German Shepherd Separation Anxiety
One of the most common problems that the average pet owner has is dog stress and anxiety. At the low end, anxiety can be annoying, causing your pet to bark whenever you go out. However, if it’s allowed to advance, your dog might start destroying your home, making messes, or barking incessantly for hours whenever you leave.
The Sources of German Shepherd Separation Anxiety
Dogs are pack animals. They think an immediate attachment to their masters so when you leave the home, they’ll grow agitated. However, the majority of the anxiety they feel is a result of the attachment of specific actions you are taking to your absence. While a dog isn’t keen on whenever you leave, there isn’t any direct reason they should grow so agitated.
It happens because you give them attention pre and post you depart or you feel the same routine every morning. Their behaviours are reinforced on a daily basis and the result is a dog that cannot control his anxious feelings when you leave the house.
Reducing German Shepherd Separation Anxiety
There are lots of methods to lessen the anxiety your pet feels when you go out. Here are a few of the easiest methods.
Change Your Routine – Start by changing your morning routine. In case your dog starts acting strange the moment your alarm clock chimes, they’ve tagged that sound to the process of you leaving the house. Get up at different times, get dressed earlier, take your keys down before leaving and wait for a while. Little variations will reduce pre-leaving anxiety.
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Don’t Reinforce It – Whenever you pet your pet before leaving or lavish them with attention when you get home, you’re only reinforcing the behaviour. The easiest way to lessen German Shepherd Separation Anxiety would be to take away the association between you’re comings and goings as well as their attention. Ignore your dog for 10-15 minutes when you get home, don’t pet them whenever you leave and stop giving in once they make sad noises. This can be practiced with crate training or putting them in a separate room within your house then leaving and returning in intervals.
Building Up to Longer Times – In case your dog grows anxious the moment you walk out the door, start working on leaving the house for shorter amounts of time. Leave for a couple seconds after which come back. Dog separation anxiety can be treated by changing your German Shepherd’s expectations how long you will be gone and when you’ll return. If they help you are returning every time, you can stretch out how long you are able to leave every time.
You aren’t Being Mean
Lots of people feel that the solutions to anxiety are cruel to the dog. The truth is, you’re helping your dog to relax and realize that you are not only returning home but that you’re in charge of the domain and there’s no grounds for them to feel that anxiety. Reduced German Shepherd Separation Anxiety is good for their health – both both mental and physical.
In case your German Shepherd has prolonged, severe anxiety problems, you should address it right away. Even if your dog merely gets upset and destroy anything whenever you leave, you can greatly reduce their feelings of abandonment should you help them learn not to associate your comings and goings using the pack order and their survival.