Dog Separation Anxiety
Please Don't Leave Me!
Dog separation anxiety affects about 30 percent of all dogs, making this the most common of all dog behavior problems. No wonder, we love our little babies, pamper them, feed them, cuddle with them, and then GO OUT! Your little mite is not sure when you are coming back and can suffer from an extreme separation phobia. Every departure is seen as abandonment.
Neurotic dog symptoms are expressed in the following manner: - Panting
- Heavy salivating or drooling
- Whining or yelping
- Pacing
- Constant licking
- Destruction of property
- Desperate escape measures
- Rigid posture
- Dropped tail
- Tail under body
- Loose their toilet skills
These can all add up to a very miserable animal and a destroyed home on your return. They may howl for hours while you are out, they may defecate and destroy your furniture. They are not being naughty they are genuinely stressed and are acting out their unhappiness at being apart from their beloved owner. Small dog breeds are particularly vulnerable to this neurotic (dog separation anxiety) behavior as they are usually even closer to their owners, being lap dogs, and are usually treated like Royalty by the doting parents. They pick up your body language that you are to leave home, the alarm clock, you putting on your "going out shoes", even applying make-up or any other routine that you may have before leaving home, is recognized instantaneously by your ever constant companion. You may change your routine to confuse your pet, but doing everything in order and following the suggestions below, over time, should overcome his anxiety of being abandoned.
Now that we have identified the problem and symptoms of dog separation anxiety, we need to rectify the situation.
Do not use the crate for this exercise, as confining your pet when he is stressed will only make matters worse. He must not consider the crate as punishment, and your little pet can certainly hurt himself if he is very stressed and is trying to get out in a fit of anxiety. Dog Separation Anxiety is a real fear.
Stay calm, do not make any fuss about leaving OR coming home.
If you make a big fuss when you get home, you are re-enforcing his bad behavior. Any attention, is in fact, seen as a reward. You need to teach your little pooch, that you are coming back. So, start with leaving for just a few seconds, but before you do leave, give your little baby something to chew on. DON'T make a fuss about leaving. For a good 10 minutes before you depart, ignore your dog, and calmly leave. Don't talk to your dog, do not acknowledge him at all.
When you return after just a few seconds, do not talk to your dog, ignore him completely for several minutes and certainly until your dog has calmed down and is not jumping up or barking. Gradually increase your absence by just a few seconds at a time. Continue to not make any fuss about leaving, and no fuss when you return.
By not taking any notice of your pet, he will soon realize that he will not be rewarded for his neurotic behavior but more importantly he will learn, by the repetitive short burst of you leaving, that you will be coming back, his greatest fear overcome. This will take some time, as this behavior will not easily be eradicated, particularly if this has been an established pattern over many months. Be patient and your dog will read your body language which is the only language he understands. Shouting and hitting your baby will not make
it better ... only worse making it even more difficult to overcome.
He has to become confident that he is not being abandoned.
Other dog behavior related Articles: Pack Behavior - Training ABC Basic Dog Training - Education is Key Dog Wetting - Pleased to meet You! Puppy Potty Training - Your first Gift to your Dog Dog Behavior Training - Dogs will be Dogs Dog Poop Eating - What's for Desert Return from Dog Separation Anxiety to Dog Behavior Modification
Dog Separation Anxiety - Patience is Key
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