Signs of separation anxiety in dogs

1. Destructive behavior

The dog bites things that are not his toys, such as furniture, toilet paper, wallpaper, and trash cans. Maybe, some dogs target their owners' clothes or shoes. This is not an act of revenge, but because they are uneasy and need items that smell like their owners. Biting things also allows them to divert their attention and release them through chewing. To avoid stress, if the dog destroys the door or door and window frames (where the owner disappears), it can basically be determined that the dog is suffering from "separation anxiety".

2. Barking nonstop

An irritable and lonely dog ​​will bark or even howl in order to attract the owner's attention, usually starting a few minutes after the owner disappears.

3. Urinating anywhere

When you get home, you will find out why your dog, which has obviously learned to go to the toilet, always urinates everywhere when he leaves home.

4. Other problematic behaviors

When you find abnormal problems such as salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, self-mutilation, digging, anorexia or loss of appetite, lack of energy and other abnormal problems in dogs, they are mostly caused by anxiety problems in dogs.

Dogs with separation anxiety often have more than one of the above behaviors at the same time. In more serious cases, they may even engage in self-mutilation or break doors and windows and jump out. Dogs usually become extremely excited when their owners return home. They will whine, jump up and pounce on people, and run in circles for an unusually long time. The owners may even come back after only leaving the house for a few minutes. They can also act so incredibly excited.

Of course, the behavioral problems described above are also likely to be caused by other factors: for example, damaging and barking behaviors, it may be because the owner does not give the dog enough exercise, causing the dog to Unsatisfied mentally and physically, and vent their frustration and dissatisfaction through other channels.

Causes of Separation Anxiety

The exact cause of separation anxiety in dogs is not yet known. Whether there is just one pet in the house or many pets, separation anxiety is likely to occur in both puppies and adult dogs. Dogs that are not well socialized when they are young, that is, dogs that do not interact well with humans or other dogs, are at increased risk of developing separation anxiety. Changes in the owner's working hours or moving may also cause separation anxiety, and some dogs develop it slowly as they grow older.

If your dog has separation anxiety, you must understand that these behaviors are caused by anxiety. Scolding or punishing the dog will only make the dog more troubled, worried and behave worse. Some experts used cameras to observe dogs that had been punished for causing damage. They found that their anxiety level increased even more before the time when their owners would normally return.It's because it's worried about being alone, but it's worried about the punishment its owner will get when he comes back.

Solutions for separation anxiety

1. Diversion of attention

You can give toys or bones for chewing when the owner leaves home, especially for dogs that need flowers. Dogs spend more time acquiring "stuffed" toys, or you can hide these toys in several different places to keep the dog busy discovering some very special treats that are only available when the owner is out. Being given, this also makes the dog think that as long as you leave home, something good will happen!

You can turn on the radio or TV so that your dog's attention will not be focused on everything happening outdoors. This can also prevent them from developing the bad habit of barking. (Don't turn on the radio or TV just a few minutes before going out. This will make them aware of the "going out mode" and start to become nervous and emotional.)

2. Reduce dependence

Force yourself to reduce your attention to the dog by more than half. No matter how it tries to attract your attention, ignore it. Let your dog learn to be independent, and try to get the dog used to staying quietly in the cage - stay in the cage for 4-6 hours continuously, do not say goodbye to the dog when you go out, and do not ignore the dog temporarily when you come home, no matter how enthusiastic the dog is. Only dogs that learn to be independent can get out of the shadow of separation anxiety.

3. Energy consumption

Energy consumption method Dogs are just like people, they will calm down when they are tired. Therefore, as long as the amount of exercise is moderately increased, it will just want to have a good sleep. Increasing the amount of exercise can alleviate the dog's anxiety, which varies depending on the breed and age of the dog. However, it is best to have 2-3 20-30 minute walks a day, which can definitely stabilize the dog's mood and keep his mind occupied with other things. But busy thinking, continuous socialization training can also help dogs become more independent.

Furthermore, if the dog has emptied most of its excrement by taking a walk before the owner goes out, this will not only relieve the dog's stress and prevent it from worsening, but some dogs will naturally not have diarrhea within a few hours. The behavior of public defecation, and the owner will not inadvertently increase the tension between each other because of the bad mood after returning home. (Whether the owner loses his temper or not, the dog can feel the "bad" atmosphere just by clearing the toilet)

4. Training to reduce stimulation

a. Do not stage a dramatic departure and return from home

The owner should be calm when leaving home, or it can be done the night before , place the bags and coats that will be used the next day first by the door (the keys can also be put into the coat pocket first), so as to reduce the standard actions and procedures before going out, without excessively irritating the dog for a long time. Separation anxiety in dogs. If your dog becomes restless every time you take the key or change clothes, the owner can also train it: after taking the keyThen go back to the sofa and sit down to watch TV, or go home and sit down one minute later, and then slowly increase the time you spend away from home.

b. Gradually let the dog get used to the length of time when the owner is not at home

The owner can start training on weekends, but the situation should be roughly the same as working on weekdays, except that the time away from home gradually increases from one minute to ten minutes , half an hour, an hour to nine, ten hours.

c. Food guidance

When you leave, give it a toy with food stuffed inside it. It can smell but is not easy to eat. Put it away immediately when you get home.

Notes

1. Do not punish the dog

Whether your dog starts to get restless and barks when you leave home or you find your dog urinating everywhere when you come home, Never punish your dog verbally or physically when you have destroyed items at home, because your dog will basically not remember what you did a few hours ago. The owner's emotional upset behavior will only make the dog's mood more tense, and even lead to distrust of people, and then aggressive behavior. What may be worse is that because of the owner's punishment, "separation anxiety disorder" will not only cause If it is not solved, other behavioral problems will increase, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, avoidance of the outside world, or aggressive intentions caused by fear.

2. Raising two will not necessarily prevent anxiety

a. If one is already anxious, raise another one as a companion.

This method may not work, especially if the second dog learns the bad behavior of the first dog from the mistake, then the owner will have to face two anxious dogs.

b. Keeping two dogs at the same time

There is no "positive correlation" between keeping two dogs at once and separation anxiety. They are likely to feel anxious after their owners leave; and if they are too dependent Each other, when the owner takes one of them away, the other one will be irritable and restless, which is not a good thing.

3. Aged dog anxiety

If your dog is old but begins to have separation anxiety, you should tell your veterinarian about this sign and let the veterinarian find out the cause of the sudden change in behavior. to provide solutions.