Does Your Dog Exhibit Separation Anxiety?
Sometimes, even our pets can get anxious and worried when we leave them at home. You can help to ease separation anxiety in your dog or puppy so that he will feel safe and secure and you won’t have to worry about having your home torn up. Dogs are pack animals so when their pack leader leaves, especially when they are young, it can be a stressful event for your dog, but it doesn’t have to be.
A new dog or puppy is exciting, and because of this it’s likely that you’ve been giving your new pet heaps of love and attention, but this might not be the best thing for your new pet. When you give your dog or puppy every moment of your spare time, you could wind up with a problem when you get back to normal life. To help against this situation, try to get your dog used to being alone some times. Consider putting your dog or puppy in a crate for a short time while you are home so that he understands that everything will be okay even when you’re not with him.
Be sure to give your dog lots of love and attention during most of the rest of the time and when you bring him around your family again, so he knows that you still love him. If you separate from your dog slowly, it shouldn’t be traumatic for him when you have to leave for a longer time. Make sure to reward him for a job well done with lots of praise and show excitement when you arrive home again.
When you’re gone, your dog should feel happy and safe, but if you don’t give him something to look forward to, then he may not feel as if you leaving is a fun thing. You can change that by offering him some treats or a new toy when you leave so that he will be happy and satisfied even though you’re gone. You can also give him a chew bone or anything that he loves when you are away so that he can associate you leaving with being a satisfying experience. This will keep your puppy or dog from experiencing anxiety due to your absence and you’ll find your house will thank you, too.
If you need to confine your dog to one room when you leave, make sure it is a place where he feels comfortable. Some say that a crate isn’t a good place to confine your dog, but others will argue that some dogs actually like it. Many dogs will get to the point that they lie down in their crate even when the family is home, so as long as you give your space where you will be confining him a pleasant place, you probably won’t have any problems. Also, don’t treat your dog’s “confinement” space as a bad space; just make it a place where he can go when you are gone so he can feel safe.
Remember that you are not a bad dog owner by leaving the house. Everyone does it and it must be done. Your dog will be there when you get home and he will be healthy and safe. Make sure that you get your dog plenty of exercise before leaving for the day to ensure that he’s not going crazy while you’re gone and don’t make a big deal out of leaving, which can leave your dog feeling anxious. Instead, do what you need to do to get your pooch ready and head out. When get home, you can spend time.
