Separation Anxiety In Puppies

Separation anxiety in puppies: While we all want
our puppy to become dependent on us when we are
at home, this is not always ideal for him while
we are away working or out shopping. Making them
reliant on you for company, as well as play, is
really about making a rod for your own back.
Giving them all of your time, when they demand
it, is not going to let them become independent
souls. They have to learn to amuse themselves,
when you are not around, or how will they cope
when left alone for longer periods than normal,
for example when you are out working or on an
errand?

Like all dogs, puppies need plenty of toys to
entertain them to use up some of their boundless
energy. So begin with the ones that will
withstand countless chewing. The choice in the
marketplace is amazing, so there is no excuse
for not keeping them occupied while you are
away.

The Kong is an ideal toy and can be stuffed with
some of the puppy's favorite food (like kibble or
small tasty treats) that can keep them
entertained for a considerable time. You can
also try chew sticks, either hide or hard
plastic. Always make sure they are safe to use,
while you are away, and will not come to pieces
with constant chewing.

To begin the process of leaving him alone try
and confine him to a crate for a short while and
keep checking his progress periodically from
another room. You can try this experiment from
as many rooms as possible to see if he responds
the same from all of them. If he has a problem
with one particular room, try and find out why.
For example, is he exposed to more noise in the
room or is there more light than normal falling
into his crate?

Once you have established where he feels calm
and is not threatened by any external influence,
then you can begin to reward him for being well
behaved while confined to his crate. The next
step is to decide where you puppy will
eventually live while you are away from the
family home. If you allocate him a certain room,
either in or out of your home, then make sure you
familiarize your puppy with his new playroom.
Confining your pup as if you were away from
home, while still at home, will give you the
opportunity to monitor his behavior during this
important time in his life.

The idea is to educate your puppy into not
associating his confinement with your absence,
but instead he will always look forward to the
time he spends in his playroom with his special
toys. Remember if your puppy is fully occupied
chewing on his chew toy, he will probably not
miss you as much.

Sometimes music or voices can have calming
effect on them and can help to cover any outside
noise. Leave a radio on with the volume just loud
enough to be reassuring. Remember dogs have an
acute sense of hearing so don't overdo it. All
my dogs, over the years, have appreciated the
radio at some time in their lives and it also
helps to get your puppy adjusted to not having
you around all the time. Whether they like one
particular piece of music or program you will
have to research that thoroughly.

Any animal left alone for long periods, without
any human contact, will be prone to separation
anxiety. It is up to you to train your puppy in
the art of being self-sufficient when you are
not around. Giving them plenty to occupy their
minds, while left alone, is an important step in
preventing them succumbing to this common
situation.


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Ian Nicholson has over fifty years experience of
everything about dogs. He invites you to visit
him and download a free e-book '7 Proven Steps
To Better Older Dog Health' at
http://www.choosebestdogbreed.com and learn more
about Separation Anxiety In Puppies.


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