Puppy Separation Anxiety
How to Deal with Puppy Separation Anxiety
You might not have really thought about it before, but puppy separation anxiety is a real problem that can definitely cause frustration for your little canine pal. When you're away at work or during the evening, your puppy probably isn't running around, rejoicing at the fact that he has the house to himself. Instead, puppies often face puppy separation anxiety, which can lead to distress, sadness, and depression for your puppy. So what can you do about this?
You have probably already seen the signs of puppy separation anxiety. It can often be shown as howling, whining, barking, chewing, and general destruction. You might notice that your puppy is frantically scratching at the door, defecating in places where he is not supposed to, and destroying things. These are all signs that he is unhappy.
So why does your puppy do this? Believe it or not, he does this because he loves you and wants to be with you. It's not to dive your crazy or to make you upset. Your puppy honestly has exaggerated fears and anxiety and these are ways that he is telling you about it.
It's important that you teach your puppy how to be anxiety-freer when you are not there. You can do this by putting him in a place where he is happy and able to move around. For instance, don't stick him in a cage where he can't walk around and play a little bit. In addition, don't put him in a dark room where he can't see what he is doing. Even puppies can get scared of the dark!
You should also start putting him in this place while you are still home. Leave him in there for about 30 minutes to an hour and then let him out. This will show him that you are still there for him, which might help curb his puppy separation anxiety. If you have a cage or a crate for him, then put him in it where he can still see you. Leave him there for a little while so that he can get used to it, but still know that you are there. This will help him be more comfortable with it when you are gone.
When he comes out of the crate, or out of the room, reward him with a small treat to let him know that he did a good job. Positive reinforcement always works better than punishment.
If you are going to be gone for a long time, then you might want to think about having someone over to check on him for you. This is especially important if your puppy is very young and needs to be fed quite often. You shouldn't go off and leave your puppy alone for more than 10 hours at a time in the beginning.
Puppies work well with schedules, too. If you put your puppy on a routine, then they will know what to expect and this will help with their anxiety, too. Put them in their cage or room at the same time everyday and take them out at the same time every day. Much like a small child, they adjust well to a routine and don't like upsets.
Lastly, have patience and understanding. Know that there is a difference in missing you and your puppy having anxiety, too. While it's normal for a puppy to cry a little bit, anxiety is actually a real problem that can hamper your puppy's emotional and mental health and should be dealt with promptly to ensure that your puppy remains happy and healthy.