Separation – 1) Developing Independence In Dogs

How to avoid separation anxiety in dogs.

We expect a lot from puppies and often leave them alone, even for short periods of time, before they are ready. This is a recipe for separation anxiety, also known as isolation distress, which is notoriously difficult to cure.

Prevention is easier than cure.

The longer you spend with your pup when he’s young, the less likely he is to suffer from separation anxiety when he’s older. This is because with security comes confidence; the confidence to explore the world and develop independence.

If your pup doesn’t chose to spend time away from you in the house, then he’s certainly not ready to be left alone, even for short periods of time.

If you’ve already started leaving your pup alone, I’d encourage you to invest in a webcam to ensure that the pup isn’t already suffering from separation anxiety. The pup will be likely to bark, howl, whine, toilet inside and become destructive if they are stressed.

Puppies are at particular risk of developing separation anxiety as they haven’t yet developed independence. Fearful dogs are also at high risk, as dogs that haven’t been given adequate time to toilet before being left, and dogs that do a lot of fast physical exercise immediately before being left or are left so long that they get bored.

Categories: : Separation Anxiety