The primary treatment for more severe cases of separation anxiety is a systematic process of getting your dog used to being alone. Very hard rubber toys that can be stuffed with treats and Nylabone-like products are good choices.ĭesensitization techniques for more severe cases of separation anxiety If your dog engages in destructive chewing as part of his separation distress, offering him a chewing item as a safety cue is a good idea. Leaving a radio on to provide company for your dog isn’t particularly useful by itself, but a playing radio may work if you’ve used it consistently as a safety cue in your practice sessions. Use your safety cue during practice sessions, but don’t present your dog with the safety cue when you leave for a period of time longer than he can tolerate or the value of the safety cue will be lost. Some examples of safety cues are: a playing radio, a playing television, a bone, or a toy (one that doesn’t have dangerous fillings and can’t be torn into pieces). Therefore, it’s helpful to associate a safety cue with your practice departures and short-duration absences. For example, when you take out the garbage, your dog knows you come right back and doesn’t become anxious. ![]() Dogs usually learn to associate certain cues with short absences by their owners. Establish a “safety cue”–a word or action that you use every time you leave that tells your dog you’ll be back.Leave your dog with an article of clothing that smells like you, an old tee shirt that you’ve slept in recently, for example.For example, when you arrive home, ignore your dog for the first few minutes, then calmly pet him. For more severe problems, these techniques should be used along with the desensitization process described in the next section. For a minor separation anxiety problem, the following techniques may be helpful by themselves.What to do if your dog has separation anxiety He dislikes spending time outdoors by himself.He displays effusive, frantic greeting behaviors.He reacts with excitement, depression or anxiety to your preparations to leave the house.He follows you from room to room whenever you’re home.The behavior always occurs when he’s left alone, whether for a short or long period of time.The behavior occurs exclusively or primarily when he’s left alone.If most, or all, of the following statements are true about your dog, he may have a separation anxiety problem: How do I know if my dog has separation anxiety?īecause there are many reasons for the behaviors associated with separation anxiety, it’s essential to correctly diagnose the reason for the behavior before proceeding with treatment. After a change in the family’s routine or structure (a child leaving for college, a change in work schedule, a move to a new home, a new pet or person in the home).After a traumatic event (from the dog’s point of view) such as a period of time spent at a shelter or boarding kennel.Following a long interval, such as a vacation, during which the owner and dog are constantly together.A dog has never or rarely been left alone. ![]() Separation anxiety sometimes occurs when: It’s important to realize, however, that the destruction and house soiling that often occur with separation anxiety are not the dog’s attempt to punish or seek revenge on his owner for leaving him alone, but are actually part of a panic response. We don’t fully understand exactly why some dogs suffer from separation anxiety and, under similar circumstances, others don’t. Why do dogs suffer from separation anxiety? Urination and defecation (even with housetrained dogs) as a result of distress.Howling, barking and crying in an attempt to get their owner to return.Digging, chewing and scratching at doors or windows in an attempt to escape and reunite with their owners.Typically, they’ll have a dramatic anxiety response within a short time (20-45 minutes) after their owners leave them. Dogs with separation anxiety exhibit behavior problems when they’re left alone.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |