What To Do About Dog Separation Anxiety

Article by Todd Allen

Most people who have had a pet with separation anxiety problems will nearly all agree that it can be an agonizing and stressful time for both of you. It is important to know that some of the things you here about dog separation anxiety is only a myth and you will need to separate the facts from these myths.

A few ways that will let you know if your pet truly has anxiety problems:

Your dog sticks to you like glue as you move around the house; The pets demeanor changes, even a little bit as you prepare to leave;The unacceptable habit of relieving himself in the house only when he is left home alone.

Should your pet show any of the symptoms mentioned above he is more than likely suffering from a little bit of dog separation anxiety. Below are some of the better known myths about this behavior.

Myth#1=Our dog tore up the house all because we left home without him.

While there are some pets who are dealing with dog separation anxiety that will destroy things, they are not doing so to punish you. No, it is the result of a lot of stress building up because he feels all alone.

Myth#2=If You Crate Your Pet, That Will Help

Of course crating your dog is going to prevent him from destroying things but it will not be the solution you are looking for to help you fix the anxiety problem. 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.

Myth#3=Really Getting After Your Dog Can Fix Dog Separation Anxiety.

No, this tactic will make things much worse. The dog has already begun to feel the stress and anxiety building as a result of you leaving. Now just imagine how your dog feels when you walk through that door and he is met with some sort 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.

So, what is the solution for dog separation anxiety? There are different answers and they all depend on how severe the condition is. You can use simple methods for mild forms of anxiety. For example, do not put on a big show after you arrive home, just stay calm and give him a short comforting pet.

A few people have found that if they left an item behind that had their scent on it, it seemed to help a dog with the mild form of separation anxiety find some comfort.

To fix the problem of dog separation anxiety will take some time and will take even longer for the severe cases. For severe cases, it may be best to leave your dog with somebody you know or some sort of "dog day care".

Your dog is counting on you to find him a solution that works in helping him to deal with his problem.

About the Author

Todd has been involved in all aspects of the dog business for a number of years. Hopefully this dog separation anxiety article will prove to be of use to those who need it most. For more visit My dog Training Advice

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