How to Treat Separation Anxiety In Your Dogs

Separation anxiety is a common symptom for many dogs, but it is also a commonly misused term. In fact, in most cases the dog is actually suffering from an extreme case of boredom, caused by being separated from you for many hours.  Genuine separation anxiety is a mental problem usually cased by spoiling the dog as a puppy, by a high-strung temperament, or most usually by extreme unpredictability in the dogs’ routine.  If left untreated, both separation anxiety and boredom can lead to both the destruction of your property and the destruction of your nerves.  No matter which one of these two things your dog is experiencing, however, you will find that there is much that you can do to calm your pup’s nerves.  Here, we will look at some helpful tips for controlling separation anxiety in dogs.

One of the best tips is to help your dog get more exercise when you are home.  Before heading to work or leaving for a prolonged amount of time, consider taking your dog for an extended walk or run.  Play a game of fetch or help your dog expel energy in another way. If your dog is tired out before you leave it alone, it will most likely simply go to sleep once you leave and not miss you so much.  When you get back, be sure to make a fuss of your dog.  Praise it for good behavior and try to ignore the bad.  Dogs no not understand the fact that furniture and clothing costs money and that shredding it upsets you.  All they know is that they get yelled at every time you come home, causing them to learn to fear you.  You’ll have far greater luck training a dog by praising the good behavior (if and when it happens) than scolding it for the bad.

Another great tip for dogs with separation anxiety is to turn on the radio or television.  Avoid channels such as the Animal Planet, which can actually make anxiety worse as your pet will hear sounds made by other animals and may incorrectly come to believe it is under attack!  There are CDs and DVDs that are especially made for pets, and they can be a great way to keep dogs more relaxed while you are away.

Separation anxiety can also be considerably eased by keeping a regular schedule.  Like humans, dogs are creatures of habit and when their daily pattern is disrupted or unpredictable, your dog will become stressed.  Try to set a routine for your pet by always feeding it at the same time every day – including weekends.  If you regularly get home at late, for instance, feed your pet late every day so it gets used to this time, or invest in an automatic feeding dispenser which can be set to dispense dry food at a set time each day.  Most vets recommend feeding your dog twice a day – morning and evening.  Feeding them once a day won;t make them starve, but it will create a situation where your pet is spending half of each day feeling hungry, as its blood sugar starts to drop six of seven hours after it’s meal – even if you give it a lot of food.  It may also become testy or cranky, and will spend more time bugging you and begging for treats.  If you value your furniture, don’t make your dog wait a full day between meals as as soon as its belly gets empty, that’s when the chewing will begin.

 

Creating a regular behavior pattern for yourself can help your dog’s behavior become regulated as well.  Dogs are very emotional creatures, but with the right tips and tricks, you can help put an end to separation anxiety.

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