Pet Positive Blogcast
Written by Liz Fisher, CSAT, CPDT-KA
Destruction While Alone - Separation Anxiety or Something Else?
Dogs who are home alone sometimes destroy things. For example, pet parents may return home to find a ripped-up couch, a destroyed remote, the window sill chewed, or curtains ripped off the windows. This post explores some common misconceptions behind this behavior, and how they relate to possible separation anxiety.
Weather and Separation Anxiety Training
Weather is completely out of our control! But that doesn’t mean we can’t help our dogs learn how to feel better while alone during weather events. Learn about how to adjust to and account for weather during your separation anxiety training. Plus, get some ideas about how to help your dog feel calmer while alone and during weather events like storms, thunder, lightning, rain, and more!
Why did my dog start behaving this way?!?
Some dogs may seem to suddenly develop separation anxiety, reactivity, or other surprising and undesirable behaviors.
When deciding what training or management to use, consider possible causes of the behavior change.
Body or health changes, Changes to schedule or household dynamics, New or bad experiences, Age, or Unrecognized/Ignored body language communication could all be factors.
Music and Sound for Anxious Dogs
While music or sound will not solve your dog’s anxiety or separation anxiety on its own, it can be an amazing tool to help your training! However, learn to know what products for anxious dogs are good and which are no good. Do NOT use the RelaxoPet Pro as this product uses inappropriate and potentially dangerous high frequency sounds instead of only relaxing music.
Creative ways to “suspend absences” during separation anxiety training for dogs
In order to start a separation anxiety protocol for your dog(s) you first need to stop exposing them to the thing that is making them so upset - being alone. This looks different for every dog but these are my go-to recommendations.
Separation anxiety in multi-pet households
Having multiple dogs or multiple pets can make identifying and treating separation behavior issues feel a bit overwhelming… but it can be done! While you can just throw a camera up and see what happens when you are away, you should consider a few things. Let’s start with safety, confinement training, and whodunnit?