Separation Anxiety in Dogs Part 2

This is part two of a dog training technique that can help with dogs who have mild to moderate separation anxiety. There are three segments, part one, part two and a summary of techniques.

***Be sure to never leave the house with your dog tethered by a leash.***

This technique is not in the author's book, but other techniques including building canine confidence and using calming signals are in the book and can help when trying to get an anxious dog to settle down.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• dog
• training
• canine
• behavior
• problems
• separation
• anxiety
• in
• dogs
• hard
• to
• train
• peggy
• swager

[PeggySwager]

The vet will put her on doggie downers, which still may not help. You will be well served to do some prep work with this dog. You need to teach the dog some independence. One way to help that out is to teach the stay command. You will find one of my videos tells how to teach a clingy dog the stay command. You can also find a lot of good help in my book in the chapter called Nervous Nellies. Good luck and give my technique a try after you do some basic training.

[PeggySwager]

You can try part two the next day. If he isn't progressing well, go back to some of the training in stage one. Since he doesn't like kongs or doesn't seem to be food motivated, you may need to find something he does like doing that keeps his attention. Some dogs will not eat if they are nervous, so you may want to work on him settling down. Massage can help them settle down, but don't pet and coddle an anxious dog.

[PeggySwager]

I do have some ideas. Since this is a rescue, I will donate some time to help. Please contact me through my website.

[PeggySwager]

Most issues with separation anxiety happen within the first ten to fifteen minutes of your departure. The dogs issue is that he or she is insecure about you being gone. Once you get the dog to relax about your leaving, theh dog learns to accept your absence. That being said, dogs do have a sense of time and too much time away has its own consequences.

[PeggySwager]

Im not sure that Id take the dog over to a friends house while you are gone. Two houses wont help the dog settle in. When I take on a rescue dog for reform, I find that these dogs often become stressed in their new environment. Dont accommodate that stress, work to help the dog learn to feel secure. Crates used positively help dogs feel secure. Keep things positive and train for what you want, dont discipline for what you dont want. Peggy

Author of Training the Hard to Train Dog

[PeggySwager]

Separation anxiety is anxiety created from your leaving. Once the dog accepts that it is okay for you to leave because you will return, the dog will typically be fine for the entire day. However, if you leave a dog alone excessively, this can create problems. More secure dogs deal with a longer time of separation better than less secure dogs. Building security and self-confidence in a dog helps lower separation anxiety--my book tells more about doing that.

[JanaKubalova]

Hi Peggy, I have 11 months old doberman female, Keira. Keira is very attached to me, she follows me around the house, she will wake up and leave the sofa if I get up and go to kitchen, she just doesn't leave me alone and keeps watching me. When I got to work the destroys furniture, she pees and poos in the apartment,she chases the cat crazy, doesn't touch her food at all. I work full time and it wasn't my choice to get her but now I have her I want to make her happy.Should I try this or see vet?

[kesolomo]

Hi, We have an 11 mth old female dachshund mix. We got her when she was 3 mths old. She was kept in crates for long periods of time before. At first she loved her crate. After the first month she hated her crate. We have tried many options for her but every time we leave she slobbers all over herself. We can no longer put blankets in her crate because she chews them up. The Kong and peanut butter has kept her occupied very briefly. Can we use this method you show even if we crate her?

[helloherbie]

Peggy, this is working wonders. I see a change in my dog after just one afternoon of this exercise. I do have a question: I expect him to regress slightly when we practice it again tomorrow. How long should I wait before moving on to part two of the separation anxiety lesson? At the present, when I am away, he is completely uninterested in food or treats, so the Kong has not been an effective training tool thus far. Thanks again.

[carlaraeness]

Great, thanks! My dog is VERY attached to me, he follows me all over the house and cries when I leave. I never thought to try the leash thing. I've just been trying to desensitize him while he's in the crate. I'm going to try this technique. My dog is 9 months, so I'm hopeful he can make a good recovery!

[dammithoppie1]

I really like your method of training, but I'm dealing with a rescued dog that I am fostering. She was taken for a 3-day trial adoption that didn't work out. From the time I got her back, she has developed what I would consider severe separation anxiety. Before the trial adoption, she had no issue with going into her crate when I left for work. (Her crate is beside the crate of my personal dog, so she isn't "alone") Now she basically "screams" , shreds bedding and urinates. Any ideas? Thnx

[WwTKVwW]

OK. I'll try one of these teqnices(or whowever you write it)

cause I think my dog has it. In fact im in bed right now listening to my dog howl, whine and bark from the kitchen.