Author: Nancy Cope

Helping your Dog Overcome Separation Anxiety

As dog owners we’ve all experienced the overwhelming joy our dogs express when we come home from work or errands. Tails are wagging, tongues are lolling, and the world is right again. For some dogs this is the extent of their separation woes, but for others our leaving is practically the end of the world. For some dogs, separation anxiety can be a serious problem, leading to splintered doors and even a lack of appetite. You can overcome this problem though. Here are a few tips to help you overcome your dog’s separation anxiety.

Give Him a “Room”

When you leave, confine your dog to a space that he can consider his own. It may seem cruel to keep him cooped up, but he will only become frustrated wandering a whole house that is yours, and not his. When a dog has a space of his own, like a crate, he feels snug and secure.

Be Consistent

Dogs are like children in that they love consistency. Don’t leave one day at six am, and the next at nine. Try to get on a schedule. This way your dog knows the routine and will expect you to leave, and come back at a certain time. The uncertainty causes a lot of anxiety that can be alleviated by simply sticking to a schedule.

Play to His Nose

Smell is a very important sense to dogs; it tells them much about the world. To your dog you smell like comfort and home and a leader. When you go to work or to run errands try leaving an old t-shirt in your dog’s crate, the smell with sooth and remind him of you.

Try Music

New studies have shown that classical music with slow rhythms and tempos can calm a dog, and sometimes even make him go to sleep. Instead of leaving the TV on, which can make your dog more anxious with raucous sound, try a couple of classical CD’s to sooth the beast.

Separation anxiety does not have to be the end of the world for your dog or you. With a few simple adjustments you can make your absence more bearable.