How To Overcome Separation Anxiety
Dog separation anxiety is the behavior displayed by dogs as they become panicky at the first sign that the owner is going out or walking out on them for any period of time. Dogs who suffer from separation anxiety become nervous when their owners are ready to leave. They can go through anxiety caused by pain, grief or perhaps a change in the program. Instinct is also responsible for separation anxiety.
How Separation Anxiety Occurs
Since dogs are pack animals, they relate to groups. When they were born, they were part of the litter, which was their own pack. When your puppy arrived in your house, he lost his pack family to become a pack made up of him and you, a large non-dog creature. This should be disturbing enough, regardless of the fact that he has been socialized during the first two months of his life.
After he has been around you a while, you go off to work, the family goes somewhere else, and the dog is again alone. This is enough to make your dog anxious or nervous. It is the dread of separation from the owner, from other dogs, or from the owner family that makes the dog with separation anxiety to misbehave.
These bad behaviors can take different forms. It can reflect in barking when you leave, or your dog chewing the couch and shoe during your absence and becoming more destructive over time. Other major reasons for separation anxiety in dogs include changes in his owners, changes in the environment, neglect, lack of training, long vacations, death of a pet-friendly, premature adoption, genetics, and boredom.
Tips to Overcome Dog Separation Anxiety
Taking your dog for a walk
You can begin the day by having a quick walk with your dog. To make the walk thorough, use dog backpack with extra weight on it. Then reward your dog effort with food and water. The idea behind this is to leave your dog in calm and resting mode while you are away.
Read more: How Long Should I Walk My Dog?
Train your dog to be alone when you are at home
Let your dog stay in a room alone while you go to another part of the house. If your dog has a serious separation anxiety, begin with a periods of 30 second to a minute and work up to 25-35 minutes after few weeks.
Purchase anxiety treatment dog toy
You can get a toy which will engage your dog to work for a treat. A swaddling jacket or thunder shirt can also help relieve the anxiety from your puppy by applying gentle constant pressure on his body.
Alternatively, natural remedies with safe and natural ingredients can help to calm your pets down. NHV vet-formulated supplements are a great choice for pets with separation anxiety. Check out NHV’s Lessstress or Matricalm supplements.
Avoid contact, talk and eye contact with your dog
Try not to make it a big deal when leaving the house or when you return. This way, you let your dog know that the time away is not a big deal. That it’s just a business as normal! Depending on the seriousness of the dog anxiety, you may need to observe this practice five minutes or up to an hour before leaving and when returning back. Medication: Finally, to treat severe separation anxiety in dogs, consider calming medicine. Get in touch with your veterinarian to discuss your options.