How To Train A Dog Separation Anxiety

Introduction

The tragic truth is that countless dogs are given up, abandoned and surrendered to shelters each year simply because they developed a bad case of separation anxiety. That’s why it’s so important to nip any signs of trouble in the bud and teach your dog what to do when you leave the house. By training your furry friend how to deal with separation anxiety, you will not only be making life better for him, but also for yourself – no more coming home to destroyed furniture or flooded carpets!

But before we get into the actual steps for addressing separation anxiety, let me first give you a quick rundown of some basic tips that will help you succeed and prevent any unnecessary problems along the way.

When your dog is having a severe separation anxiety, you need to be very careful when leaving him alone.

When your dog is having a severe separation anxiety, you need to be very careful when leaving him alone. It’s not recommended that you leave your dog in a room with the door closed or open, as they may injure themselves trying to get out. You also shouldn’t leave them in a room with the door open and the window open. Your dog can jump through an open window and hurt themselves on impact or fall off of something high up (like your balcony).

Ease your dog into the training.

You’ll want to start the training by leaving for a few minutes, then increasing the time. Make sure to use the same door each time you leave and return, so your dog gets used to that routine.

When you leave, it’s vital that your pet is calm and relaxed before you go—if he’s anxious, wait until he relaxes before making him stay alone in the room. If necessary, give him something from his toy box or a favorite treat to help keep him calm during this period of adjustment.

If your dog begins barking or whining when left alone (or even becomes destructive), don’t scold him—this will only reinforce his belief that there’s no reason for him not too be afraid of being away from his owner! Instead, try giving him something else to do while waiting: playing fetch with an empty soda bottle filled with treats can be fun while also keeping an anxious pooch busy enough not notice how long it’s taking someone else come back home again!

Gradually increase the time that you leave your dog for.

The most important step in training your dog to deal with separation anxiety is gradually increasing the time that you are away from them.

Start by leaving your dog alone for a few minutes every day, and slowly increase this period of time to an hour or so by the end of the week. Don’t go too fast though – it will only increase their anxiety, and make the whole process harder!

Limit the use of cues such as “I’ll be back” or “goodbye.”

If you have a dog with separation anxiety, you may find that your pup is extremely clingy and can’t bear to be left alone. This often leads to behavior problems when you’re trying to leave the house, as your dog may follow you everywhere or bark repeatedly until he gets his way. To help him overcome this issue and make him more comfortable being left at home by himself, it’s important that you limit the use of cues such as “I’ll be back” or “goodbye.” By saying these things, we’re essentially training our dogs that they can expect us to come back after we leave a room (or house), but this isn’t actually true—and when they realize it isn’t true one day down the road (when we don’t come back), they may become distressed. Instead of letting our canine companions get attached like this, let them know from the beginning that goodbyes aren’t forever!

If you see your dog starting to get anxious try staying put or going back in.

If you see your dog starting to get anxious, stay in the room for a few minutes. If they are not showing any signs of improvement, leave and try again later. If your dog is getting anxious because they’ve seen another person or animal outside the window, look away from them if possible so that they don’t feel as threatened. If you are confident that your dog will be okay by themselves, then go back into another room and close the door. This could help desensitize them a bit while they’re alone in their crate/room/whatever enclosure they’re being kept in during this exercise (if applicable).

Don’t give any big farewells and avoid petting or cuddling your dog before leaving.

Avoid giving your dog any big farewells. This means that you shouldn’t cuddle and pet your dog before leaving, as this can make them more anxious. Instead, ignore your dog until they have calmed down a little before saying goodbye.

Use calming music, like Through A Dog’s Ear by Joshua Leeds and Lisa Spector.

If your dog is feeling anxious, calming music is a great way to help them decompress. There are many recordings of “calming” music available, but I recommend Through A Dog’s Ear by Joshua Leeds and Lisa Spector. This recording has been scientifically proven to help relax dogs and reduce anxiety in the same way that it helps humans de-stress. You can purchase it on Amazon or Spotify, as well as watch some videos of YouTube featuring the music played by professionals who specialize in animal therapy.

Make sure to have some fun with your dog right before you leave, so she associates being alone with something positive.

Play a game with your dog, give her a treat or toy, or even better—a special treat and/or toy!

Treating separation anxiety doesn’t need to take forever – start small and eventually you’ll get there!

Treating separation anxiety doesn’t need to take forever. Start small, and gradually increase the length of time you leave your dog alone until she can be left for longer periods of time with no problems. If you have a number in mind that you want your dog to be able to handle comfortably (for example, ten minutes), don’t give up if they can’t get there right away. Don’t get frustrated if progress seems slow!

The best way to start is by leaving them alone for a minute or two at first, then gradually increasing the amount of time as they become more comfortable with being left alone. Once they’re used to being separated from you while you’re home all day, try doing it when someone else is home too – then try it when someone else is out of the house as well!

Conclusion

If you’re still struggling to get your dog’s separation anxiety under control, it may be time for professional help. A qualified dog trainer or behaviorist can work with you and your pup to determine the root cause of the issue and create a training plan that will put an end to your dog’s separation anxiety once and for all.