What Else Could Be Causing This Behavior
If your dog is experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, especially in isolation, it doesnt necessarily mean hes suffering from separation anxiety. Dogs, like humans, experience a full range of emotions that come and go. Since our pets cant communicate using words , a short bout of anxiety, sadness, excitement, or fear might manifest itself as an accident in the house or restlessly pacing around the living room.
As a concerned dog parent, being aware of the symptoms of separation anxiety in dogs is extremely important. However, what youre looking for are consistent or severe symptoms that present themselves in tandem with other signs of separation anxiety over an extended period of time. One-off accidents are no cause for alarm!
Making Sure Your Dog Is Ready To Be Left Alone
When you first get your dog, try to socialise them as much as possible. This means exposing them to everyday sights and sounds so they are not afraid. Being left alone is one of the things your new dog will need to learn is normal. You can train your dog by gradually increasing the amount of time they are left alone to get them used to it.
As with all training, youll need to take your time and be patient when teaching your puppy how to be calm and relaxed when left alone.
- Start by walking a short distance away from your puppy. If they stay calm and settled, walk back to them and reward them, so they know youre happy with this behaviour.
- Move away from them again, but this time leave the room briefly. Walk back in and if your puppy is still calm and quiet, reward again.
- Keep repeating this and gradually increase the amount of time you are away from your puppy.
- When youre successful at doing this inside, try leaving the house for a short time and gradually build up to spending more time away from your puppy.
- Always reward your puppy when you get home.
- Keep the atmosphere calm and quiet when you leave and when you come back home. This will teach your puppy that you coming and going is normal and nothing to get excited or stressed about.
- Teach your puppy to use interactive toys, like treat dispensing toys or puzzles, so theyll have something to keep them busy while youre away. Make sure its puppy-safe and cant be chewed up or swallowed.
Distract Your Dog With A Toy Or Treats Before You Go
If you give your dog something like a food puzzle, a long lasting chew, or a toy they love to play with before you go, it will provide a distraction, and help to
keep them mentally stimulated and occupied while you are gone. Plus…if they are busy chewing on something you want them to chew on, they are less likely to chew on furniture or your favorite pair of shoes!
Also, by providing a positive experience, and giving them something they enjoy when you leave, it helps to teach them that your leaving isn’t something to dread.
Note: Make sure to only give out treats when you are leaving, not when you are arriving home. If you provide treats when you get home, it will only make your dog more eager and anxious for you to get home.
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Tips To Reduce Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety
By ThunderWorksJul 06, 2020
Since we have been in lock down, our dogs have grown accustomed to their favorite humans being around 24/7! And while that has been wonderful for cuddles and bonding, it also creates some new concerns.
Unfortunately, as people return to work or are simply leaving the house more often, we are seeing an increase in separation anxiety in our pets. If your dog is showing signs of stress, here are some helpful tips to transition your pup back to more independent living.
If you are looking to understand if your dog is displaying signs of anxiety, please see this blog post. For guidance on how long you can leave your dog at home by themselves, please see this resource.
Consequences If I Leave My Beagle Alone At Home Without Prior Training
As owners of a dog, regardless of their breed, we have to know they are animals that are very similar to human beings especially from an emotional point of view. Like our children, we have to provide a good quality of life for our canines.
Beagles make good family dogs that get along well with members of their human family. They love spending time with them, whether its playing, training, or exercising. However, if they have not received training to be alone at home, then they may become stressed and develop destructive behaviors. Thats because these dogs, as weve said earlier, suffer from separation anxiety.
At these times, the Beagle begins to experience certain inappropriate behaviors due to its distress and concern. We have already said that the most common of them is the destructive one.
However, the canine could also generate sounds through barking, howling, or growling. Panting is also a symptom of anxiety when they are home alone. On certain occasions, the Beagle may urinate or defecate in the house.
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Dealing With Separation Anxiety In Dogs
Sometimes referred to as separation anxiety, some dogs can find being left on their own an overwhelming and stressful experience.
Check out our video for to see our tips on how to help keep your dog relaxed when youre not at home.
For some dogs, separation-related behaviours are simply a product of boredom due to lack of appropriate physical and mental stimulation. Whereas for other dogs, separation-related behaviours and anxiety are much deeper rooted. When a dog is emotionally attached to someone and that person goes away, it can cause fear, frustration, and anxiety. Over time, your dog might even start to anticipate the behaviour and the changes to their environment that lead up to that person leaving and may start showing their anxious behaviours before it happens.
Understanding the root cause of the problem and why your dog is reacting in this way will allow you to implement the right kind of training that will improve their behaviour in the long term and not just straight away.
