Separation anxiety, also known in the dog training world as owner absent misbehavior, is one of the most frequently encountered problems in the world of dog training. Separation anxiety can manifest itself in many different ways, including chewing, destroying the owners property, excessive barking, self destructive behavior and inappropriate urination and defecation.
Dogs suffering from separation anxiety often whine, bark, cry, howl, dig, chew and scratch at the door the entire time their family members are away. Well meaning owners often unwittingly encourage this misbehavior by rushing home to reassure the dog, but it is important for the well being of both dog and owner that the dog learn to deal with extended periods of separation.
How the owner leaves the house can often contribute to separation anxiety issues. A long and drawn out period of farewell can make matters worse by making the dog feel even more isolated when the owner finally leaves. These long types of farewells can get the dog excited, and then leave him with lots of excess energy and no way to work it off. These excited, isolated dogs often work off their excess energy in the most destructive of ways, such as chewing up a favorite rug or piece of furniture.
Excess energy is often mistaken for separation anxiety, since results are often the same. If you think that excess amounts of energy may be the problem, try giving your dog more exercise to see if that eliminates the problem.
If separation anxiety is truly the problem, it is important to address the root causes of that anxiety. In order to prevent separation anxiety from occurring, it is important for the dog to feel happy, safe, secure and comfortable while the owner is away for the day. It is important, for instance, to give the dog plenty of things to keep it busy while you are away. This means providing it with lots of toys, such as balls or chew toys. A pet companion is often effective at relieving separation anxiety as well. Giving the dog a playmate, such as another dog or a cat, is a great way for busy pet parents and pets alike to cope with the stress of being left alone.
Setting aside scheduled play times, during which the pet is given your undivided attention, is another great way to alleviate boredom and separation anxiety. Playing with the dog, and providing it with sufficient attention and exercise, is a proven way to avoid a stressed and anxious dog. A happy dog that has been well exercised and well conditioned will generally sleep the day away happily and patiently wait for the return of its owner.
It is important to schedule one of these daily play sessions before you leave the house each day. It is important to give the dog a few minutes to settle down after playtime before you leave.
For dogs that are already experiencing separation anxiety and associated misbehaviors, it is important to get him accustomed to your leaving gradually. Be sure to practice leaving and returning at irregular intervals, several times during the day. Doing so will get your dog accustomed to your deparartures and help him realize that you are not leaving him forever. Dogs that have been previously lost, or those that have been surrendered to shelters and readopted, often have the worst problems with separation anxiety. Part of treating this problem is teaching the dog that your leaving is not permanent.
Tags:
Balls,
Dealing With Separation,
Defecation,
Dog Anxiety,
Dog Exercise,
Dog Training,
Dogs,
Excess Amounts,
Excess Energy,
Excessive Barking,
Family Members,
Farewell,
Inappropriate Urination,
Many Different Ways,
Misbehavior,
Periods,
Pet Companion,
Piece Of Furniture,
Self Destructive Behavior,
Separation Anxiety
Related posts
Feb 08, 2010 | | Dogs
They are man’s “best friend”, but like your real friends, dogs also have annoying habits that you normally despise. But because you love them, you suffer for it until you can’t take anymore. Just as we all try to talk to our human friends about their bad habits, it is also vital that we do the same for our pets. This is not impossible since dogs are proven to be intelligent animals. Experience also proves that they can pick up and understand instructions with proper training. In fact, training your human friends to ditch their bad habits is harder than training your pets.
Dogs are naturally diggers. It might be some part of their genes that make them such enthusiastic diggers. It is amusing to watch them dig and bury whatever they like. But, it is equally irritating when your pets leave unsightly clumps of dirt on your manicured lawn. Other than the cartoon tradition of burying bones, there are other reasons why your pets dig. These reasons also differ depending on their breed and age. Younger and more “macho” breeds like Great Danes or Rottweilers dig because of pent-up and excess energy. If this is the case, frequent exercise, walks, and training release these energies. Your pets are likely to be too exhausted to think of digging and your lawn efforts are not wasted. However, if your mutt is of the breeding age, the most likely reason behind its digging is a female. Your pet is probably digging to reach the next door bitch. Having your pet neutered is the only solution. However, there are cases when your pets dig because they just want to. In cases like this, your best bet is to train your dog not to dig by spraying the grass with non-toxic repellants. You can set aside a portion of the yard in which your pets can dig as much as they want. Remember to find them a spot in your backyard and not on your front lawn.
