|
Dog Training - Separation Anxiety Been there, done that? Leave the house and the dog howls, whines, chews your rugs, shoes, doors, mail, boots, tries to dig under doors or climb through screens, or greets you like you've been gone for months not minutes? Get home and have a total mess on the floor and, well you're just at the end of your rope and don't know what to do with Fiona. Obviously her dog house training isn't going so well. How do you know if your dog has separation anxiety? The key is that the behaviors mentioned above only happen when you're not home. There aren't any quick fixes for this condition, and you must have patience. Not all dogs will take the house apart like they had plans to renovate, and the levels of anxiety vary from dog to dog. Dogs are very sensitive to "cues" and there may be things you do that "trigger" their anxiety – pick up yours keys, put on a certain jacket, pulling on your boots etc. Here's something you can do to start the re-conditioning dog house training process. Note: it will confuse the heck out of your dog, but the end results will be worth it. This takes about a week or longer. Grab your keys, put on your boots and go into the living room and watch TV. Put your jacket on and go sit down and read a book. Take your dog for long runs. Tired dogs are content and happy, and too beat to kick up a stink. Leave quietly and quickly! Don't fuss and say good-bye. Hint: ignore them for about a half hour before going. Only give attention when you're asking them to "do" something, and also ask them to perform a task for you (sit, down etc) before getting affectionate. When you get back home, walk in calmly and ignore him for about 15 minutes. When you leave try this: stuff a Kong with cheese, special treats or peanut butter (so long as they don't have allergies to nuts). Only use this special stuffed toy when you leave. They learn to re-focus and regard the stuffed goodie as something "good". Oh, leave the radio on for company. The voices often help them settle. The final tip is - crate your dog. It's the best thing to help with dog house training. It's not cruel and unusual punishment. In most cases it reduces anxiety levels for the dog to limit movement, and keeps them from destroying the house. Leave special goodies inside the crate with him. |
Dog Obedience Train the Trainer Dog Personalities Dog House Training Doorway Etiquette Garbage Bin Manners Separation Anxiety The Importance Of Exercise Basic Dog Training Rewards and Discipline Dog Personality Types Timing and Body Language Where to Buy your Dog from Dog Obedience Training Clicker Training Top 5 Obedience Training Tips Bad Dog Training Methods When to Start Training your Dog Dog Training Schools What A Course Covers How To Pick a Good School Which Dogs are Best Suited Who's Being Trained Dog Toilet Training Fear Flatulence Health One Health Two Back to Dog Obedience Training |