Dog separation anxiety frequently leads to heartache when we leave our pets alone. But, before we get started on tips and tricks for training your furry friend, its important to understand that there are two different types you may be dealing with here. If your animal appears stressed when you leave home or even just leave the room, it could be for one of two reasons.Dog separation anxiety training can solve both issues.
The symptoms of separation anxiety are not hard to identify. Your pet will drool, start behaving erratically, wine, or bark when you leave her alone. The problem you are experiencing can be resolved with separation anxiety training. So, let's separate out the two types we have here, true anxiety and simulated.
So, first we need to address the issue at hand. Does you pet suffer from true anxiety, or is he simply lacking in self-control and leadership from you. When the behavior is simulated it has been learned. If you have children, you may have witnessed similar behavior before, when you leave the room. Like with your furry friend, toddlers can also simulate behavior in order to attract attention of the parent.
If we are dealing with simulated behavior, your animal has learned that if she acts up you will pay her attention. This attention seeking behavior is often learned as you are not giving your dog enough attention. Negative attention is enjoyed by your pet as it is better than no attention at all. Thankfully, this type of anxiety can be corrected quickly and easily. All you need is a crate, an exercise regime, and some discipline. Don't give in to your pet and only reward them when they deserve it.
When you are dealing with a true case of anxiousness however, training presents more challenges. You could indeed be the root cause of the problem. If you always make a fuss when you come home or leave the house and have done since your animal was a pup, you have created the problem. If you used to take your pup everywhere and have started leaving her alone, you can understand why the problem evolved. The longer you leave it until your leave your young pet alone, the worse the problem will get.
This change in routine is what causes the initial issue. If your pet is also destroying your home, you can put this down to boredom and lack of exercise. Here, dog training is necessary in order to correct the behavior. You should exercise and discipline your animal regularly, and only show them affection when they deserve. The trick is to find and establish a balance between obedience, patience, and confidence.
Your furry friend should be confident in himself as well as in your leadership. This way he will learn to be confident when left alone, trusting that you will return soon. If you fear your home being destroyed, then the use of a crate is perfectly acceptable. You should start as soon as you get a puppy. If you adopt an older animal then you will need more patience and the process will take longer.
Your new regime should ideally start from day one. On leaving the room you need to teach your dog to stay calm and settle. The crate used should not be filled with toys or other distractions such as food and water. It should be a simple safe haven for your pet that is big enough for her to stand up and turn around in. If you have brought up children, then all of this will sound very familiar. Teaching your pet to be calm when you leave him alone is very similar to teaching your baby to not cry when you leave the room.
The symptoms of separation anxiety are not hard to identify. Your pet will drool, start behaving erratically, wine, or bark when you leave her alone. The problem you are experiencing can be resolved with separation anxiety training. So, let's separate out the two types we have here, true anxiety and simulated.
So, first we need to address the issue at hand. Does you pet suffer from true anxiety, or is he simply lacking in self-control and leadership from you. When the behavior is simulated it has been learned. If you have children, you may have witnessed similar behavior before, when you leave the room. Like with your furry friend, toddlers can also simulate behavior in order to attract attention of the parent.
If we are dealing with simulated behavior, your animal has learned that if she acts up you will pay her attention. This attention seeking behavior is often learned as you are not giving your dog enough attention. Negative attention is enjoyed by your pet as it is better than no attention at all. Thankfully, this type of anxiety can be corrected quickly and easily. All you need is a crate, an exercise regime, and some discipline. Don't give in to your pet and only reward them when they deserve it.
When you are dealing with a true case of anxiousness however, training presents more challenges. You could indeed be the root cause of the problem. If you always make a fuss when you come home or leave the house and have done since your animal was a pup, you have created the problem. If you used to take your pup everywhere and have started leaving her alone, you can understand why the problem evolved. The longer you leave it until your leave your young pet alone, the worse the problem will get.
This change in routine is what causes the initial issue. If your pet is also destroying your home, you can put this down to boredom and lack of exercise. Here, dog training is necessary in order to correct the behavior. You should exercise and discipline your animal regularly, and only show them affection when they deserve. The trick is to find and establish a balance between obedience, patience, and confidence.
Your furry friend should be confident in himself as well as in your leadership. This way he will learn to be confident when left alone, trusting that you will return soon. If you fear your home being destroyed, then the use of a crate is perfectly acceptable. You should start as soon as you get a puppy. If you adopt an older animal then you will need more patience and the process will take longer.
Your new regime should ideally start from day one. On leaving the room you need to teach your dog to stay calm and settle. The crate used should not be filled with toys or other distractions such as food and water. It should be a simple safe haven for your pet that is big enough for her to stand up and turn around in. If you have brought up children, then all of this will sound very familiar. Teaching your pet to be calm when you leave him alone is very similar to teaching your baby to not cry when you leave the room.
About the Author:
Get a summary of the factors to consider when picking a dog trainer and more information about a professional who offers dog separation anxiety training services at http://www.hart4paws.com now.
No comments:
Post a Comment