What Is Separation Anxiety? Separation Anxiety is when your dog or puppy will howl and bark whilst you are absent and may even become destructive.
Why Does My Dog Suffer From Separation Anxiety? Dogs are pack animals, that is their history and it is in their genetic make up.
You and your family are the pack they belong to, if she is separated from her pack she can become scared and slightly disorientated, noises may frighten her.
Her barking, whining and destructiveness are her way of showing her displeasure and fear.
She wants her pack around her and is crying to bring them back, this can extend to the home even when everyone is around, she will travel from room to room making sure everyone is home and will whine outside a door if she is unable to get in to check on the occupant.
Can I stop my Puppy suffering Separation Anxiety? Yes you can and many of the steps to do so could be classed as common sense, many families manage to overcome their pets anxiety without even thinking about it, but there are some simple steps to take to help your dog or puppy overcome the fear of separation.
*Make it comfortable and her own place.
Choose a room that is not too close to the street or other noises and make sure her bed and blankets are in there.
This will give her confidence in her surroundings.
*Be Fair - During the training phase do not leave her alone whilst you are moving around the rest of the house as this will only deepen her feeling of exclusion, actually leave the house to begin with *Start Slowly - Leave for short periods at a time, if you need to fetch something from the car, shut her in where you want then to be and go to the car, take your time and make the trip a little longer each time, get her used to you leaving and returning.
Always get her ready for the separation each time so it becomes ritual in her head.
*Reward - Do not scold your dog if she whines or barks, but reward her with love and attention when she waits quietly she will soon start to realise the game.
*Avoid Destructiveness - This can be achieved in 2 ways, some dogs prefer the confines of a crate or cage whilst you are out, this sounds harsh but many dogs prefer it, they see it as home and they feel safe and secure in there and of course you are confident in the knowledge that no destruction can take place in your absence.
Alternatively you can divert your dogs attention by the use of treats or a treat toy while you are out to keep her occupied, treat toys can be very effective.
Whatever method you use you should be consistent and follow your routine whether you are leaving for a half hour or all day for work.
Being consistent will ensure your dog realises that when you leave, you will return at some point and shower her with praise and love and attention.
Why Does My Dog Suffer From Separation Anxiety? Dogs are pack animals, that is their history and it is in their genetic make up.
You and your family are the pack they belong to, if she is separated from her pack she can become scared and slightly disorientated, noises may frighten her.
Her barking, whining and destructiveness are her way of showing her displeasure and fear.
She wants her pack around her and is crying to bring them back, this can extend to the home even when everyone is around, she will travel from room to room making sure everyone is home and will whine outside a door if she is unable to get in to check on the occupant.
Can I stop my Puppy suffering Separation Anxiety? Yes you can and many of the steps to do so could be classed as common sense, many families manage to overcome their pets anxiety without even thinking about it, but there are some simple steps to take to help your dog or puppy overcome the fear of separation.
*Make it comfortable and her own place.
Choose a room that is not too close to the street or other noises and make sure her bed and blankets are in there.
This will give her confidence in her surroundings.
*Be Fair - During the training phase do not leave her alone whilst you are moving around the rest of the house as this will only deepen her feeling of exclusion, actually leave the house to begin with *Start Slowly - Leave for short periods at a time, if you need to fetch something from the car, shut her in where you want then to be and go to the car, take your time and make the trip a little longer each time, get her used to you leaving and returning.
Always get her ready for the separation each time so it becomes ritual in her head.
*Reward - Do not scold your dog if she whines or barks, but reward her with love and attention when she waits quietly she will soon start to realise the game.
*Avoid Destructiveness - This can be achieved in 2 ways, some dogs prefer the confines of a crate or cage whilst you are out, this sounds harsh but many dogs prefer it, they see it as home and they feel safe and secure in there and of course you are confident in the knowledge that no destruction can take place in your absence.
Alternatively you can divert your dogs attention by the use of treats or a treat toy while you are out to keep her occupied, treat toys can be very effective.
Whatever method you use you should be consistent and follow your routine whether you are leaving for a half hour or all day for work.
Being consistent will ensure your dog realises that when you leave, you will return at some point and shower her with praise and love and attention.
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