subject: 5 Tips To Cure Your Dog's Separation Anxiety [print this page] Separation anxiety is one of the most common disorders that a dog can develop, and is defined as a state of panic brought on by the dog's separation from her owner(s). Since dogs are social animals and need plenty of company and interaction with others, it only goes without saying that they will not be content being isolated a lot. Their nervousness and anxiety will intensify if this problem is not addressed immediately.
The symptoms are pretty distinctive, but recognizing them is the first step to curing your dog's separation anxiety.
Your dog may become very anxious at the first signs of you leaving, such as hearing your keys jingle, or you putting on a jacket. She may follow you from room to room nervously, and some dogs may even become aggressive in order to stop you from leaving. Also your dog may get destructive while you are gone, and start chewing on things or digging up carpet and furniture. When separation anxiety is real bad, the dog may even self-mutilate herself by chewing on her own fur or skin until she is raw.
There's great news ahead though!! You can help your dog through these problems so that you can have peace-of-mind when you leave your house once again, knowing that your dog is going to be okay while you are away. This is one problem that should be addressed immediately if your dog is showing signs of having separation anxiety because the problem can worsen rather quickly. Here are 5 tips to help you get started now:
** Distraction - Dogs love to chew, right? Get you dog some marrow bones from the local butcher and bake them in the oven for about 20 minutes. Slice them into about 1-inch chunks and give them to your dog 15 minutes before you leave. She'll love you for it, and it will help to keep her happy and occupied while you go.
** Give Her A View - On the ground floor, where your dog can see out the windows, make sure the curtains and blinds are kept open. Being able to view the outside world is the next best thing to being out in it. She won't feel so isolated then.
** Exercise - This will take some extra effort on your part, but really wear your dog out. Give her a good 20 minute vigorous walk or more before you have to leave. Get her tired so she spends more time snoozing than worrying during the time that you are gone.
** Radio - Turn on a nice soothing talk station, or even a classical music station, and keep the volume kind of low so that it can keep her calm. It can give a dog the illusion that she's got company, and help to keep her mellow.
** Practice - Work with your dog daily to get her acclimated to your leaving. You can take things slowly by starting out just jingling your keys or putting on your coat. When she shows nervousness, sit down and don't go anywhere. Next, practice walking out the door for a few moments and then returning to show her that you will always come back. Start by leaving for only a few moments each time, then gradually work up to longer and longer intervals until she shows no reaction to your leaving.
As you are probably already aware, separation anxiety can be a pretty serious matter, so it must be dealt with quickly because it's not one of those canine behavior problems that "may" just fix itself. Never validate her concern for your leaving by acting overly sympathetic, just work with her and teach her that there's no reason to worry. And as always, as her behavior changes for the better, make sure you praise her when she does the right things.