Other than lawn-digging, destructive chewing is a common problem of most pet owners. There are three reasons why mutts engage in this activity: attention, boredom, and teething. Neglecting your pets’ play time but chasing them when they got hold of your shoes are common scenarios. Scenarios like these teach them that chewing stuff is a way to frolic with you. Bored pets also have strong inclinations to be chewers. Teething is also a likely cause of chewing problems especially with younger pets. A way to stop your pets’ chewing habits is to spend time with them through playing. Provide dogs with chewable toys and play catch. They will soon understand that these chew toys are the only things they are allowed to chew.
These problems are easily prevented if you make it clear to your dogs that you expect obedience from them. There are dog training camps for unruly pets and lots of articles in the internet for personal dog training. Dogs are not problems at all if you cultivate obedience in them.
Tags:
Annoying Habits,
Bad Habits,
Best Bet,
Clumps Of Dirt,
Ditch,
Excess Energy,
Frequent Exercise,
Genes,
Great Danes,
Human Friends,
Intelligent Animals,
Mutt,
Mutts,
Neutered,
Obedience,
Pet Owners,
Pets Dogs,
Real Friends,
Rottweilers,
Training Dogs
Related posts
Jan 02, 2010 | | Dogs
A Dogs Communication – Could Your Dog be Trying to Tell You Something?
Is barking a form of language among dogs with precise significance, or just playful noise? Dogs exchange information among themselves less by voice than by a wide range of facial expressions, body postures and gestures, as well as by various scents. Dogs, who bark at night, are probably working off excess energy or announcing their presence, and this is undoubtedly the only message conveyed to other dogs within ear shot.
When a dog goes to his owner and deliberately barks, it is simply meant to attract attention. You must try to guess his general behavior, rather than from the circumstances and his general behavior, rather than from the particular form or pitch of bark he makes. The howling or baying of hunting dogs is an instinctive hunting cry informing the pack that the dog is on a trail. Barking at strange noises is a warning as well as a threat display.
A lonely dog who bowls may be sending out a gathering cry to other dogs nearby. Wild dogs on the other hand, never back, they only howl. Could the barking of domesticated dogs be a form of communication more closely resembling speech? A pet dog that shares a close relationship with his owner and has been taught to understand many words obviously makes an effort, sometimes quite successfully, to give meaning to his own utterances.
A dog who wishes to assert his importance and boldness instinctively employs all of the effects that make him look bigger and more frightening, raising his back ton increase his height and holding his head high in defiance. A dog who wants to show submission does just the opposite, making himself look small by crouching down with his tail between his legs and his ears laid back flat.
A dog who wishes to assert his dominance will take a perpendicular position with his head over the other dog’s shoulders, while nudging or pushing, with his neck arched, head and tail raised and tense. The conventional play invitation is a posture with the forehead crouched, the hind quarters high, a wagging tail, bright eye and a little yap. A rigid stance with a steady gaze and a high, trembling tail is hostile. A high, steady tail signifies self confidence, and held low indicates inferiority, fatigue, ill health, or a bad mood.
Pawing at the neck is an expression of affection, nose-nudging is another invitation to play. Paw-giving is a conventional canine gesture with two possible meanings. When he gives his paw to his owner while avoiding eye contact he’s saying “Please forgive me” or when he wants attention, he is saying “I’m here, don’t forget me.” When he offers his paw to another dog, it’s a sign of submission.
An owner, who takes the trouble to observe his dog and pay him the courtesy of listening to him, can establish a simple two-way communications system with his pet. Canine messages are generally very elementary, as he asks much less of us than we do of him. “I’m hungry,” “I’m thirsty”, “I need to go out”, or “Come with me I think something is wrong” are among the messages he manages to convey very well considering his limited means. His most eloquent utterance is the emotional gurgle of barks that means to say “I’ve missed you!”
Tags:
Barking Dogs,
Body Postures,
Boldness,
Conve,
Defiance,
Domesticated Dogs,
Dominance,
Ear Shot,
Ears,
Excess Energy,
Facial Expressions,
Gestures,
Hunting Dogs,
Laid Back,
Perpendicular Position,
Scents,
Shoulders,
Strange Noises,
Utterances,
Wild Dogs
Related posts
Nov 15, 2009 | | Dogs