Dog separation anxiety in dogs refers to a situation where a dog shows excessive behavior and discomfort when separated from his owner. This condition usually manifests within minutes after separation of the dog from his owner. However, it is not entirely clear why some dogs experience separation anxiety and how other dogs don't. Some studies indicate that dog separation anxiety may be a result of a dog's fear or a lack of trust in his owner. Others believe that separation anxiety is a dog's response to a sudden change in routine or environment. Still, most dog owners attribute separation anxiety to the lack of human contact and companionship a dog enjoys during the early days of his life as a pup.
Dogs who exhibit extreme dog separation anxiety are often difficult to handle and can create great difficulties for both you and your dog. Because they are so bothered by their owner's absence, these dogs can become very destructive. They whine and act like they are urinating every time they are alone. They can growl and bark incessantly. They can also pull on the leash and pester you at the very least. A dog separation anxiety problem can really have a profound effect on the physical and emotional well-being of your dog. It can have a negative impact on his physical health, as well as his mental and emotional health. Excessive barking, urination, digging or defecating when left alone can result in severe and sometimes life-threatening situation for your pup. The main characteristic of dog separation anxiety is excessive barking and whining. In some cases, these dogs will even urinate and defecate in their crate! When a dog is left alone, the first thing he needs to do is to investigate his surroundings. He wants to figure out where he is supposed to be going. This causes him excessive stress and he begins to whine, bark, dig and basically get in your face if he is "put out" and you don't respond quickly enough. The best way to stop dog separation anxiety is to eliminate or mitigate the dog separation anxiety by avoiding situations that induce stress. One of the most common causes of this problem is being forced to be alone and left alone. For example, if a dog is left at home while his owner is at work, he can develop true separation anxiety. True separation anxiety is a far more serious condition than mere boredom and therefore it deserves immediate and serious attention. It can lead to depression, aggressive behavior, destructive behavior, destruction of surroundings, social isolation, insomnia, eating disorders and much more. The symptoms of true separation anxiety can range from jumping to biting, urinating, barking, whining, walking around the house in circles, running frantically, hiding, jumping on people and more. It's very important to know the cause of dog separation anxiety before seeking treatment for it. Many cases are actually caused by stress placed on dogs that are being transported from one home to another. Your veterinarian can give you advice about ways to prevent this stress and even provide medications for relieving some of the stress involved when you go from one location to another. Even in cases where the dog separation anxiety is caused by actual physical or mental stress such as separation from his owner, there are medications that your veterinarian can prescribe that will help relieve some of the stress. Training is one of the ways to stop dog separation anxiety. Your dog needs to learn that when you leave him alone and he becomes anxious, he must stay where he is until you come back. This will alleviate the anxiety and soon he'll come home relaxed and calm. You want to avoid getting into situations where your dog is going to be left alone and stressed. For example, it would be better to leave the car where your dog is staying instead of leaving him at home alone. The treatment of dog separation anxiety typically involves a combination of behavioral modifications along with medications and/or medication given by your veterinarian. The goal of the modifications is to desensitize your dog to being alone or the perceived fear of being alone. The medications are used to address the behaviors that can be disruptive to your dog's sense of security and to help him deal with the behaviors that he doesn't want to do such as barking, whining, jumping, and urination. Some of these behaviors such as barking can actually be quite harmful to other family members if they continue to be present.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
|