Dog Separation Anxiety
Anybody who has ever had a pet with separation anxiety will more than likely agree that it was and is a painful and stressful time for both dog and owner alike. Something that needs to be said is that many myths surround the dog separation anxiety discussions and you will need to understand the difference between fact and fiction.
Signs of dog separation anxiety include:
Your dog sticks to you like glue as you move around the house; When you are preparing to leave home and his attitude changes what so ever;He acquires the nasty behavior of going to the bathroom all over the place anytime you leave him alone.
Your pet may be hurting from dog separation anxiety if he shows any of the symptoms above. Some “common myths” about this problem are mentioned below.
Help Your Dog Separation Anxiety
Our dog punished us by tearing up the house because we left him home alone.
Even though some pets that are experiencing some form of dog separation anxiety will destroy certain items, it isn’t there way of punishing you. No, this problem was formed because of an ever increasing amount of stress that your pet is feeling as a result of being left alone.
If You Crate Your Pet, That Will Help
Sure, if you crate your pet he won’y tear stuff up, but it isn’t going to help his anxiety problems one little bit. Use caution when trying to use the crate method with a dog that has this type of condition because they can hurt themselves trying to break free from the crate.
Being Hard On Your Dog Can Break The Anxiety Problem.
Nothing could be further from the truth. After you leave, your dog has already begun to suffer and get wound up. Imagine that when you arrive home and he is met with some screaming, maybe some hitting or another type of punishment. Your dog is just feeling a lot of panic which is causing him to act in a certain way, he is not doing these things on purpose.
Is there a treatment for dog separation anxiety? The answer will vary according to the severity of the condition. You can use simple methods for mild forms of anxiety. Here is an example, when you get home, ignore your dog for a little bit and then give him a pet, keeping everything calm.
By leaving behind an item with your scent on it has helped some dogs with mild anxiety issues find comfort.
There are no quick fixes when it comes to dog separation anxiety, especially the more severe cases. If your dogs’ anxiety issues are severe, then you might want to find a dog day care or a family member to watch your pet while in your absence.
Don’t forget, at this point your dog needs your help and he needs you to find a treatment for his problem.
