Puppy separation anxiety is a very common condition. It affects many dogs that are left home alone for an extended period of time. The good news is, it’s fairly easy to treat and get rid of.
Some of the common behaviors associated with separation anxiety are: defecation and urination in inappropriate places, whining, destructive behavior and excessive barking. Even depression and hyperactivity could be symptoms of separation anxiety in puppy. Of course, these behaviors could also be symptoms of other problems.
Sometimes, without even realizing it, we contribute to the problem and make the condition even more pronounced.
Dealing With Puppy Separation Anxiety
There are many ways to deal with dog separation anxiety but, in short, your 2 main goals are:
Make your puppy enjoy the time he is alone (well, maybe “enjoy” is a bad word in this case. “Tolerate” is probably a better choice).
Keep him occupied while he is alone.
Here are some tips you can use to eliminate separation anxiety in puppy…
You need to teach your puppy to be alone. Start while he is still young. Proceed slowly at first - short training sessions not longer than 5 to 10 minutes is a good start.
There is no need for long, emotional goodbyes. If you need to leave, just do it. By leaving and coming back to reassure your puppy that everything will be OK, he will think that you are rewarding his tantrums. What you are actually doing is encouraging puppy separation anxiety.
Before leaving, exhaust your puppy by engaging him in some tiring activity. Chances are, after you leave, he will fall asleep.
Here is one of the easiest to implement tips for dealing with puppy separation anxiety… Before leaving, leave a radio on. It may not seem like a lot, but the sound of voices will reassure your puppy.
Find something exciting for your puppy to do while he is alone. The easiest way to do it is to buy him couple of good chew toys. There are toys available that are made of tough rubber that you can stuff with food. They will keep your puppy or an adult dog busy for a very long time.
Believe it or not, medications are also available to treat puppy separation anxiety. They can be purchased by prescription only and should be used only in extreme cases, if nothing else helps.
My opinion about using drugs to treat dog separation anxiety? I am not a big fan but like I said earlier, medications should be used only if nothing else works. If this applies to you, discuss it with your veterinarian.
From my experience, puppy separation anxiety is not difficult to prevent. But start early - like any other negative behavior, it’s a lot easier to prevent it from developing into a habit than to try to change it after it becomes a way of life. Good luck!
By: Ed Nodelman About the Author:
Toddlers
