Do any of the following situations sound familiar?
Your dog charges you at full speed when you return home after an extended period of time.
You barely get your door closed to leave and your dog is whining and scratching at the door.
You come home to find your favorite shoes have become your dogs favorite shoes too!
Why Does Your Dog Do That?
Your dog is suffering from dog separation anxiety and will literally freak out the moment you are out of your dogs sight. When your dog is separated from you he panics. He may also resort to chewing on items he never did before.
Keep this in mind, your dog is not engaging in bad behavior to get back at you for leaving him at home. He is trying to communicate to you that he is having separation issues and needs your help. All is not lost! There are several solutions to help your dog cope a lot better.
Here is one of several solutions you can use right now.
Here's what you should do to help your dog with separation issues. When your dog is in a highly excited state of mind and is jumping around uncontrollably...immediately turn your back and walk away
Do not say anything to your dog. Just turn and walk away. In the dog world being ignored is a warning that the behavior will not be tolerated.
Once your dog calms down, then greet him with a good boy. Do this consistently and your dog will soon learn what is appropriate behavior and what is not.
Remember to wait for your dog to calm down then go ahead and acknowledge him. Consistency will make a big difference in the long run.
If you greet your dog while he is ramped up you will get the opposite effect and could make the situation worse. He will think that it's okay for him to feel nervous and stressed because you are communicating to him by your actions when you give him attention that he is right to feel that way.
It's really easy to apply this technique and others. But you've got to be willing to put in the time and effort if you want to see positive results.
There is much more you can learn about dog separation anxiety. Your dog depends on you to help him get through it and deal with his panic disorder.
