Suppose you opened your front door to pick up your newspaper, and your darling dog slipped out and ran down the street?
Do you sigh, go back into the house, shut the door, read the paper, and take a nap for the rest of the day?
I don’t think so.
Now, trade places with your dog in that same scenario. This time, its YOU dashing from the house, and the dog is the one left behind.
Is it any wonder that some dogs have separation anxiety? Our dogs panic when we leave, just as we would given the same circumstances. There are just different degrees of stress – see Don’t Leave Me! Part One.
Dogs get their cues from us about how to behave when we’re not there with them. Dogs with top-of-the-charts separation anxiety often have owners that unknowingly foster anxious reactions to leave-taking.
If your dog is on the high end of the Anxiety Scale, here is a list of the things you are probably doing, and what you should do instead:
Before you leave, you….
Play with your dog and give her lots of cuddle time, because she’ll go the whole day without seeing you.
Instead, you should….
Ignore your dog for 15 minutes, so leaving is a non-event and she won’t miss you as much.
When you leave, you give your dog….
Her favorite toy and a treat.
Instead, give her….
A puzzle toy like a Kong, Buster Cube or Tug-a-Jug, to keep her busy and entertained for a longer period of time.
As you are leaving, you say…
“Be a good girl, Molly. Mommy will be home soon. I love you. See you later.”
Instead, say…..
Absolutely nothing. Walk out without saying a thing.
Whe
n you come home, you…
Greet your dog with all the love and kisses you both want so badly.
Instead, you should…..
Wait until your dog calms down before greeting her.
Some other things you might be doing that make your dog anxious, such as always giving her the same cues that you are leaving (like picking up your keys or turning off the lights) and having her on your lap whenever you sit down, only make it more challenging for her to separate from you when you leave. Start changing your routine, and help her understand she doesn’t have to be glued to you when you are home.
For more tips on helping your dog overcome separation anxiety, see the Humane Society of the United State’s article on the topic.
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