Is leaving the house a stressful event for you and your dog? We've been there and it's not a nice experience. Some dogs become agitated, anxious or depressed when their owners leave the house. Often the cause of this is separation anxiety.
Common behaviours associated with separation anxiety include:
- Barking and howling
- Chewing, digging or destructive behaviours
- Pacing
- Trembling
- Panting
- Drooling
- Urinating/defecating
Fortunately there are a number of top tips to help your pet overcome separation anxiety.
- Ensure your dog has had sufficient exercise and mental stimulation before you leave.
- Encourage your dog not to be too reliant on your attention when you are at home.
- Use counterconditioning to develop an association between being alone and good experiences like delicious food. To develop this kind of association you can offer your dog a puzzle toy stuffed with healthy treats. Start with very short departures and build up over time. Superbites are the ideal treats to use for training as they are low calorie and are packed with probiotics to support a healthy tummy.
