Providing your dog with the right kind of enrichment and mental engagement is hugely important for setting them up for separation anxiety training success.
Boredom, Frustration or (separation) Anxiety - what is it??
Should you get a second go to help your dog overcome separation anxiety?
Well…firstly, you can never have enough dogs, obviously….in my opinion.
But on a more serious note; it depends, of course, but usually it actually won’t help and here are a couple of things to consider:
Your dog’s anxiety comes from being separated from you, the human, not just from being home alone. So while another dog might make your dog less lonely, it’s not likely to cure your dog’s anxiety when you’re away.
Also your current dog’s anxiety when you are not around may rub off on your second dog and then you have a double-trouble kind of situation.
So, I’m definitely all for getting a second, third, fourth dog, but do it for the right reasons, prepare yourself accordingly and enjoy your furry family.
Why is my dog ok alone in the car, but not at home??
The most likely explanation might just be that you were much more careful about leaving your puppy alone in the car, than about leaving them at home.
You’ve probably started with quickly getting petrol, while your pup waited for you in the car. With you in view, just a few moments, all felt safe for your little friend. Then a quick dash into a shop here and there, leaving it a little longer every time.
So they’ve gradually got used to being in the car on their own. And there have never been any scary absences.
It’s a predictable and therefore a safe routine for them.
And here’s the great news; if your dog got used to being alone in the car via using the method of gradual exposure, the same method we are using to get them to be ok with being home alone, they can also learn just that 💪❤️🐕
Easing back into separation anxiety training post Christmas holidays
The holiday season is a time of joy, festivities, and quality time spent with loved ones, including our beloved furry friends. However, as the decorations come down and the routines return to normal, some dogs may struggle with separation related issues, especially if they've grown accustomed to constant company during the festive season.
You may have been making great progress with your dog's separation anxiety training prior to the holidays and now find yourself back to square one, or you may find that your dog, who’s never struggled with being home alone before, suddenly changed his/ her mind.
Here's a guide on how to help your canine companion ease back into separation anxiety training post-Christmas holidays.
Six Tips for....
Loving Miss Daisy
I've just received a wonderful review from a client who I've been working with on separation distress (for their rescue hound mix Daisy, isn't she the cutest).
We've been working together for a while, months! As that is what it (mostly) takes to help a dog over separation related issues (commonly known as 'separation anxiety').
We went from helping her to get over initial departure triggers (I.e. the human putting on shoes or a coat - slowly changing her association from panicked to relaxed) to slowly building up duration of absences (3mins, 5mins, slowly slowly is most often the key to success, teaching the dog a routine that surrounds the human coming back).
Daisy happily copes with 90 minutes now, sometimes even longer. Any longer is still difficult for her though so we are taking it back to baby steps, to help her over that hurdle gently.
Also, she went from hating long car journeys to breezily traveling along now. And from pulling like a truck on the lead to happily bouncing alongside her humans. All down to her humans' effort and care, being patient and understanding and just so so wonderful with her.
I do love my job!
Go Daisy!