The Canadian Family

Contrary to popular belief, our family pets can suffer from anxiety just as much as their human counterparts. Anxiety is a response to stress and nothing can bring out anxiety in a dog as much as separation from an owner. Needless to say, a great deal of panic can set in with a family dog that seriously misses it owner. Also, the separation does not even have to be very long in duration. Some dogs may fly into separation anxiety panic simply waiting for an owner to return home from work. This can lead to the dog causing serious damage in the home. Obviously, this would not be a good situation. So, it would be wise to take a few dog house training steps to reduce the onset of separation anxiety.

One way to reduce separation anxiety is to avoid fawning over your dog when you arrive and depart from your residence. A dog will experience separation anxiety when he is used to constant attention. Perpetually providing a dog with constant attention as you come and go will make the dog upset when your return is delayed. So, reducing some of this attention will make any separations easier for the dog to handle. Also, walking in and out the door in short intervals will teach your dog that when you leave, you will invariable come back. When you mix a few of these “pretend” departures and arrivals into your regular routine the dog will slowly become less anxious. Mainly, this is because the dog will begin to understand when you leave it is not forever.

Boredom combined with excess energy can also expedite separation anxiety. Exercising your dog regularly can circumvent this. If the dog receives a decent amount of regular exercise then the dog will not bristle with energy that might manifest during a separation period. The huge benefit to this is that the dog will not exhibit any potentially destructive behavior. However, it is also wise to secure the dog in an area where it can not do any damage. Rather than having the dog destroying the living room of a home, placing it in the basement is a wiser option. Or, if you lack such a room placing the dog in a decent sized crate/cage will work. Also, leaving the radio on while the dog is alone in the room might aid in making the dog feel less lonely.

Separation anxiety is not due to disobedience or lack of training. It is an instinctive behavior and should not be punished. The key to treating this problem is to gradually train or condition your dog to get used to your absence. When you leave home or return home make it a low key event.

Begin by leaving your dog alone at home for only a few minutes for the first few days or so. Then gradually lengthen your leaves in the weeks ahead. Also you should try to very your leaves at different times of the day so as not to create a pattern or habit. To yelp ease his anxiety, you can leave your dog an article of clothing that has your scent on it.