Why Does My Dog Have Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety in dogs is a result of the way some dogs react to being left alone. While many dogs are fine to be left home alone, and will do not a lot more than sleep the time away, a fairly significant number of dogs will experience anxiousness resulting in a lot of dog behavior issues.
In fact , research has shown that separation anxiety in dogs affects at least 15% of our pooches and that number looks to be increasing, with a UK study implying that up to 50% of dogs display some evidence of separation anxiety behavior.
What Causes Separation Anxiety in Dogs
Opinion is split about what causes separation anxiety in dogs, though fortunately , most dog experts seem to agree on the approach to curing it.
It isn’t always clear what triggers anxiety in dogs, as while some dogs are anxious characters from birth, others will all of a sudden become anxious after a major change in their lives such as moving home, or develop anxiety as a consequence of a bad experience, like being abandoned. It’s certaily clear that many rescue dogs suffer with separation anxiety.
One of the most generally held sentiments is that as a result of the tight bond we experience and promote with our dogs, our dogs becomes too needy or dependant on us, and are thus troubled and anxious when they do not have access to us all the time.
However in a study published by the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association, which compared attachment behaviour of dogs who experienced anxiousness when left alone and dogs that did not, the study concluded that the attachment behavior just before leaving was no different in either set of dogs, which suggest that over attachment may not be the cause of dog anxiety after all.
The other belief about dog separation anxiety is that it comes about as a result of your dog assuming that he is pack leader and so responsible for you.
This indicates that when you go out and your dog neither knows where you are going or when you are going to be back, nor is able to come and find you, they experience intense anxiousness because they are worrying about your safety. This theory is founded upon studies of the wolf pack which suggest that packs need a leader of the pack in place to function properly.
Curing Dog Separation Anxiety
There’s a gradually increasing belief amongst prominent dog trainers that the way to get a happy dog is to be certain that they know that you’re the leader of the pack. This relates to curing dog anxiety also , so if you believe your dog is afflicted by that problem, find yourself some good dog separation anxiety training, and ensure it includes showing you ways to demonstrate to your dog you’re leader of the pack (note: no bullying or force required)
Whatever way you want to tackle the issue, please be aware that punishing your dog for behaviour driven by anxiety, however bad it could be, won’t help cure it. In reality is is probably going to worsen it.
About the Author: Venice Marriott is a writer, entrepreneur, dog lover and owner of the Dog Anxiety website which helps dog lovers understand and handle the behaviour problems created by dog anxiety. Get her free help sheet about all the major dog anxiety symptoms when you head to the site.
