Finding Ways to Overcome Dog Separation Anxiety
Most dogs think that they are the leader of the pack and will try to control you, even your comings and goings. This is usually the reason why some dogs experience dog separation anxiety and can make life difficult for both you and your canine friend. A good dog training program will help you make your dog realize that you are the pack leader. This is important to establish right from the start as it will curb a lot of bad dog behavior.
If your dog thinks he is the pack leader, he may get upset when one of his pack (that means you!) will leave him. He also may get worried that something may happen to you, because being the pack leader, he considers you to be his responsibility. On the other hand, your dog may also experience separation anxiety when he gets too attached to you. He may also have gone through a traumatic experience in the past, like a burglary or a fire, that being left alone in the house now terrifies him.
Dog separation anxiety may be making life miserable for you and your dog. Your dog maybe a perfect pet when you’re around, but the minute you try to leave, he may bark uncontrollably or whine endlessly. After you leave, he may begin chewing on furniture, pooping all over the place or simply ripping the place apart. This problem has caused dollars in damages in furniture, carpets and walls, and has resulted to some neighbor complaints for excessive barking.
To lessen his over attachment to you, don’t let him sleep on your bed. You can do this gradually by training him to first sleep on the floor next to your bed and then later on move him to his own bed, preferably out of your room. When you leave, do it quietly so that he doesn’t make a big deal out of it. Helping your dog overcome separation anxiety is the best thing you can do for you and him. A good obedience training program will help you train him to obey simple yet powerful commands like “sit/stay”.
You will have an easier time leaving him when you use this simple command on him. You can try positive reinforcement during this training. Simply reward him when he follows your command to sit/stay while you leave him for a while (say he’s in the living room and you go to the kitchen). Every time he sits still while you’re away, reward him with a sweet treat. This will reinforce the idea that it is not that difficult to stay on his own while you go about doing what you’re doing.
It is possible to stop dog separation anxiety. The key is in good dog training that will change your dog’s thinking and will make him a calmer, more confident dog.
