What You Should Know About Your Dog's Separation Anxiety

Why do dogs have separation anxiety?

Multiple events can trigger separation anxiety in dogs. Those who have been abandoned by their former families and sheltered in shelters often have this behavioral problem. This also applies to dogs whose families have moved to a new home and to dogs that have lost a family member (by death or relocation).

Dogs whose owners change schedules may also have separation anxiety. For example, if you worked at home but found a new job in an office, your dog may be afraid to go to work because he is used to being at home all day.

Separation anxiety versus simulated anxiety

The fact that you have an apparently sad dog does not mean that you automatically have separation anxiety. He may have simulated anxiety that has similar symptoms to the first one, but it's actually a kind of learned dog behavior.

Simulated anxiety arises when the dog wants to attract the attention of its owners for the first time. For example, if your dog often jumps at you, you can get him to show that you do not like his behavior. Although the plot may have a negative connotation for you, your dog may interpret it as positive because it has brought it to your attention. As a result, you develop the habit of jumping further if you want to grab your attention.

So how do you know if your sad dog simulated fear or real separation anxiety? Well, if your dog has first, he will usually show negative behavior most of the time. If you have any, you will not misbehave outside the house.

Signs of separation anxiety.

Different dogs show different behaviors, but there are several common signs to watch out for. These included:

• scream
• excessive barking
• Circular or rectilinear stimulation
• Excavation work (especially at exit points such as doors and windows), sometimes for the purpose of escape
• Chew items other than your toy or chew too much to destroy your toy
• urinate or list, some dogs even have coprophagia (eat their stool)

How to reduce or eliminate separation anxiety.

One of the first things you need to do is to get rid of the arrival and departure signs (for example, be aware of the presence of your dog as he walks through the door). Things like going to work and going home is a big problem. It can make your dog more anxious. So quietly follow your routine and pretend it's the normal part of the day your pet should be accustom.

If your dog has a slight separation anxiety, you can soothe him with an activity toy filled with delicious treats when he leaves. This may distract him from his departure as his attention will be focused on pulling his sandwiches out of the toy. You will also combine your time alone with a positive experience (enjoy delicious sandwiches).

These are some of the most important things to learn stop separation anxiety with your dog. If you want to train your dog successfully, you must always be patient and persistent.


References:
https://getfreedogtraining.com/what-to-do-if-your-dog-has-separation-anxiety/
https://www.freedogtrainingclasses.com/how-do-you-stop-separation-anxiety-in-dogs/