How do you help separation anxiety in a puppy?
Posted on Nov 14, 2008 under what is anxiety |We have a 4 month old puppy and she has severe separation anxiety. She follows us everywhere and if we shut her out of our room she cries and cries and sits by the door until we come out.
Is there a way to calm her down?
She also has an obsession with chewing. I think she has high anxiety.
At four months old, your puppy is teething. you can get some Kong toy and ice for her to chew on. This will help sooth her gum.
Barking, whining, escaping, destructive behavior or, in severe cases, self-mutilation can be your dog’s way of expressing anxiety over your absence.
Practice leaving your dog alone for short periods of time. Pick up your keys and leave for 1 minute.
Gradually increase the amount of time you stay away. This will accustom your dog to your absence.
Avoid overly emotional good-byes and greetings. Instead, pat your dog on the head and offer a quick good-bye or hello.
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.
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
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.
November 6th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Train her that you will come back leave for 2 min come back and slowly increase the time she is out of your sight.Get her a comfort buddy a large stuffy.
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November 6th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
At four months old, your puppy is teething. you can get some Kong toy and ice for her to chew on. This will help sooth her gum.
Barking, whining, escaping, destructive behavior or, in severe cases, self-mutilation can be your dog’s way of expressing anxiety over your absence.
Practice leaving your dog alone for short periods of time. Pick up your keys and leave for 1 minute.
Gradually increase the amount of time you stay away. This will accustom your dog to your absence.
Avoid overly emotional good-byes and greetings. Instead, pat your dog on the head and offer a quick good-bye or hello.
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.
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
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.
References :
November 6th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
as others have mentioned she is teething, so she needs lots of chew toys. i recommend nylabone and the flat raw-hide strips (which are better for a long chew session rather than a gobble down quick).
as far as separation anxiety, have you tried crating her in a room with a tv? many dogs enjoy watching ‘doggy’ tv, like animal planet, or dvd’s made to by dog babysitters. another option would be leaving the radio or music on. the voices on the television/radio can help sooth her anxiety and let her know she isn’t completely alone.
another option, which would be an infrequent lesson in separation is the grooming salon. grooming or bathing appointments usually take 2-4 hours, depending on breed and behavior, and are a good option for exposing your dog to being away from you, but still with other people. it also will let her learn to be in a kennel quietly (hopefully), but still supervised. plus, she will come home smelling great.
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November 6th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
We started leaving the room for short periods of time, and then returning with treats. We also bought a snuggly toy, that you heat the inside up in the microwave and then stuff into the teddy, so its like his mama.
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November 7th, 2008 at 4:57 am
saying a puppy is obsessive about chewing is redundant! they chew! they teethe! Read the book I’ll Be Home Soon to get info about SA.
http://www.fearfuldogs.com/books.html
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November 7th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
You'll want to start doing the following:
- Make sure her crate has a ticking clock in it. It will soothe her as it reminds puppies of their mother's heartbeat.
- Make sure the crate has an article of your clothing or maybe a pillowcase in it. It should be something with your scent.
- Tire your puppy out with exercise and training during the day
- Don't make a big deal of departures or arrivals. You don't have to ignore your puppy, but don't get her too excited. She'll need to understand there's a world outside her own
- Try to ignore your puppy 10 - 15 minutes before your departure or bedtime. When she's not looking, sneak or to bed or whatever errand you're running.
These are just some starter tips. You can check out the entire cure for Dog Separation Anxiety Here:
http://www.dog-training-works.com/what-to-do-when-your-dog-has-separation-anxiety.html
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November 9th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
I agree with everyone, also try watching a show called “It’s Me or the Dog” on animal planet. This lady, Victoria, trains dogs and she is amazing, I have seen a couple episodes where she deals with anxiety. Good luck =)
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November 10th, 2008 at 10:46 am
There is a really good natural, herbal remedy that can calm your puppy quickly and help your puppy with the anxiety they feel.
This website has information about separation anxiety in dogs and information about the natural remedy.
References :
http://anxietydepressionnaturalremedy.com/separation-anxiety-in-dogs/