How to Prevent Dog & Puppy Separation Anxiety

There is an alarming number of dogs that suffer from separation anxiety, statistics show up to 14% is possible in the dog population. Not many dog owners understand what this condition is and when they try and fix the problem, they fall short because they have a different viewpoint to the cause and problem. The solution is quite simple on how to help a puppy with separation anxiety or a dog of any age. Establish that you are the pack leader and your dog will no longer be burdened with anxiety. Let me elaborate.

The first step in treating anxiety in your dog is to familiarise yourself with the behavior your dog is presently showing and if the behavior dissipates when you return? If this is the case, I can guarantee that not being present with your dog is directly linked to the cause. Now to look at the key puppy separation anxiety symptoms.

Chewing - Similar to when humans do it with gum, this releases endorphins (a chemical in the brain that makes you experience pleasure) that provide a calming sensation.

Excessive Barking, whining - This is what dogs use when they are trying to call their owners back to the pack, an example of this in a family would be if you were to call your children if you don't know they're whereabouts.

Escaping when you are not there - Often very destructive, extreme and sometimes dangerous. Your dog is looking for you. So many people are told to try and exercise the problem out of their dog but it will not solve the problem

Pulling the Houdini Act of Escaping when you're not home - Your dog is searching for you, this can often result in very destructive, extreme and sometimes dangerous behavior on behalf of the dog.

Digging, destruction - This is typical of a dog who is presenting stressful and anxious behavior

Self-harming - Chewing on themselves, licking excessively or drooling is a sign of stress and can be confused with medical conditions but are all related back to the dog being under immense stress.

Toileting - If you notice that your dog is toileting inside when normally they don't and you suspect it's a behavioral problem it's more than likely the case. If this only happens when you're away from your dog then this can be seen as key puppy separation anxiety signs.

Whilst there are lots of places that you can find advice on how to treat all these symptoms there is only one way to treat the cause of the problem. If you are serious about how to stop separation anxiety then you must become the pack leader.

There are many different sources of information on treating this condition but if you are serious about putting a stop to separation anxiety then you must become the pack leader.

The main cause for separation anxiety in puppies and dogs is they think they themselves are the pack leader and whenever you leave the house it's a member of their pack leaving! In the wild dogs tend to keep grouped together and will always make sure they are close by to each other. When you leave the house your dog's anxiety will return, however, if you establish yourself as the pack leader you will find your dog is completely calm and fine with you coming and going as you please.

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5 Common Signs of Dog Separation Anxiety To Watch Out For

If you notice that your pet dog has been acting up lately and you don't know why, he may be experiencing separation anxiety which is a common issue in canines. It is when they feel stressed when left alone resulting in negative behavior. Any dog parent or pet owner should be able to tell the difference between a dog being sad when their owner leaves the house and the more serious separation anxiety. Knowing the symptoms will be a great deal of help to fight the issue or even prevent it.

Here are 5 common signs of dog separation anxiety that should be observed:

Barking

Barking or whining (or both) is the most common sign of separation anxiety in dogs. They would usually start this behavior once their owner leaves and won't stop until they return. The barking is a cry for their owner to come back to the pack.

Chewing

While dogs naturally love to chew on just about anything, excessive and destructive chewing is a separation anxiety symptom. This behavior in canines is similar to when humans chew gum in order to stay calm.

Digging

When a dog is stressed, one usual behavior would be digging. This is usually accompanied by general destruction so if you find that one of your shoes have been chewed on, papers in your house are scattered and played with and other similar scenarios while you were gone, you should start observing your pet, especially if it is accompanied by digging.

Drooling

While almost all dogs drool, it can be a sign of stress when excessive. It is hard to tell whether excessive drooling is medical related or due to the stress of separation anxiety, so try to be more observant. If your pet has this issue all of a sudden and you're not sure of the cause, it is best to consult with your veterinarian.

Peeing and Pooping

Another common sign of dog separation anxiety is urinating or pooping inside the house, especially if your pet is potty trained or knows how to do his business outside. If this happens only when you are away, it means that your pet is indeed stressed.

Separation anxiety in dogs is a serious condition. Canines are naturally loyal and loving and it makes them sad when they are away from you which they see as the leader of their pack. Watch out for these signs to help fight the issue!

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Is It Important to Exercise Your Dog?

If you have a healthy body, you have a healthy mind. And this applies to animals as well. Your puppy will also enjoy doing exercise on a regular basis. As a matter of fact, exercise is good for dogs as well no matter if it is an old or young dog. All you have to do is choose an exercise plan that will be ideal for your pet and its fitness level. Let's know more about how important it is to exercise your dog.

Health and behavioral issues

If your dog doesn't get enough exercise, it may develop health and behavioral issues. For instance, it may gain too much weight or get diseases, such as arthritis. Apart from this, lack of exercise may result in frustration and boredom. Your pet may make an attempt to express these problems through odd behavior like aggression. It may do too much of barking, escaping or digging.

If you don't let your dog exercise, it may not be able to burn excess energy. As a result, it may become aggressive. Apart from this, boredom may cause your dog to chew whatever he finds in your house.

Regular exercise

If you want to make sure your dog leads a life full of happiness, take it out for exercise on a regular basis. It helps a lot to take your dog out for walks every morning. It will benefit your dog as well as you.

