Seperation Anxiety sysmptoms are pretty easy to identify.

Your dog will normally pick up on when you are about to leave. He may hear your keys jingle-jangling, he may see you getting into your outdoor apparel, etc - and he will then become really anxious. He may follow you wherever you go - from room to room, whining, crying, and shaking. Some dogs may even become aggressive and try to stop their owners from leaving.

Then after you have left, your dog’s anxious behavior will really worsen and will usually peak within a half an hour. He may start to bark continuously, scratch and dig at the doors and windows, chew things that he isnt supposed to chew, and even go potty in the house.

Now when you come back home, he will be very excited, and will jump around you in a frenzy of delight. This drawn-out greeting can easily be misunderstood. Not recognizing that this greeting actually stands for the presence of seperation anxiety, a lot of owners will actually encourage their dog to get even more and more worked up upon their return.

If you are behaving this way with your dog, you should really end it. I know that its very tempting and easy to do, and even seems harmless, but you are just reinforcing his impression that your return is the high point of the day.

So he is as happy as can be when you come home, but when it’s time for you to go away again,his happiness at your presence is being threatened, and he gets even more unhappy when you step out that door.

Dog Training Tips

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There are several leading causes to seperation anxiety:

• Some dog breeds are more likely to undergo anxiety and insecurity, which is something you should think about when deciding which breed you are going to get - particularly if you are going to be gone for long periods of time. Some of these breeds include Boston Terriers, Springer Spaniels, Weimaraners, Airedales, and German Shepherds.
• Many dogs from shelters also develop separation anxiety. Most of the dogs that come from shelters went through substantial trauma in their lives and have been deserted by their previous owners. This gives them very little trust that their new owner isn’t going to do the same thing.
• Dogs that were separated from their mothers & siblings too early are also more likely to have separation anxiety. Puppies from pet stores are a perfect example of this. They are usually taken from their mothers well before the earliest possible age(eight weeks). They are then confined to a small glass box in the pet store for anywhere between a few weeks to two months. This early weaning, combined with the lack of exercise & affection while in the pet store is psychologically traumatic for the puppy.
• Neglect is the number one cause of sepration anxiety for dogs. If you are gone more than you are present in your dog’s life, separation anxiety is very likely. Your dog needs your company, attention, and affection to be happy and content.

Dog Training Tips

“What is Seperation Anxiety”?

Separation anxiety is a very common problem that many dogs face. Seperation anxiety is an anxiety disorder -  It is defined as a state of intense panic that is brought on when the dog is away from or seperated from their owner.

In other words… when you leave for work in the morning, your dog goes into a state of nervous anxiety which then get a lot worse very quickly.

Dogs are social animals. They need plenty of company and social interaction to keep them happy and content. No dog likes to be left alone for a long period of time, but some dogs handle it a lot worse than others. These dogs that don’t handle it well are the ones that are most likely to develop separation anxiety.

Dogs mainly chew things for 3 main reasons:

1. Most dogs just have a natural desire to chew. It’s fun for them, it passes the time, and it is a self-rewarding & self-reinforcing thing to do(an example would be if your dog is chewing on something that is tasty.
   
2. When your dog chews on something, it can provide a nervous, lonely, or bored dog with a way out for those feelings. To an anxious dog, the repetitive act of chewing is soothing – it is like the doggie equivalent of comfort food.
   
3. Dogs that do not get enough exercise will often use chewing as a way of burning up nervous energy and giving themselves something to do.

Read more Dog Training Tips, about why dogs chew, and how to stop “Destructive” Dog Chewing.