How To Fix Separation Anxiety In Dogs

The goal in treating separation anxiety in dogs is twofold.

How to fix separation anxiety in dogs. Pet parents often mistake separation anxiety for disobedience or spite but dogs are actually distressed and upset because of their parent. How to treat minor separation anxiety don t make a big deal out of arrivals and departures ignore your dog for the first few minutes then calmly pet them. How to treat it. First talk to your vet to rule out any medical problems.

To help your dog feel less reliant on you and to encourage your dog s ability to relax when you are away from home. Helping a dog get past separation anxiety takes time and patience unfortunately there s no such thing as a quick fix for stress based behaviors. Leave your dog with recently worn clothes that smell like you. To reduce your dog s stress you need to show him that these cues don t necessarily mean that you re leaving.

Establish a word or action that you use every time you leave that tells your dog you ll be back. It can still qualify even if these actions only last for a few minutes. Pick up your keys then go sit on the sofa and start watching tv. Sometimes dogs have accidents in the house because of infections or hormone problems or other health conditions.

A normal dog might do some of these things once in a while but one with separation anxiety will do them almost all the time. Escape attempts by dogs with separation anxiety are often extreme and can result in self injury and household destruction especially around exit points like windows and doors.