Its important to remember that each dog is an individual and will progress through training at different rates. Always aim to ensure you are working within your dogs limits and that you are keeping a close eye on their stress levels. Recognising signs of stress and knowing how to manage stress levels is key in making sure that your dog is happy.
There are a number of signs that may show that your dog is stressed, which include:
- Excessive panting
Signs & Symptoms Of Separation Anxiety In Dogs
The signs and symptoms of separation anxiety in dogs are mostly behavioral and usually occur when dogs are left alone. You may notice:
-
Excessive panting and salivation
-
Destructive behavior
-
Urination or defecation around the house
Dogs with tend to vocalize when they are left alone by barking, whining, or howling. Panting and salivation are also common. These signs can begin before separation if dogs learn to anticipate their owners departure.
Vocalization can cause owners trouble with neighbors or landlords, and accidents within the house, as well as destructive behaviors like chewing on door frames, can cause lasting property damage. Some destructive behavior can even lead to veterinary emergencies. Consuming foreign bodies like clothing, coth, or garbage may require surgical intervention, adding to dog and owner stress. Dogs with separation anxiety may also chew, bite, or lick at themselves excessively, which can lead to infection.
Behavioral signs of separation anxiety in dogs often cause problems for owners, and can even put dogs themselves at risk. Property damage and physical harm, as well as tarnished relations with neighbors and property owners can also occur.
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Keep Arrivals And Departures Low
During training to alleviate separation anxiety, the goal is for the dog to remain as calm as possible at all times. Making a big deal out of departures and arrivals undermines that goal. Fawning over the dog as you leave home conveys the message that departures are a big deal. The same is true of grand celebrations when you return home.
One way to help dogs with separation anxiety is to be very matter-of-fact about departures and arrivals. Saying things like, “Poor little Fluffy. I’m so sorry and I know you hate it when you can’t be with me, but I have to leave you for a while. You’ll be OK until I get back, right?” only adds to the stress surrounding departures. Acting calm and matter-of-fact as you leave the house reduces the odds that your anxious behavior will add to your dogs stress.
Similarly, if you spend the first few minutes after your return playing with, talking to, or mooning over your dog, the message is that your return is the most important and exciting part of the day. For a dog that is already prone to being anxious about departures, making a big deal out of returning home can exacerbate the anxiety. The dog may spend the time you are away anticipating that exciting return and being anxious that it hasn’t happened yet. If you’ve ever sat around feeling tense while waiting for an important phone call, you can picture what your dog might be going through. Being calm when you return home helps to reduce the tension.
Use Training Enrichment Activities And Calming Tools To Set Your Dog Up For Success
Other forms of training could help make your dog’s transition to more frequent alone time easier. Sueda recommends reinforcing calm behaviors using a go-to-mat cue or capturing relaxed postures. This is also a great time to work on slow, incremental x-pen or crate training.
Adding more enrichment is also valuable. “Creating an environment where the dog really loves interactive feeding toys and enjoys playing the ‘find the treats hidden in the house’ game can be really powerful when we go back to work we can give them something to do,” said DeMartini-Price.
Before you return to work or school, Sueda recommends gradually building up the amount of time you are away, rather than jumping from zero to 10 hours a day. You can gradually increase your time away over a period of one to two weeks. During that time, observe your dog’s reaction to your absence over a camera like the affordable Wyze Cam.
Sueda said that dog-appeasing pheromone , white noise, and nutraceuticals like Zylkene or Anxitane might also help reduce anxiety. Be sure to introduce them when you’re at home so your dog doesn’t only associate them with you leaving.
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Symptoms Of Separation Anxiety
Your dog may be suffering from separation anxiety if he/she:
- Continues to follow you from room to room, whimpering and shaking, when youre preparing to go out.
- Becomes aggressive when you try to leave. They may scratch at doors and windows in an attempt to get to you.
- their their anxiety out on chewable objects, and sometimes defecate in unacceptable places, and continuously whine, howl, and bark.
- Stops eating and drinking when you leave.
- Is overly excited and engages in an unusually prolonged greeting when you return home after a few short hours.
