Separation Anxiety and Your Dog

Dogs can develop separation anxiety when they are left home alone. They may be behaving in a way that is destructive, but this is usually a consequence of nervousness, stress or insecurity. You might return home only to find that your dog has soiled somewhere in your house or chewed stuff up. Dogs may also do this out of boredom.

One mistake that many dog owners make is making a long and emotional farewell when they leave their dog. This makes the event of leaving a big deal. Instead, you should make it as quiet and quick as possible. Also make sure that you leave your dog with plenty of things to entertain himself, such as toys.

You can also help prevent your dog from suffering separation anxiety by actually playing with him for a while some time before you have to leave. The idea is to get him tired out so he will be more likely to nap than to partake in destructive behavior. Another way to help your dog overcome this problem is to slowly increase the amount of time that you dog is left alone until he is comfortable with longer lengths. Start by leaving your house and returning within about five minutes. Leave your house that one day as many times as you can. Repeat this process the next day, but stay outside for longer periods of time. Gradually increase the length of your outings. Your dog will then understand that you will not be abandoning him and that you will soon return home. Also make sure that, like your exits, you keep you returns quiet and quick. Don’t make a big fuss, just walk into your house and pat your dog.

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