Treating Dog Separation Anxiety
Dogs are pack animals and very social, so once they have formed a bond with a family being separated from their “pack” is traumatic for them. Sometimes this type of anxiety can get quite out of hand, but with the proper approach it is possible to treat the anxiety in your dog.
This dog separation anxiety can manifest itself in a variety of forms. Some dogs tend to get depressed, sullen, and downright moody as many humans can get when presented with a separation. They will stop eating and drinking, and they might not leave very familiar areas to use the bathroom. This kind of dog separation anxiety can even be dangerous for the health of the dog, as it will allow itself to become ill and malnourished.
Others dogs show they are anxious by becoming destructive. They will bark and growl loudly, destroy your house, and go to the bathroom all over the place. Even though this sort of behavior is considered a common way of displaying their anxiety, it’s certainly not what any pet owner wants to be forced to deal with.
The anxiety starts for your dog with just the thought of being left alone. Dogs that are extremely attached to their owners or family seem to suffer the most. ‘Hyperattachment’ comes when dogs are inseparable from their owners, and they rarely spend time alone. They will be constantly looking for attention, and following their owner throughout the house all day. Most of the time the owner is responsible for encouraging this behavior in its beginning stages. It may be great to have a constant, loyal friend at your side, but a dog also needs to learn to be independent. Otherwise, the dog will suffer if the owner is away.
Separation anxiety is a terrible ordeal for your dog to go through. In order to fix this issue, the attachment needs to be broken to some small degree. Your dog needs to learn independence. This job can be very challenging, but ultimately, both your dog and you will be better off for the effort. Other people in the house can start taking care of the dog, you can teach the dog to play on its own more, and try not to give constant attention. While it might sound cruel to start with, you’ll find that there are benefits to you and the dog from this decision.
Desensitizing the separation is the second important part in treating your dog’s anxiety. Keep in mind a major part of the anxiety starts for the dog long before you have left. Dogs are intelligent and observant. They will realize unfamiliar behaviors, such as rattling your keys, changing your clothes and turning off appliances – all of which are signals that you’ll be leaving soon. Obviously when they see this they realize you will be leaving and fear begins to set in. You can divert this behavior by acting as if you are leaving the house, but not actually going anywhere. This will help your dog to stop associating these actions with your certain absence, and the dog will become less sensitive to these actions.
Dog separation anxiety can also be aided by a variety of other methods. A lot of people have found that dog appeasement pheromones are successful in creating a sense of calm within the dog’s environment. Though odorless to humans, the pheromones create a more relaxing environment for your dog. Since the dog has learned to associate silence with your absence, leaving the TV or radio on helps keep that level of anxiety down.