Adaptil Dog Calming Diffuser Refill Vet Recommended Reduce Problem Barking Chewing Separation Anxiety & More
- Vet recommended: Adaptil is the number one vet recommended solution to help dogs adjust to challenging situations and curb stress related unwanted behaviors
- Over 90 percent effective to help reduce separation anxiety and fear of loud noises for dogs, increase focus during training sessions, and help dogs adapt to new surroundings
- Stop problem barking, destructive chewing, trembling, panting, and shaking caused by anxiety
- Drug free calming solution: Adaptil is 100 percent drug free, and mimics a mothers natural nursing pheromones, which helps dogs to feel safe and calm
- Refill Lasts up to 4 weeks: This product is the refill only you need to purchase a diffuser separately To maximize effectiveness, replace the vial every 4 weeks, and the diffuser every 6 months
- EASY TO USE: Simply put on your Adaptil Calming Collar, and you are good to go! Your dogs body heat will activate the calming pheroemones, which will help your dog to stay calm all day long, regardless of the situation
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How To Potty Train A Puppy When You Work Long Shifts
One of the most challenging tasks of being a new dog owner is potty training your puppy. You need to remember that puppies are like newborn babies, and they have almost no control of their body functions during the first months of life.
It is an even more challenging process when you have a full-time job and little help to raise your puppy.
Why Does My Dog Have Separation Anxiety
Pain and underlying medical reasons may cause your dog to feel worried about being on their own so you should always get them checked over by a vet if theyre struggling with apparent separation anxiety.
Once youve had your dog checked by a vet and theres no medical cause, then an accredited behaviourist will be best placed to help if your vet feels that your dog is suffering from separation anxiety.
Other things that can cause or contribute to separation anxiety include:
- Poor socialisation as a puppy
- Your dog isnt used to being left alone
- There has been a change in your household
- Something has scared your dog
- Boredom
- A routine change, bereavement or other circumstances meaning a person or pet who they normally spend time with isnt around.
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Cameras: Dont Have Mom Guilt
Leaving your loved one behind can be as stressful on pet parents as it is for your pup. But theres no need to suffer from unnecessary guilt. Your furry family member will be excited to see you when you return, no matter the circumstances.
If you need a regular Fido fix, a dog camera is an effective way to peek in on your pup. Most pet cams record, have motion detection and even two-way audio so you can talk to them . There are even smart feeders that can feed your dog treats with a command from your smartphone.
Hemp Oil By Owe Uself
The HEMP OIL package includes two packs for both dogs and cats, QTY2, 1oz with pure hemp extract up to 3000mg. It can help reduce anxiety in dogs. Hemp oil is effective at decreasing anxiety and relieving stress. It aids in the relief of stress, travel problems, separation anxiety, natural aggressive behavior, and excessive barking.
Furthermore, it provides a deep sleep for your dogs. For dogs, this hemp oil has a natural soothing effect. It allows your pet to have deep sleep, calm nerves, and induce relaxation that leads to sleep. The hemp seed oil drops are manufactured to the highest manufacturing requirements all over the world by a licensed Hemp Manufacturer. Its suitable for dogs of all sizes, from small, medium, to large.
This hemp oil for pets gives your dog a boost of energy and prepares it for everyday tasks that require concentration. These products are made, checked, and bottled in a registered facility for quality and consistency.
- Effective at decreasing anxiety and relieving stress
Cons:
- The flavor is not great .
Verdict: The hemp oil from Owe Uself can help your dogs gain strength, provide energy, and regain their appetite. The flavor isnt great, but its passable. It works best for puppies older than six months.
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Before You Leave The House Take Your Dog For A Walk
Start your day by taking your dog for a brisk walk. To make the walk even more rigorous, use a dog backpack with extra weight in it. Then reward your dogs calm-submissive energy with food and water. Some dogs may need to rest before eating, but all dogs can benefit from hydration. The idea is to leave your dog in quiet, resting mode while you are away.
The Steps You Need To Follow Are:
1. Establish a predictable routine
Since your dog is anxious, you need to begin by making his day calmer and more predictable whether you are home or away. Establish a daily routine so that your dog can begin to predict when he can expect attention and when he should be prepared for inattention . Try to schedule these times for object play and naps at times when you would normally depart.
2. Environmental enrichment – meeting your dog’s needs
During the times when you are interacting with your dog, make sure that you are meeting all of his needs for social interactions, play, exercise, training, and elimination. In effect, you should initiate enough regular interactive sessions and provide enough play and attention so that when each session is over, your dog is prepared to settle down and relax. At this point, new exploratory and chew toys can be given so that your dog has novel and motivating toys on which to focus when it is time to settle. Feeding toys can also replace standard food bowls to make feeding time more of a mental and physical effort.
3. Establish a predictable protocol for rewards
If your dog has separation anxiety, itâs likely that your dog’s favored rewards are the attention and play that you provide. Treats, food, play and chew toys may also be highly desirable.
“What behavior does my pet need to learn and what behavior should I never reinforce?”
4. Train âsettleâ .
5. Develop an area and surface for relaxation
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