Separation anxiety dogs
Separation anxiety dogs:
Separation Anxiety Separation Anxiety is one of the most common problems that dogs develop. It is an anxiety disorder, and is defined as a state of intense panic caused by the isolation/separation of the dog from its owner (s).
In other words: When you go to work in the morning, your dog is plunged into a state of nervous anxiety that intensifies extremely quickly.
Dogs are social animals: they need a lot of company and social interaction to keep them happy and content. No dog likes to stay alone for long periods of time, but some dogs do much worse than others: these are the most prone to separation anxiety. There are a number of causes that contribute to the condition:
Dogs that were separated from their mothers and siblings too soon have been identified as especially prone to separation anxiety. Puppies from pet Stores are a perfect example of this: they usually take their mothers long before the earliest possible age (which is 8 weeks), and confine themselves to a small glass box in the pet store for a few weeks to two months. This early weaning, along with the lack of exercise and affection in the pet shop, is psychologically traumatic for the dog.
The symptoms of separation anxiety are quite distinctive: your dog will usually learn to say when he will go (you will hear the tinkle keys, see how he puts on his clothes outdoors, etc.) and will get anxious. She can follow you from room to room, whining, trembling and weeping. Some dogs even become aggressive, in an attempt to prevent their owners from leaving.
When you're gone, anxious behavior will worsen quickly and generally reach its peak within half an hour. You can bark incessantly, scratch and dig into windows and doors (an attempt to escape confinement and meet with you), chew inappropriate items, even urinate and defecate inside the house. In extreme cases, she could self-mutilate by licking or chewing her skin until she is in living flesh, or plucking the skin; or participate in obsessive-compulsive behaviors, such as spinning and chasing the tail. [Post: How to stop a dog whining when you leave]
On his return, she will be overly excited, and jump around in a frenzy of delight for an extended period of time (more than 30 seconds to one minute of a happy and well-balanced dog). This extended greeting is a source of misunderstandings: without realizing that such a greeting really means the presence of a psychological disorder, some landlords really encourage your dog to become more and more irritated on his return (feeding the emotion of the dog, Encouraging to take a leap, paying his prolonged attention, and so on.) If you are behaving this way with your dog, please stop.
I know it's tempting and very easy to do, and it seems harmless. After all, you are so happy to see yourself, what harm can you do to bring your attention and affection back to the same extent? -but in reality, you are only validating your belief that your return is the highlight of the day. Then she's as happy as Larry when you come back, but when it's time for you to go again, her exaggerated happiness in your presence is under threat, and she gets even more unhappy when you walk out that door.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to minimize your dog's tendency to anxiety. Here is a short list of what to do and what not to do:
Do:
Do not:
If you are interested in getting a more detailed picture of how to deal with your dog's separation anxiety, we recommend that you consult Agility Training Handling Dogs. It is a great learning tool for anyone who wants to learn how to cope constructively with your dog's behavioral problems. All common behavioral problems are dealt with in detail, and there is also a large section on obedience commands and tricks.
Separation Anxiety Separation Anxiety is one of the most common problems that dogs develop. It is an anxiety disorder, and is defined as a state of intense panic caused by the isolation/separation of the dog from its owner (s).
In other words: When you go to work in the morning, your dog is plunged into a state of nervous anxiety that intensifies extremely quickly.
Dogs are social animals: they need a lot of company and social interaction to keep them happy and content. No dog likes to stay alone for long periods of time, but some dogs do much worse than others: these are the most prone to separation anxiety. There are a number of causes that contribute to the condition:
- Some races are genetically predisposed to anxiety and insecurity, which is something you should keep in mind when deciding what race you are going to go (especially if you are going to be absent for long periods of time). Some of these breeds include Weimaraners, Springer spaniel, German shepherds and Airedales: A significant proportion of refuge dogs develop separation anxiety. Most of these "refuge dogs" have suffered significant trauma in their lives (they have been abandoned by their previous owners) and therefore have little confidence that their new owner (you) will not use the same trick. -
Dogs that were separated from their mothers and siblings too soon have been identified as especially prone to separation anxiety. Puppies from pet Stores are a perfect example of this: they usually take their mothers long before the earliest possible age (which is 8 weeks), and confine themselves to a small glass box in the pet store for a few weeks to two months. This early weaning, along with the lack of exercise and affection in the pet shop, is psychologically traumatic for the dog.
