Signs Your Dog Has Separation Anxiety and Tips to Help Them Overcome It
As a responsible pet owner, it's our responsibility to ensure that our furry friends are living their best life. When you are away from home, your pet may experience extreme separation anxiety, leading to destructive behavior, howling, and even escaping. In this post, we will talk about signs your dog has separation anxiety and tips to help them overcome it. So, let's dive in!
Excessive Howling and Barking
When you are away from your pet, they may start howling and barking excessively. This is a common sign that your dog has separation anxiety. This may also cause annoyance to your neighbors, which you want to avoid. Observing how often your dog howls or barks when you are away can help you identify separation anxiety.
Urinating or defecating in the home
If your dog is well-trained and has been properly potty trained, but still pees or poops in the house when you are away, it's a sign that your dog has separation anxiety. Dogs may experience extreme stress, causing them to lose control of their bodily functions.
Destructive Behavior
If your dog chews on furniture, digs through rugs, or destroys household possessions when you're away, they're likely experiencing separation anxiety. Although this behavior is destructive, it allows your dog to release some of their stress and anxiety.
Following you everywhere
If your pet follows you wherever you go, you may consider your pet clingy. However, this may be a sign for separation anxiety. Your pet may become very attached to you, making it difficult for them to handle being away from you.
Tips to Help Your Pet Overcome Separation Anxiety
There are a few things you can do to help your pet overcome separation anxiety. The first thing is to ensure that your dog is well-exercised before leaving them alone in the house. This helps them to release energy, making them more relaxed when you leave. You can also make your absence shorter in the beginning, gradually increasing the time your pet spends alone.
Another way to help your pet overcome separation anxiety is by providing some form of distraction, like a toy, food puzzle, or even leaving the TV or radio on. Additionally, with the help of a trainer, you can work on desensitizing your pet to your absence. This involves leaving for a short while and slowly increasing the time, so your pet is exposed to the separation gradually.
As a responsible pet owner, it is our responsibility to take care of our pets, and that includes helping them overcome separation anxiety. By knowing the signs to watch out for, we can help our pets before the anxiety becomes severe. Remember, small changes can make a big difference in helping your pet overcome separation anxiety. With patience, love, and proper training, you and your pet can overcome separation anxiety together.
As a responsible pet owner, it's our responsibility to ensure that our furry friends are living their best life. When you are away from home, your pet may experience extreme separation anxiety, leading to destructive behavior, howling, and even escaping. In this post, we will talk about signs your dog has separation anxiety and tips…