How to train separation anxiety out of a dog

[GrantRobertson]

You can train that out of a dog. I've seen a couple of chapters about it in for training books.

People don't realize it, but most "unfortunate" for behavior has actually been accidentally trained into our dogs.

Start, by ignoring your dog when you get home until it settles down, and then only calmly pet it rather than act all excited. Can't remember the rest.

 

[Jim Plow]

 

People don't realize it, but most "unfortunate" for behavior has actually been accidentally trained into our dogs.

Start, by ignoring your dog when you get home until she settles down, and then only calmly pet it rather than act all excited. Can't remember the rest.

Guilty as charged.

 when I get home from work she comes unglued.

 We play, she barks, runs around and tries to give me a dog licking sponge bath.

I hate to think that's ultimately a bad thing. shur beets coming home to an empty house.

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[highdesertranger]

what I have found in what stops bad behavior is to give your dog all the exercise they want. in other words wear them out. in my experience they will forget about doing bad things. on second thought this works on people too, at least on me. highdesertranger

 

[GypsyDogs]

I use the calm return method as well.

I also like to couple it with food-filled 'puzzle toys' at departure.
A handful of kibble or a couple 'cookies' in a toy that they have to then work at getting it out of.. given when you leave. Seems to distract them about your departure AND 'rewards' them for you leaving. win/win.

toys that are generally no-supervision-required are best.
such as:
http://www.kongcompany.com/products/for-dogs/interactive/genius/genius-leo/
or
http://starmarkacademy.com/products/treat-dispensing-chew-ball/

 

[GrantRobertson]

I also like to couple it with food-filled 'puzzle toys' at departure.
A handful of kibble or a couple 'cookies' in a toy that they have to then work at getting it out of.. given when you leave. Seems to distract them about your departure AND 'rewards' them for you leaving. win/win.

Now that you mention it, that is exactly what me and my last ex used to do with our dog. It worked wonders. It got to where he would look forward to us leaving. He loved that thing. He was very good motivated.

 

[Jim Plow]

 

I also like to couple it with food-filled 'puzzle toys' at departure. 

Hmmm? I'll need to give that a try.
As long as I still get my dog licking sponge bath when I get home.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

One of the joys of having a dog is his excitement at my homecoming!  I don't want to take that away from either of us.

I have spent significant coin with two different trainers to try to unlearn Simon's anxiety.  Consensus is that since he was abandoned as a puppy, he will never be comfortable with me leaving (I was his third home by the time he was 1+).  I can give him his favorite treat just before I walk out the door and it will sit there until I get back, he won't touch it; very impressive for a Beagle.

HDR: ever try to wear out a Beagle?  Only time I was successful was on a week long backpacking trip at high altitude.  9 - 12 miles/day at 7,000 - 11,000 ft.  He had to carry his own food in saddlebags (3.5 lbs for a 32 lb dog).  Paid for it later.  At lower altitude I couldn't keep him still.

-- Spiff

 

[Ella1]

Please watch those toys and kongs etc carefully. They do deteriorate, they do get bitten apart, they do get swallowed. They can cause tremendous pain and even death if they are swallowed. They may or not be seen on various x-rays, mris, ultrasounds, etc.
DO be careful with them. Same with leather type chewys. google those for more information.

 

[Gary68]

dont pet it,give it toys or food,ignore it until it mellows to a state you are happy with then reward it,it wont take long until it figures out that when it's spinning it gets ignored and when it's mellow it gets reward

if your dog is in bullet mode and you are petting it and giving it toys then thats what it thinks you want it to be

 

[GypsyDogs]

Yep- you reward the behaviors you want repeated.
And ignore the ones you don't want repeated.

When I come home, my 2 (HighEnergy) dogs are glad to see me, but they calmly follow me and wait for me to put my things down and take a breath before they give me wiggly-puppy-butt. It is nice to have a loving and calm greeting at the door, and not a dog that is losing it's mind and screaming with energy. Teaches them a bit of self control.

 

[akrvbob]

One of the things I've decided is that whatever is bad for my dog is bad for me. If it's bad for him to be at home alone for 8 hours, it's equally bad for me to be at work for 8 hours.

I've built my entire life around making my dog happy. As a side benefit, it has made me incredibly happy.

I know it's horribly simplistic to say quit your job, move in a van and both of you will be free and happy. But there are steps you can take now that will move you toward.

After a year or two of living in a van I was able to quit working 40 hours a week and worked 32 until I retired. Every week was a holiday week, that made the last few years of work bearable for me.

Stop buying crap, sell everything you can, move into a van and maybe you can work less and you and your dog will both be happier? Take your dog camping on that extra day off and hike and swim and be in nature. I guarantee you will both be happier!

I know many of you can't do that today, but today you can start to take steps to make it happen in the future.

Most of us don't care enough about ourselves to take the risk, so do it for your dogs well-being, and you will get all the benefits as well.
Bob