Dog Separation Anxiety is an issue that usually is diagnosed when a dog cannot function without another dog or owner being around. It’s common in households with 2 or more dogs. Jimi takes us through some examples along with tips on dealing with this problem.

 

Remember that separation anxiety is derived from a natural instinct when dogs are born and rely on their mother. Ideally, as the dog grows up and becomes more independent and confident, they rely less and less on their mother. If your dog has separation anxiety, it’s a sign that they are not quite confident with certain situations.

Examples of Dog Separation Anxiety:

  1. Dog refuses to leave owner’s side
  2. Dog hates when you leave the house to run an errand or go to work. May also bark and whine when you are leaving.
  3. Excessive salivation
  4. Decline of appetite

Tips:

  1. Build patterns so they are predictable and your dog knows what’s going on. You want your dog to be comfortable and understand that when you or another dog leaves, they will come back.
  2. Crate training – use the crate as a safe spot. The dog should want to go in their crate and realize its a place to relax if they are feeling anxious.
  3. Train a place command on a mat or place cot. Place the dog, walk away for a short period of time and come back. Reward the dog when you come back. Build on this step by step – go to next room, go outside the house, go outside and turn the car on… work your way up to actually leaving and driving away.

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We’d love for you to share your dog separation anxiety experiences with us in the comments below. We do our best to answer every question posted![/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]