How to Deal With Puppy Separation Anxiety

Separation Anxiety is a concern with several young pups and should be addressed as soon as possible. The pet begins his life in the safe environment with his mother, brothers and sisters. Once he is removed from this safety to a different house and new people, he is of course going to be distressed and anxious each time he is left alone. This may take the form of barking or chewing furniture or simply crying and whimpering. However it is displayed it is not pleasant for either you or your dog, and if he is very noisy then you may have difficult neighbours to deal with too.

Don't Delay - Act Now

Knowing the source of dog separation anxiety will not cure it! If a pup cries or barks whilst he is left, it is wrong to believe he will simply grow out of it. He won’t! If you don't take steps and do something about it, it will become a habit long after the origin of the anxiety has disappeared. As the puppy gets older it will become increasingly difficult to stop the dog displaying this behaviour. Training should be undertaken slowly, if dog separation anxiety is to be addressed.

Feed your pet as normal and allow him to potty outside. Enjoy a little fun together and play with him for a while, so that he is relaxed and happy, before shutting the door and leaving him alone for roughly half an hour. Leaving a radio on so that the room is not absolutely silent is a good idea, and may ease the separation anxiety felt by your pet.

When you return, go into the room without making any fuss. Walk around the room but pay no attention to the dog. Ideally proceed with the type of routine you would ordinarily follow in the room – reading a magazine, preparing a meal, doing some house work. It is important that you do not make eye contact with the puppy or talk to him.

After about five minutes, start to play with the pup talking to him but not making an excessive fuss. The play period should last for roughly 10 minutes at which time you will go out of the room again, this time for a little longer.

Consistency is the answer to dealing with separation anxiety.

Again when going back into to the room, ignore the pup for five minutes or so and then play with him again for ten minutes. Repeat this every day, gradually increasing the time that you leave him alone, until you can leave the pup for a long period without any separation anxiety.

This training reflects the behaviour of the wild, as described in Puppy Obedience Training Basics, when the dominant pair remain aloof and would pay no attention to the rest of the pack until they were ready for contact. Your puppy will instinctively respond to this behavior, as it is in effect, hard-wired into his system. With persistence and practice, your puppy will soon be contented and established in his new home without showing any separation anxiety.