How To Successfully Treat Your Pet Of Separation Anxiety
Are you annoyed about your puppy’s constant whining every time you leave him alone? Does your dog ruin or chew on your furniture when you leave him alone in the home? In case your response to these questions is in the affirmative, keep reading.
The condition your dog is suffering from is called separation anxiety. It's a clinical condition mostly looked as frantic and aggressive behavior by pets when left to themselves, separated from their masters. The typical symptoms of dog or puppy separation anxiety are crying or whining, constant barking, scratching and chewing house furniture, and other harmful behavior on being left alone. Not only is this kind of behavior irritating, the destruction a puppy with separation anxiety might cause can put a large dent in your budget.
The good news is - puppy separation anxiety is completely treatable. Not all dogs suffer from separation anxiety however it does exist in 30% to 40% of pet dogs. The frequency is higher in dogs that have been adopted from dog impounds. To get rid of a problem you have to first study the problem. Similarly, to cure puppy separation anxiety, study your pet’s behavior. Create a list of factors that bring about symptoms of separation anxiety, observe how your pet reacts when left alone etc. A good idea is to record your dog’s behavior on camera. Keep your camcorder running when you leave your dog alone in your house.
After you have your observations and video clip, study those to mark out specific behavioral patterns. The next phase in curing puppy separation anxiety is training. Training is about conditioning, much like Pavlov’s experiment. Discourage your dog to chew or destroy your possessions. Raise your voice each time you catch your pet engaging in harmful behavior. Be strict and firm but also reward him with foodstuff or even a pat each time he obeys. Repeat these exercises, simulate the triggers and attempt to modify your pet’s response. Gradually the conditioning will sink in and your dog will respond to your instructions as you intended. You can also find detailed information on separation anxiety training from online manuals and dedicated websites.