Difficulty: Moderately challenging
Things You’ll Need:
- Dog Bones
- Dog Dishes
- Dog Leashes
- Dog Toys
- Dog Treats
Step1
Consult your veterinarian to get a correct diagnosis of separation anxiety. Your veterinarian will help you with treatment or refer you to an animal behaviorist who can prescribe effective drug therapies to alleviate your dog's anxieties.
Step2
Practice leaving your dog alone for short periods of time. Pick up your keys and leave for 1 minute.
Step3
Gradually increase the amount of time you stay away. This will accustom your dog to your absence.
Step4
Avoid overly emotional good-byes and greetings. Instead, pat your dog on the head and offer a quick good-bye or hello.
Step5
Keep your dog confined in a safe area while you are away. Be sure to leave a bowl of water and plenty of chew toys.
Step6
Exercise your dog for an hour each day in places other than your yard or home. This helps your dog feel comfortable in other locations and lets her blow off steam.
Step7
Praise your dog often to build self-confidence, rather than punishing her for exhibiting frightened behaviors. Punishment only increases anxiety and makes the situation worse.
Comments
triciagoss said
on 9/28/2008 This is great advice. My 4 year old cocker spaniel cries and howls when left alone (fortunately he doesn't chew things up). I will give these steps a try. Thanks!
izzyrustyted said
on 9/28/2008 irtsmom,i have done everything anyone has told me and i have a 10mo. old Gold.Reet. ted who weighs 87lbs. and 2 jack's that destroy nothing but Ted eats curtains,pillows and believe it or not the entire window sill out of my bedroom window. have any of you had this problem? if so for heavens talk to me .Ted does't have mean bone in his body he loves other dogs cats and people and I, LOVE my friend Ted. please help me !
naepez said
on 8/26/2008 i was unemployed and then i got a job and she was used to being by my side and always going for a ride in the car with me, and when i started back to work she has been so destructive she has gotten in my purse, chewed up money and other things and chewed up a pair of shorts,shoes my couch covers,etc...she also poops and pees in the floor and when i get home it looks like a tornado hit my house. i dont understand how she is so little but makes such a huge mess? and the thing is, she knows that what she is doing is wrong, but does it anyway!!
audrey9992 said
on 7/5/2007 When we got our dog, I was working from home. I was always around, and when I needed to go somewhere I just took her with me. A year later, I have a dog with separation anxiety. I feel bad because I brought it upon her by always having her by my side. Next month I have to start going into the office instead of being at home. I am working on training her, but it is time consuming. My neighbors say she barks and howls endlessly when I am away. Hiding treats and bones does not help, she is so worried about where I am that she doesn't even care to eat them.
Anonymous said
on 9/23/2006 Our dog had a bad case of separation anxiety and following the steps described (choosing a routine, leaving for a few minutes at a time and building from there) worked a miracle. We accomplished this within one day. Now we just have to say "I'll be back!" and our dog is calm. As proof, yesterday my boyfriend left without saying this and I was left with an over-anxious, inconsolable, whining dog. Also, when the last person leaves the house, we give him a Kong stuffed with a treat. He is too distracted to even look up as we do our I'll be back routine and leave.