one of the more difficult cases among many. Her anxiety had escalated to the point of self-injury. Although most training steps were completed progressively, her eating issues remained unstable no matter what adjustments were made. She anticipated her parents leaving in the morning and often wouldn't eat breakfast, though she tended to eat dinner. This presented a significant obstacle during training.
Breaking Through the Bottleneck: New Approaches Based on Observation and Experimentation
Although the time Nana spent biting the door decreased, the behavior itself remained. Even when hitting a plateau in training, Nana's parents remained hopeful. What touched me the most was their willingness to accept that their child was sensitive and their commitment to try harder, never once considering giving up despite difficulties.
Later, we changed our perspective on Nana's eating condition. Despite consulting a veterinarian and confirming her teeth should not be painful, I began to suspect that discomfort in her teeth might still be making eating difficult. If anxiety combined with dental discomfort, it was no wonder Nana was reluctant to eat.
So we asked her parents to try softening her kibble. Surprisingly, Nana's eating improved significantly, and she began finishing every meal. This brought us great joy!
A Renewed Nana
Behavioral adjustment is a continuous process of identifying causes and trying different methods. Nana took three semesters of courses over approximately six months. During this time, her condition fluctuated greatly. Various factors influenced her, such as weather changes, stomach discomfort, or her parents needing to return to their hometown. Thus, we had to keep adjusting the training pace.
To prevent further dental injury, we taught Nana to wear protective tools like a head cover and muzzle. Coupled with reducing attention and gradually practicing separation, by around the middle of the third semester, Nana's door-biting had greatly decreased. Once we discovered that her teeth had been uncomfortable for a long time, and after solid groundwork with separation and cognitive exercises, her overall condition improved dramatically. Now, Nana no longer bites the door at all!
She no longer insists on guarding the door waiting for her parents to return. Instead, she calmly returns to her room to rest. Even when she hears thunder, she can lie down peacefully nearby. Seeing such a transformation in Nana is incredibly gratifying as a trainer.
But all of this was only possible because Nana's parents worked so hard. You are truly wonderful parents, and your efforts have brought us today's happy Nana!
