Posted by dognutter | Posted in Dog Supply | Posted on 16-10-2010
Tags: dog separation anxiety
Although it may sound a bit funny, it can be quite severe and distressful for your dog if you notice that he or she begins to suffer from anxiety when you leave home.
How do I know if my dog suffers from separation anxiety?
When you leave the room or house if you find that your dog starts barking or whining, it is likely that they suffer from some form of separation anxiety at its milder stages. If you are starting to notice a trend, then it is best to react quickly to stop the emotion from their advance.
More severe levels of separation anxiety in dogs can cause them to bark for longer and longer periods of time to destroy your furniture or household belongings and deliberately being naughty in any way they can imagine. What they are trying to do is get your attention and for you to stay.
Why Dogs suffering from separation anxiety?
Main dogs require firm. In the wild dogs used to spend lots of time with other dogs in packs, so it is normal for them to crave the company of the home environment as well. Instead of other dogs, they will bond to their owner and family as they are now. It is therefore understandable that they may feel upset when you leave without them.
But why some dogs suffer more than others is not a mystery, and there is hope for your dog. Since we as owners feel bad to leave our dog, it is natural that we give the animal a cuddle, some attention and affection before going out. Then when we get home we do the same thing, lavishing them with love. For your dog, so he does not understand this pattern, and when you leave, you become concerned for you to return and more that the current is amplified more anxious your dog is likely to be.
How to reduce your dog’s separation anxiety
Simply ways to improve the level of separation anxiety that your dog knows is to break the routine. There are several ways to do this, so we have put them below:
1. Identifying the moment when your dog starts feeling anxious. Before you can start working on a solution to your dog’s separation anxiety you have to determine what triggers it to emerge. It can be an alarm, how you eat breakfast, the sound of your computer as it comes to life so you can check your mail before you go to the office. It really can be something that you do, but it is most likely to be something you do on weekdays and not on non-working days.
2. Change the object of your routine. Once you know what triggers the anxiety arises you can change it, be it with another alarm, eat your breakfast before showering, or avoid the computer. Mix it up and vary it by any small change will help reduce the level of separation anxiety your dog is likely to feel before you travel.
3. Do not reward your dog when they are worried. It sounds crazy and you may feel that this is not what you do, but by lavishing attention on them before and after you travel, you are rewarding them for their troubled behavior. Do this by avoiding your dog at least 10 minutes when you get home. It sounds hard, and it will be, especially when they give you their cute looks sad and whine at you, but it will, together with changes in your routine start changing its cooperation with separation anxiety.
4. Reinforce good workout. Practice separation when you have time by popping your dog into another room and then ignore them when they come out. Another way to help your dog learn to deal with separation is to vary the periods you are gone. If you normally go to work all day, try to leave behind him the next time you go to the store, or when you pop to the milk bar. This way your dog will stop associating the separation of a long period, and will get used to coming and going. This will reassure your dog that you always come back.
Keep Good Habits Going
It is difficult and can be emotionally draining to train your dog to deal with separation anxiety. You will no doubt feel that you are cruel or mean by not responding immediately to their distress. This is not the case. It is important to calm yourself during the whole process that you are right and that your dog will both be happier and healthier if they do not suffer from separation anxiety.
Key with separation anxiety is to look out for signs and to act at the first sign. Another option for reducing separation anxiety is to use a method known as Crate Training.
Are you and your four-legged friend who suffers from Dog Separation Anxiety? Get more tips and advice here today. While you’re there you can pick up a free report on How to be the Alpha dog. This report will show you how to take control of your home, and become the master of your house.
