Separation anxiety is a condition that you might not be expecting to have to deal with when you first acquire your new dog.
However, it is a condition that is very common and it is defined as a state of intense panic brought about by your dog being separated from you for a period of time. This could be when you are just popping out to the shops or maybe leaving your dog for a longer period of time, such as when you go to work.
You see the problem is that dogs are social animals, they are not used to being on their own for extended periods of time. If you think back to earlier times dogs were essentially pack animals and as such were always accompanied by dogs from their own pack.
In modern times, dogs that cannot cope with being alone are very prone to developing separation anxiety. In addition, some breeds are more prone to anxiety than others. You should note that German Shepherds, Airedales, Weimaraners and Springer Spaniels can be very insecure dogs so if you are planning to be away from home for long periods maybe you should reconsider if you have decided to opt for one of these breeds.
It is also common to find dogs that are quite insecure if they have come from unsettling backgrounds. An example would be a dog that has been housed in a shelter for a period of time especially if it has suffered some sort of trauma that led it there in the first place. The dog may be thinking that in leaving it alone you may be about to give it a similar traumatic experience.
In addition, if your puppy has been taken from its litter too early, usually before eight weeks and if it has not been closely looked after and cared for, it may translate this into a traumatic episode which can also lead to separation anxiety.
Ideas For Coping With Separation Anxiety
A good rule is to correlate how long you are going to be away for to the length of walk you give your dog immediately before you leave the house.
What you want to aim for is to make your dog really tired so that it helps to take its mind off of your absence. You should start at say half an hour for an absence of say three hours and work up from there.
Secondly try to distract your dog from its boredom by providing it with something tasty but long lasting to chew whilst you are out. How about a nice tasty marrowbone? Bake one in the oven for around twenty minutes before you leave to ensure it is hard and less messy and it should provide a good smokescreen for when you leave as your dog will be quite pre-occupied.
If at all possible try to leave your dog somewhere where it will have a view of the outside world. Even if your dog cannot go outside seeing what is going on is almost as good.
Hopefully this article has given you a few ideas on how to get started in dealing with separation anxiety to comfort your pet.
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