How To Train Your Dog Out Of Separation Anxiety

If you thought that only humans suffer from separation anxiety then you are wrong. Your dog can also suffer from separation anxiety! Does your dog barks, whines, scratches doors and windows, chew sofa or carpets, when you leave it alone at home? And when you return, your dog is so excited to see you that you can barely step into the house without being licked to death. This polar opposite behavior of your dog is one of the well-known symptoms of separation anxiety. Dogs are pack animals and feel much secure, when they are in company of their guardians or other dogs. When you leave your dog, it’s perfectly normal for it to experience some anxiety. They need to learn that nothing bad can happen, when left alone and their guardian will return in few hours. However, some dogs do not gain this confidence. In severe cases, the dog might self- mutilate by licking or chewing their skin. Not only this, there is also the emotional trauma that your dog goes through. Luckily, you can train your dog to get over separation anxiety. Here are a few tips, which will help you in training your dog out of separation anxiety.

Training Your Dog Out Of Separation Anxiety

The first step in training your dog out of separation anxiety is to break the cycle. This step will be a bit difficult for some owners. So, the first thing is to stop making a big fuss about your leaving and returning home. Showering attention and affection over your dog just before leaving makes the separation even more difficult for your dog. One way to cope with this, is to stop giving your dog all attention at least thirty minutes before you plan to leave. Take it out for a walk for about twenty minutes and try to wear it out, if you plan to leave for long hours. This is the perfect way of giving them attention and saying good-bye without letting them know. When you finally leave, don’t shower it with hugs and kisses or say ‘bye’.
Distract your dog’s attention to deal with their anxiousness. Since dogs love to chew things, take advantage of this to distract it. Fill its kennel with its favorite treat. You can also use other chew treats for your dog, to keep it busy for at least thirty minutes, which is the peak time of anger that dog suffers after separation. If your dog has chewable objects to vent out its anger then it’s likely for it to spare sofa or carpet.
You can calm your dog by turning on the radio, which plays soft music or has a lot of talk shows. Keep the volume at low level. This will calm your dog and give it a feeling that it is not alone at home.
If possible, give your dog an outside view. Doing this, your dog can see what is happening outside and will not feel trapped. If you have mini- blinds, its best to raise them a bit and let your dog see some outside view.
It’s very important to adapt your dog to your departure routine. Start this slowly. Practice getting ready to leave. Jingle your car keys, put on your coat, shoes. The idea is to dress the same way as you do, when you leave for workplace or a party. This will make easy for your dog to be familiar with your leaving habits.
Once you are well dressed, open the door to go out and return after a few minutes. Once you are home, sit down and don’t go anywhere. Repeat this process until your dog becomes familiar to your routine and there is no reaction from its side. Practice this exercise until your dog show any signs of stress, when you leave.
While training your dog out of separation anxiety, you also need to be strong. Don’t react to your dog’s crying or whining. It may be hard for you but if you give attention to their whining and crying then you are encouraging this behavior. When your dog is in such a state, avoid saying, “It's ok, good boy/girl”.
When you are training your dog, it’s important to remain consistent. Dogs are accustomed to habits and routine. So, it’s important to maintain your routine and don’t give in to your dogs demand as it will only prove harmful to your training.

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