The sight of a dog ceaselessly barking for the whole time when its owner is away is a common occurrence in many residential neighborhoods. Dogs usually love their owners and do not like to be separated from them.
Dog behavior problems such as emptying rubbish bins all around may simply be ways in which the dog is protesting at being abandoned. If your dog shows such tendencies, there may be a few things you can do to make him feel that you won’t be gone for too long, or are just around the corner.
When dogs feel neglected or depressed, they usually react by howling continuously or whining and can sometimes tear the place down. In extreme cases, they can even harm themselves. I recently heard a heartbreaking story about a dog who bit his tail so much that it finally had to be amputated.
There are simple tips that dog owners can follow to stop dog separation anxiety. The following are some of them:
Stop coddling and kissing your pet just prior to leaving him.
Many dog owners do not realize that this extra attention just increases the dog’s expectations. The poor creature is thus crushed when its owner suddenly leaves the house without him. If you know that you are going to leave your pet to visit somewhere, start to ignore him slowly as the moment of departure nears. This will slowly allow him to get used to the prospect of your absence. While this may be tough, it is less jarring to the dog than kissing him affectionately one moment and then matching out of the house.
It is important to distract your dog with something while you leave.
A chewy toy can engross a dog long enough for you to leave the house without the dog becoming aware of your “abandoning” him. Additionally, if this becomes a habit, it will be constructive for the dog because the anxiety a dog would experience when you leave would be replaced by a feeling of fun. However, it is important to note that usually a toy may not hold the attention of the dog for long. Perhaps this could be combined with leaving the television on so that the dog can hear human sounds. He might not really believe that the voices in the television mean that you are in the house, but at least he will be somewhat comforted.
Take your dog for regular walking or playing exercises.
A build up of energy in a dog’s body can occur if he goes for too long without exercises. When his owner leaves him, it just makes matters worse. This is one of the things that make dogs tear at sofas or the trash. Walks will use up any surplus of energy he has.
Get an additional pet.
This does not work in all cases, but serve to hold your dogs attention while you are away for some time. A cat, while rarely a dog’s best friend, will ensure that his attention is concentrated elsewhere- sometimes in chasing the cat!
You can drop your dog or puppy off at a dog care center or leave him with family members who he is used to. Before leaving the dog at a dog center you should ensure that the dog is pleased with his surroundings.
Avoid punishing your dog for his trashing your home.
I know this seems like a given, and that many pet owners would never hit there dogs, but it happens sometimes. Punishing your dog will just make him feel worse than he is feeling and might result in even worse behavioral problems.
Avoid making a fuss when you come back home.
Even if somehow he was not aware of your slipping out, such behavior will obviously teach him to be very observant of your behavior in the future
Put your pet in the ‘Nothing in Life is Free course’ (NILIF).
This is a compassionate program where structure and friendly discipline adds some predictability to the dog’s existence.Follow some of these tips to reduce your dog separation anxiety.
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