Puppy separation anxiety is anguish felt by puppies when they are left alone. When you leave home, your anxious pup may bark or whine. He may also have potty mishaps and be destructive. A dog that forms a strong attachment to his owner is likely to experience puppy separation anxiety.
Preventing puppy separation anxiety can start before the adoption of your dog. You should wait until your puppy is completely weaned away from his mom, which normally occurs by eight weeks of age. Puppies need to be given some independence from their mother. Puppy separation anxiety may be experienced if the dog is taken away earlier.
For a fantastic guide to solve your dog behavior problems, I recommend that you visit: Puppy Separation Anxiety.
As soon as your puppy is brought home, training to stop separation anxiety should be undertaken. When you plan on leaving your puppy, you shouldn’t make a huge fuss. Don’t tell your puppy you’re sad to leave him and give him extra hugs and kisses. In the beginning, your puppy should only be left alone for a short while. Make sure you carry on as normal when you get home and don’t make any fuss.
A dog that is already showing signs of puppy separation anxiety when he is adopted may be more difficult to train. Don’t worry, your extra effort will make a difference. Adult dogs that experience separation anxiety were most likely shelter dogs or strays. It is highly probable that they had a rough life before being lucky enough to be adopted into your household. Hang in with them! Frequently, these adult dogs will show greater trust and loyalty.
With appropriate training, about 50 per cent of adult dogs will improve. That said, your routine may need to be changed to make them less sensitive to being left on their own.
Dogs that suffer from separation anxiety will benefit from you examining their surroundings and situations to figure out what causes this behavior. Just as with puppies, don’t make a big deal out of it when you leave the house. Start out slowly and leave the older dogs for a short period, then over time progress to longer periods.
When you leave, make sure you give your puppy plenty of distractions. Your puppy will usually calm down within 30 minutes to an hour after his bout of puppy separation anxiety. Distractions, such as toys or chewies, will keep him occupied for the entire time you are away. This might help him to get over the initial obstacles. Toys filled with goodies like cheese or peanut butter are another option. Your dog will work on it until he reaches the treat which will take some time. This will assist him in forgetting about you and his separation anxiety.
Crate training is a further option. Crates are particularly effective for destructive dogs. They think of the crate as their home so do not destroy it. You should not use the crate for punishment as the dog will feel negatively about it. It is important for a dog to feel safe in his crate. Feed him food and treats while he is in there so he will have positive feelings about the crate. Once you feel sufficiently confident that your puppy or dog will not destroy your property during your absence, leave him for a short period of time. To make your dog feel secure, make sure that the door of the crate is left open so he is able to access his sanctuary.
You should check with your vet for other ideas on how to stop puppy separation anxiety. You must realize that puppy and dog separation anxiety occurs for a number of reasons.
To find out how to deal with puppy separation anxiety, I recommend that you check out Secrets to Dog Training.
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Posted under Puppy Training Classes
This post was written by Noel DCosta on May 10, 2009
