How To Control Dog Separation Anxiety
One of the most common problems that the ordinary pet owner has is dog separation anxiety. At the low end, anxiety could be troublesome, causing your dog to start barking when you walk out of the house. However, should it be allowed to progress, your dog may possibly start wrecking your house, creating problems, or even barking continuously for hours any time you get out.
The Sources of Dog Separation Anxiety
Dogs are pack animals. They sense a direct connection to their owners so when you walk out your home, they grow agitated. On the other hand, the vast majority of anxiety they feel is because of the connection associated with specific actions you take to your absence. Although your dog may not like it whenever you get out, there is no direct reason it should grow so upset.
This mostly occurs because you show them much attention before your leave in the morning and after you return, going through the same routine everyday. Their behaviors are reinforced on a daily basis and the end result is a dog that cannot manage his anxious feelings when you leave the house.
Reducing Dog Separation Anxiety
There are numerous ways to reduce the anxiety the dog feels once you set off. Here are few of the easiest strategies.
Change Your Routine – Start with changing your morning routine . If the dog starts behaving strange the second your alarm clock goes off, they’ve tagged that sound to you leaving the house. Get out of bed at different times, get dressed up earlier, get your keys down before you leave and also wait around for a while. Little variations will decrease pre-leaving anxiety.
Don’t Reinforce It – When you pet your dog before leaving or lavish it with attention when you get home, you’re only reinforcing the behavior. The best way to decrease dog separation anxiety would be to get rid of the connection between your comings and goings along with their attention. Ignore your dog for 10-15 minutes when you get home, don’t pet them any time you leave and stop giving in any time they make miserable noises. This may be practiced with crate training or putting them in a separate room in your house then leaving and returning after some time.
Building Up to Longer Times – In case your dog grows anxious the second you walk out of the door, begin working on leaving the house for brief periods of time. Dog separation anxiety could be dealt with by changing your dog’s expectations for how long you’ll be gone and when you’ll get back. If they find out you are returning each time, you could stretch how long you possibly can leave each time.
You’re Not Being Mean
Most people feel that the solutions to anxiety are usually cruel towards the dog. In reality, you happen to be helping the dog to relax and know that you are not only coming back home but you happen to be in control of the domain and there is no reason for them to experience that anxiety.
Reducing dog separation anxiety is good regarding their health – both physical and mental.
In case your dog has got long term, severe anxiety problems, it is recommended to deal with it instantly. Perhaps in case your dog merely becomes upset and doesn’t damage almost everything whenever you leave, you’ll be able to help prevent their inner thoughts of abandonment when you teach them never to link your comings and goings with the pack order along with their survival.
