English Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2022-10-20 Origin: Site
Does your dog freak out when you leave? Here's what you can do to help reduce your dog's separation anxiety.
If your dog seems to feel worry when you're heading out, destroys stuff when you leave the house, follows you from room to room when you're home, goes berserk when you come back and seems to be eyeing you suspiciously even before you leave—you may be dealing with a case of separation anxiety.
Dogs with separation anxiety exhibit distress and behavior problems when they're left alone. Some of the most common ways they do this:
Digging and scratching at doors or windows attempting to reunite with their owners
Destructive chewing
Howling, barking and whining
Urination and defecation
It's not fully understood why some dogs suffer from separation anxiety and others don't. But remember, your dog's behaviors are part of a panic response. Your dog isn't trying to punish you! They just want you to come home!
These are some of the scenarios that can trigger separation anxiety:
Being left alone for the first time.
Being left alone when accustomed to constant human contact.
Suffering a traumatic event, such as time away from you in a boarding kennel.
Change in the family's routine or structure, or the loss of a family member or other pet.
Don't make a big deal out of arrivals and departures—talk to your dog in a calm voice when you're leaving or returning.
Establish a word or action that you use every time you leave that tells your dog you'll be back.
Consider using an over-the-counter calming product that reduces fearfulness in dogs.
Try to offer some rubber dog toys for chewing or playing.It will be your dog's best dog company.
