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.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Prevent-Dog-and-Puppy-Separation-Anxiety&id=9305973

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