- Negligence is the number one cause of sepración anxiety for dogs. If you are absent much more than you are present in your dog's life, separation anxiety is almost inevitable. Your dog needs your company, affection and attention to be happy and happy.
The symptoms of separation anxiety are quite distinctive: your dog will usually learn to say when he will go (you will hear the tinkle keys, see how he puts on his clothes outdoors, etc.) and will get anxious. She can follow you from room to room, whining, trembling and weeping. Some dogs even become aggressive, in an attempt to prevent their owners from leaving.
When you're gone, anxious behavior will worsen quickly and generally reach its peak within half an hour. You can bark incessantly, scratch and dig into windows and doors (an attempt to escape confinement and meet with you), chew inappropriate items, even urinate and defecate inside the house. In extreme cases, she could self-mutilate by licking or chewing her skin until she is in living flesh, or plucking the skin; or participate in obsessive-compulsive behaviors, such as spinning and chasing the tail. [Post: How to stop a dog whining when you leave]
On his return, she will be overly excited, and jump around in a frenzy of delight for an extended period of time (more than 30 seconds to one minute of a happy and well-balanced dog). This extended greeting is a source of misunderstandings: without realizing that such a greeting really means the presence of a psychological disorder, some landlords really encourage your dog to become more and more irritated on his return (feeding the emotion of the dog, Encouraging to take a leap, paying his prolonged attention, and so on.) If you are behaving this way with your dog, please stop.
I know it's tempting and very easy to do, and it seems harmless. After all, you are so happy to see yourself, what harm can you do to bring your attention and affection back to the same extent? -but in reality, you are only validating your belief that your return is the highlight of the day. Then she's as happy as Larry when you come back, but when it's time for you to go again, her exaggerated happiness in your presence is under threat, and she gets even more unhappy when you walk out that door.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to minimize your dog's tendency to anxiety. Here is a short list of what to do and what not to do:
Do:
- Exercise the devil with her. Really get tired: the longer you wait to be away, the more exercise you will have before you leave. For example, if you are going to work in the morning, you will probably be alone for at least four hours; And, if you have a dog walker to take her in half a day instead of coming back on your own, she won't see you, the person who really cares, for at least nine hours. So she needs a good and vigorous hike (fifteen minutes to twenty minutes is the absolute minimum here) before going out that door. More is even better.
- Distract from boredom, loneliness and anxiety giving an attractive alternative to pining, rhythm and whining. All dogs love to chew, why not play with this predisposition? Remove a pair of bone bones from the butcher, Hornalos in the oven for 20 minutes (so they are soft and crisp, so you can not smear the marrow of all your furniture), cut in pieces of a few inches long, and give one about 15 minutes before leaving. She'll keep her happy and busy, and act like a smokescreen for her departure.
- When you leave, put the radio in a relaxing station: classical music is ideal, but any station that offers many interview programs is also ideal. Keep the volume pretty low, and it will reassure you a little and give you the feeling that you have company.
- If possible, give him an opinion: if she can see the world go by, that is the best option to go for a walk.
- Acclimate it to your departure. Take things right and slowly, practice getting ready to go: touch your keys, put on your coat and open the door. Then, without leaving!
- Sit down and don't go anywhere. Do this until she's not reacting. When there's no reaction, give her a gift and great praise for being so brave. Then practice getting out of the door (and returning immediately), again doing this until there is no reaction. Little by little it will improve
- Gradually being the operative word here!
- Until you can leave the house without signs of stress on the part of it.
Do not:
- Act openly sympathetic when she is crying. Although it sounds very cold, try to soothe and comfort your dog by patting and cooing to her is actually one of the worst things you can do: essentially, it is to validate your concern. Make sure he can't say you feel sorry for her: Never say, "Okay, good girl" when she's mad.
If you are interested in getting a more detailed picture of how to deal with your dog's separation anxiety, we recommend that you consult Agility Training Handling Dogs. It is a great learning tool for anyone who wants to learn how to cope constructively with your dog's behavioral problems. All common behavioral problems are dealt with in detail, and there is also a large section on obedience commands and tricks.
