Separation Anxiety and Your Dog
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=John_Glenn]John Glenn
In other words: when you leave your dog your dog is plunged into a state of nervousness and anxiety that grows fast.
My dog Bear is an American Eskimo who suffers from this common problem. When he is left home alone and not put in his kennel I can be sure something will be destroyed when I return home. One time I came home to find the carpet completely shredded and chewed in a million peices! Im in no means an expert in this field but have found some interesting information regarding this problem that may help explain your dogs behavior.
Dogs are very social, they need alot of company interaction to keep them happy. Dogs do not like to be alone for long periods and this may be the cause for their anxiety.
There are a number of possible reasons contributing to the condition:
- Some breeds are predisposed towards anxiety, which is something you should consider when deciding which breed you're going to buy. Some of these breeds include Springer Spaniels, German Shepherds, and Airedales
- A significant proportion of dogs from shelters develop separation anxiety. Most have undergone trauma and have been abandoned.
- Dogs that were separated from their mothers too early are being especially prone to separation anxiety. My American Eskimo was taken from the litter at 4 weeks so I found out later. Puppies from pet-stores are usually taken from their mothers before the earliest possible age and confined to a small glass box in the petstore. This early weaning, coupled with the lack of exercise and affection is traumatic for the dog.
- Neglect is the number-one cause of sepration anxiety for dogs. Your dog needs your company, affection, and attention in order to be happy and content.
The symptoms of separation anxiety are: whining, trembling, and crying. Some dogs even become aggressive, bark non stop, scratch and dig, chew, urinate, or defecate inside the house. In extreme cases, dogs might self-mutilate by licking or chewing her skin, pulling out fur or engage in obsessive-compulsive behaviors, like spinning and tail-chasing.
When you return, they will be very excited, leaping around you for a period of time.
This greeting can be a source of misunderstanding: without realizing this greeting actually signifies the presence of a psychological disorder, owners may encourage their dog to get more and more worked when they return.
If you're behaving in this way with your dog, stop you're just validating her belief that your return is the high point of their day.
When it's time for you to leave again, her exaggerated happiness at your presence is under threat, and she gets even more unhappy when you walk out that door.
Here's a list of do's and don'ts:
Do:
1. Exercise: She needs a good, vigorous walk (fifteen to twenty minutes is the absolute minimum here!) before you walk out that door. More is even better.
2. Practice walking out the door and returning immediately, until there's no reaction. Gradually until you're able to leave the house with no signs of stress.
3. Put the radio on to a soothing station: classical music is ideal, but any station featuring lots of talk shows is also ideal. Keep the volume low.
4. Supply her with a window to look out of if possible.
5.Get her use to you leaving: Take things slow, jingle your keys, put on your coat, open the door. Then don't leave and sit back down. Do this until your not getting that negative response any more. When there's no reaction, give her a treat praise.
6. Distract her from her boredom: provide an alternative to pining, pacing, and whining. All dogs love to chew Get a couple of marrowbones from the butcher, bake them in the oven for 20 minutes (so they go nice and hard and crunchy - and so she can't smear marrow all over your furniture), and give her one about 15 minutes before you leave. It'll keep her happy and occupied, before you leave.
Do not:
1. Act sympathetic when she's fussing. it's may be validating her behavior.
If you're interested in a more detailed look at how to deal with your dog's separation anxiety, you might like to check out SitStayFetch.
It's a great learning tool for anyone who wants to learn how to deal constructively with their dog's problem behaviors.
All of the common behavioral problems are dealt with in detail, and there's a great section on obedience commands and tricks too.
If you're interested in getting a more detailed look at how to deal with your dog's separation anxiety, you might like to check out SitStayFetch.
You can visit WWW.ILOVEPETS.INFO site for more information by clicking on the link below: [http://www.ilovepets.info/ ]www.ilovepets.info
Separation anxiety is a common problem that dogs develop. It's an anxiety disorder,defined as a state of intense panic brought on by the dog's isolation/separation from her owner(s).
If you're interested in getting a more detailed look at how to deal with your dog's separation anxiety, you might like to check out SitStayFetch.
You can visit WWW.ILOVEPETS.INFO site for more information by clicking on the link below: http://www.ilovepets.info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Glenn http://EzineArticles.com/?Separation-Anxiety-and-Your-Dog&id=872772
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