Most of dogs have a great time walking outdoors and do some exploring. It's a good idea to walk it 2-3 miles per day. You may want to increase the walk distance gradually based on the fitness level of your dog. As a matter of fact, walking will enable your pet to adapt to new situations and get more socialized.

Types of exercises

If you are active, you and your dog can go out and jog together. Even if you are cycling, your dog can jog along. However, make sure you do this only if your pet is physically fit. It may not be able to do vigorous exercise.

Another great exercise is swimming that you can do with your pet dog. After a bit of practice, most dogs love swimming. Since dogs have this natural ability to swim, they will learn faster. But if you are worried that your dog can get hurt while swimming, you can buy it a special life jacket.

Games

Almost all dogs love the game of fetch. As a matter of fact, this is a great game of exercising your dog. Your dog will love to chase a ball, stick or Frisbee. Aside from this game, tug of war is also a great activity that your dog will enjoy getting involved in. for instance, you can use a rope, old towel or chew toy for playing this game with your pet.

So, these are a few things that can help you understand how important it is for you to take your dog out for daily exercise. You can follow the tips given in this article to help your dog get the exercise it needs on a regular basis.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-It-Important-to-Exercise-Your-Dog?&id=9804327

Tips To Keep Your Dog Inside The Fence

I have received this question many times and I want to share with you how I suggest these dog owners solve the problem. Quite often I get that call telling me that a dog owner has a problem because their dog is either jumping over, digging under or in some other way getting out of their fenced yard.

These people want me to train their dog to quit doing that, however there is one huge problem. The dog has already learned this behavior and it is really difficult to unlearn something that is so much fun and offers so much excitement and freedom. So what are these dog owners to do with this dog? Hang on because I am going to give you the easy fix and it always works.

But before I do I want to tell you how dangerous it is for a dog when it has developed this bad habit. A bunch of bad things can happen to your dog when it get out of the safety of your fenced yard.

The first and most obvious problem is that you dog can be run over by a car. This unfortunately happens all the time and it is so senseless if you will just take a few simple precautions.

The next possibility is that your dog wanders a little too far and then is unable to find its way home. Yes dogs can travel great distances to areas that they are unfamiliar with and then they are lost forever.

Another possibility if you have a cute little dog or a gorgeous big friendly dog is that somebody grabs your dog and takes it home. Some dog lovers will try to find the owners however there are those people that will fall in love with your dog and decide to keep it as their own.

Underground Electric Fence

So you are saying about now, "tell me how to keep it from happening". The answer is an UNDERGROUND FENCE system. I don't mean for you to spend a bunch of money to have one installed, you can do it yourself easily because you are not going to bury the wire (that is the hard part normally).

Go to one of the big box pet stores or better yet look on Amazon for a fence system at the best price. Instead of burying the wire you are going to staple it to your existing wood fence or weave it in and out of your metal or wire fence. Follow the instructions for an installation and the train your dog to the fence using the instructions and the flags that are included.

There it is, easy as can be and not very expensive. Your dog is an important part of your family don't take any chances when it comes to its safety.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Tips-To-Keep-Your-Dog-Inside-The-Fence&id=8991560

Separation Anxiety In Dogs Revealed

A very common complaint amongst dog owners is that their dogs get into trouble when they are gone. They will become destructive by chewing things around them, going potty where they shouldn't, or try and escape.

If your dog starts drooling or showing signs of distress when you are about to leave your home, these are not symptoms that your dog has not been house trained, or doesn't know which toys are his for chewing. These are symptoms that your dog suffers from separation anxiety and are triggered when your dog becomes separated from their owners and gets upset.

Separation anxiety in dogs can cause them to try and escape. This means they will try and get out of the room they are in, which can cause injury and or household destruction, especially with windows and doors. If you see your dog getting agitated or anxious before you leave, or even depressed before you go, your dog suffers from separation anxiety and sometimes will try and prevent their guardians from leaving.

Another tell tale sign of this issue in dogs is that they begin barking or displaying other distress signs shortly after you leave, and when you come home it seems like it has been years since your dog last saw you. Here are some of the common symptoms of separation anxiety in dogs.

Chewing, digging or destruction is a very good sign that your dog suffers from separation anxiety, and they can hurt themselves in the process. They can chew on door frames and window sills, and dig at doorways. The damage they obtain from this behavior is broken teeth, damaged nails and scraped paws.

Barking and howling are more of these symptoms. They bark or howl when left alone and they will be persistent when doing this. Another symptom of dog anxiety is when a dog trots along a specific path in a fixed pattern when left alone. The pattern can be in a circle or a straight line. You will know that this behavior is anxiety if your dog does not do it in your presence.

There are a number of reasons why your dog may suffer from being separated from you, though there is no conclusive evidence why dogs develop this. The dogs that have been adopted from shelters seem to have separation anxiety more than dogs that have been raised by a single family since it was a puppy, which tends to make the loss of an important person or people in a dog's life can cause separation anxiety in them.

A change in their schedule, where they live or just plain boredom are causes of separation anxiety in dogs, so keep that in mind when drastically changing what they do and where they live.

You can treat mild separation anxiety in dogs by a technique called counterconditioning, which is a treatment process that changes the animal's aggressive, anxious or fearful reaction to being pleasant and relaxed. You can accomplish this by associating the sight of a disliked person or thing with something that the dog enjoys.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Separation-Anxiety-In-Dogs-Revealed&id=9402128