How to avoid separation anxiety in dogs

One of the most common problems pet owners have is that, when their dogs are left alone at home, they begin to exhibit a series of maladaptive behaviors. Such as generating a lot of howling, crying or chewing on shoes, furniture or chairs in the house.

This behavior is very common due to separation anxiety caused by loneliness, because like humans, dogs feel homesick and miss their owners when they are left alone.

Curiously, one of the elements that most contributes to this type of anxious behavior is the excessive affection we give our pet. In this sense, the first lesson that we as owners must learn is to dose the love we give to our dogs, that is, not to spoil them in excess.

As well as this recommendation, there are many others that will allow you to prevent your dog from going into a state of separation anxiety. Some of them are the following.

Excessive rewards

It is very common to reward our dogs with lots of love and attention after leaving home and leaving them alone for a while. However, the greater the attachment they feel, the more the owner will miss them when they leave.

The dog must learn that it will not always receive attention. The idea is to teach him to stay alone. You may choose to ignore it on some occasions when you are at home.

Try not to say goodbye to your dog to avoid separation anxiety.

It is very common that just before leaving we say goodbye to our dogs. Generally, we hug or caress them. The recommendation is to ignore it at least half an hour before leaving, because the farewell for the dog is an element of abandonment, which generates that the dog feels sad and anxious.

Don’t make your arrival a party

Many times when we get home the dogs get so excited that they even tend to urinate in an inappropriate place and many times we build this situation to be this way. It is important to learn as owners not to pay attention to these effusive behaviors, as we help to generate more emotionality.

Upon arrival home and do not encourage effusive behavior. It is advisable to try to get home as calmly as possible and then approach the dog little by little in moderation. It is also advisable not to go in and out as soon as you arrive; it is best to wait 20 to 15 minutes before going back out onto the street.

Although the recommendations may make you think that you will never be able to give your dog affection, in reality simple tips will make your dog have good habits and there is nothing better than a well-behaved dog.

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