Although most of us may prefer to stay at home with our beloved pets, it is necessary to leave home. Whether it’s going to work, shopping at the grocery store, or just socializing, one day your dog must stay at home alone.
Separation anxiety is very common in dogs, which makes it difficult to leave them.
Fortunately, there are many solutions. In this article, we will study ways to keep your dog calm and relaxed when you leave home.
Signs of dog stress
Before researching solutions, it is necessary to understand the main signs of stress in dogs. After all, you might think your dog is good because they won’t bounce off the wall or cry when you are out.
The most obvious signs of stress in dogs include:
- Barking and complaining
- Pacing
- shake
- Accident at home
- Ears on the head
- The tail is sandwiched between the legs
- Conceal or deliberately obstruct
Most of them are easy to spot, especially if your dog is otherwise friendly and lively. More subtle signs of stress include panting and scratching yourself.
If left untreated, dog stress can lead to weight loss, loss of appetite, shedding, and aggressive behavior.
You may already think your dog is stressed. When leaving home, the dog’s stress and anxiety become very obvious.
How to deal with separation stress
Before trying to solve the problem, it is worth researching why your dog feels stressed when you leave the house.
For most dogs, the bottom line is that they don’t know when (or if) you will come back. Since we cannot explain that we were only away for a short time, it is understandable that they may think they have been abandoned.
Does your dog have a lot of experience of being alone? If not, training is the most obvious solution. However, if you have had them for a while and this has been a problem, then you may want to consider other solutions.
Separation anxiety can also be triggered by traumatic experiences, such as going to a boarding kennel. This is a common problem with rescue dogs, especially those that are not well treated.
So, if the problem is not too serious, here are some options to keep your dog calm when you leave the house.
Build its tolerance
The most obvious solution is training. Just leave the house for a few minutes and then return. Don’t make a fuss about the dogs; pet them and say hello.
Gradually increase the length of time you leave the house. In the first week or so, just leave through the front door and stay outside. Then, when you build it, you can actually start going somewhere.
If you have to go to work, this may not be the easiest solution, but a common problem with separation anxiety is that the dog is thrown deep. From constant contact with people to being alone for 8 hours can be very shocking.
The purpose of establishing separation time is to make it clear that you will come back no matter how long you go out.
Create signal words
Another useful hint is to give your dog a signal word that you are leaving, indicating that you will go home. It’s like training them to sit or stay, it just associates the movement with the noise so they know how to react.
As with the training command, it should be short and spoken every time. Something like “goodbye” or “2 minutes” is ideal.
Make the process look small
Don’t make a fuss about your dog when you go out. Use a word as suggested above and leave.
The same is true when you go home. Come in, say hello, and give it a few minutes before touching them.
This should help them realize that it’s really no big deal for you to leave home. Consider adding it to the tolerance routine suggested above.
Create a safe space
Again, this applies to the idea of conditioned reflex. By creating a peaceful space, which is where they leave every time, you are teaching the dog a routine. This helps prevent stress because they know what to expect.
The best option is a room that can be isolated from the rest of the house. It should have windows, a place for them to sleep, and a water bowl. Of course, interactive toys will also help.
Ideally, use a room that does not face the front door. This should prevent the stressful behavior of sitting by the window and waiting. If your dog is basically cut off from your front door, they should continue to do things.
The jury is still inconclusive on whether the crate is suitable. Although some people think that crate is a bit cruel, it is not. A suitable crate should always be large enough for the dog to stand and lie down easily. There should also be room for a bowl of water.
With some training, most dogs will be very happy in the cage. However, this may not be ideal for separation anxiety. This is because a stressed dog may try to escape the crate and hurt itself.
Leave some clothes
Clothes that smell like you can calm the dog very well. Consider leaving an old T-shirt on their bed. Ideally, it should be unwashed, so it smells like you instead of washing powder.
This is a very simple technique that will not prevent separation anxiety, but at least it will give the dog a familiar smell to calm it down.
in conclusion
It takes patience and training to keep your dog calm when you leave home. The more obvious routines you establish when you go out, the better your dog should cope.
Of course, if separation anxiety is still a problem, please consult your veterinarian to see if they have any solutions.
