Dog Separation Anxiety 3 Things That Make Dog Anxiety Worse

Dog separation anxiety affects many dogs and results in symptoms that range from your dog howling all day to your dog chewing everything in reach. In fact it can often cause the dog owner as much anxiety as the dog! Unfortunately, our approach to curing separation anxiety in dogs can often make it worse.

Here are 3 of the most common approaches to separation anxiety that are almost guaranteed to increase your dogs anxiety rather than make them feel better. Do you use any of them?

We Make a Big Fuss of Our Dogs Before We Leave
Because most of us hate leaving our dogs home alone and are going to worry about them while were out, we try compensating for it Affordable dog boarding Houston.

We take them for a long walk (because weve also been told to wear them out), then we get out their favourite toys (because we hope that might distract them) and finally we give them a big old fuss, stroking and petting them and telling them not to worry because we wont be gone long.

Right Approach?

WRONG: All of this fuss just adds to their anxiety. Its a bit like your 5 year old child giving you a big hug, saying they love you and telling you not to worry about them while theyre gone, and then promptly disappearing. Its guaranteed to get you worrying.

Secondly, theyll soon associate all of these rituals with you going out. Some people only have to pick up their car keys or get a coat from the cupboard to get their dogs whining or pacing the floor.

We Get Anxious Ourselves Before We Leave
We know they hate it when were gone, we know theyre going to be pining, were feeling guilty, were not sure what kind of destruction well come back to this time…and the more we think about it, the more wound up we get.

Your stress levels are sky high before you even grab your coat and keys and head for the door.

Right Approach?

WRONG: Dogs pick up on our anxiety, so if we start worrying before we even leave, theyll know it.

Its said that a dog can pick up the signs of an epileptic fit up to 40 minutes before it actually happens, so if they can do that, theyll definitely pick up on your emotions and know youre anxious! And if youre anxious, theyll assume something is wrong which will only increase their own anxiety.

We Greet Our Dogs Like a Long Lost Friend
The moment were home we rush back in and start making a huge fuss of our dogs. In fact were so relieved to be back that were not even going to object to our dogs leaping all over us. We think theyre showing how pleased they are to see us but actually theyre demonstrating their relief too.

Right Approach?

WRONG: Our actions put them on a pedestal, and reinforce their position as the pack leader. And when they think theyre pack leader they also think theyre responsible for you. So next time you go out, theyre going to worry even more.

Learning to stay calm and make no fuss about our comings and goings teaches our dogs that what we do is no concern of theirs and therefore nothing to worry about. This is the best way to help our dog reduces their separation anxiety and a great first step to getting rid of this problem completely.