If your pet dog experiences stress and anxiety when left alone, you are most likely contributing to his stress and anxiety in some way.
Separation stress and anxiety in dogs is a severe issue as well as commonly needs months of consistency to overcome. I’m not in any way suggesting there is a quick fix.
But there is one piece of the puzzle that gets overlooked – the human’s anxiety.
Sometimes a dog’s owner is really the direct cause of the dog’s anxiety.
What if the pet dog owner is really the one with separation anxiety?
I got an email from a visitor who was believing about cancelling her holiday since she couldn’t stand the believed of leaving her pet dog at a kennel – not just any type of kennel, however a pet dog resort with “suites” that included TVs as well as lamb cots. Azt mondta:
… I have worked myself up that I have been crying for two days! I have it in my head he will be depressed, or he will die there without me (yes I am obsessive with my dog:). My husband does should have a holiday as I do too, so I don’t want to spoil it for him …
She asked me for my advice.
So I told her that she owed it to her other half to go on this vacation, as well as that she as well as her other half much better take pleasure in themselves. as well as that her pet dog would be just fine. I told her to stop crying as well as worrying, since it would only make her pet dog feel anxious as well!
This may seem like an extreme example, however lots of of us feel anxious about leaving our dogs as well as that only makes our dogs feel anxious, too. Of course, some amount of stress and anxiety is a part of life, however we commonly turn a little issue into a much larger problem.
I’ve left my own pet dog Ace at boarding kennels, as well as I’ve seen exactly how my own mindset directly impacts him.
If I feel guilty about dropping Ace off at a kennel, he acts accordingly. He goes in with his tail as well as head held low. He tries to comply with me out the door when I leave. He crouches low to the ground as well as drools.
But if I go in there believing about what a excellent time my pet dog will have as well as exactly how lucky he is to stay at Chasing Tails where they will play sphere as well as fill up the pool, then my pet dog walks in there appearing a lot more positive as well as excited.
Dogs without separation stress and anxiety – not a coincidence
Leaving our dogs at a kennel is not the issue for a lot of of us. The a lot more tough issue is leaving the pet dog house alone during the day if he has separation anxiety.
My parents are a great example since I have seen them raise four dogs from puppies, as well as they have never had a pet dog that had a issue being left house alone. You can checked out a lot more about their dogs on my mom’s blog here.
Four dogs. No separation anxiety.
I believe this is directly associated to my parents feeling absolutely no guilt when leaving the dogs house alone in their crates or confined to a little room.
I’ve never seen my mommy or my daddy hesitate at the door before leaving as well as state something like, “Well, do you believe we must leave a radio on for them?” I have never heard or seen them bring out a drawn-out goodbye. At most, it may be “Be good!” or “See ya!”
There is absolutely no drama. Why must there be? Leaving is a part of daily life. Their dogs understand this, as well as it makes life much less stressful for them.
Don’t feel poor when you leave your pet dog to go to work
I understand I spend as well much time pining over my pet dog before I leave the house. When I feel guilty about leaving Ace, he looks at me with “sad” eyes. He may even whine a bit or comply with me to the door. On the other hand, if I neglect him as well as consciously select not to feel guilty he’ll a lot of likely be snoring on his bed in a corner somewhere. He may not even notice when I leave.
This is why any type of pet dog fitness instructor will tell you to neglect your pet dog when you leave as well as likewise when you return. You do not want to make a huge offer out of departures or homecomings. It’s much better to neglect your pet dog than to hug him as well as kiss him as well as repeat over as well as over “It’s OK. It’s OK, baby. mom will be house soon.”
If you are feeling anxious about leaving your pet dog house alone for eight hours a day, believe of it this way:
Who has to slave away at a demanding job? who has to get up early as well as be to work on time? Who has to offer with a tough boss?
And … who gets to lounge around all the time on a couch or pet dog bed? who gets to take a nap, play with some toys or perhaps chew on a bone?
Still feeling guilty?
What if you embraced a pet dog with existing separation anxiety?
I’m not stating that if your just recentlyembraced pet dog has stress and anxiety it’s completely your fault. Your pet dog most likely had stress and anxiety problems before you embraced him, as well as that may be why he ended up with a rescue group in the very first place.
What I am stating is that no matter exactly how your dog’s stress and anxiety came about, you can assist your pet dog by staying collected, calm as well as stress and anxiety free.
Easier stated than done, I know. I’ve had to stop fostering rather a few dogs since their stress and anxiety when left alone was as well much of a issue in my townhome environment.
Still, if I have a new foster dog, as well as I’m bent out of shape over whether or not he’s going to bark when I leave him house alone in his crate, assumption who’s going to bark?
But, if I’m genuinely kicked back as well as I genuinely let go of my concerns as well as anxiety, that pet dog will have an much easier time calming down.
When pet dog separation stress and anxiety is truly human separation stress and anxiety – a final example
I want to share a final example of a pet dog walking customer I had a while back as well as exactly how her stress and anxiety was the direct cause of her dog’s issues. I have altered her name as well as her dog’s name as well as breed.
“Julie” had a dachshund mix named “Scruffy” with serious separation anxiety. She called me up wondering if I might come walk the dog.
Within seconds of satisfying Julie as well as Scruffy, I understood I would not be able to help. The issue was the owner. No amount of exercise would assist Scruffy.
Scruffy had triggered all type of damage when left alone. Mainly, she had destroyed a set of blinds as well as injured herself in the process. Julie had videotaped Scruffy, as well as the pet dog would howl as well as speed as well as whine the entire time she was alone.
Julie refused to leave Scruffy in a crate as she just “couldn’t do that to her.” She did try a citronella spray collar when to stop the barking however felt incredible guilt. “It killed me to do such a thing,” she said.
Julie was very anxious about hiring me as well as trusting somebody to care for Scruffy. She would likely leave her video cam on when I was there.
We pertained to the contract that I would walk Scruffy everyday starting the next day.
That never happened.
I got about 20 text messages from Julie over the next 12 hours with different questions. would I provide Scruffy water? would I be cautious not to let her run out the front door? would I be walking any type of “aggressive breeds”?
Oh, fiú.
Unfortunately I had to “fire” that customer. My services as well as mindset towards dogs were not a great in shape for her.
I best regards hope the pet dog is doing much better these days, however I question it.
Hopefully this example will assist a few others think about their own behavior.
I do understand my pet dog experiences stress and anxiety whenever I am feeling anxious, as well as I can assist him by staying calm. That is nearly always my goal.
If it seems like your dog’s separation stress and anxiety won’t stop, think about your own emotions as well as feelings not only when you have to leave your pet dog however whenever you are around your dog. It will go a long way.
Does your pet dog have separation anxiety? exactly how have you contributed to your dog’s anxiety?