Tips to Deal With Separation Anxiety In Pets

We have all heard the stories of dogs who destroy the house when you leave them alone. They will chew the couch, bed, and basically anything that they can. People try to crate them and they find a way to destroy that too! Then, they get out and destroy the house all over again.

That is separation anxiety, though it comes in many levels. Some dogs just get anxious, while others spend the entire time that they are left alone barking. Others take their anxiety and stress out on your furniture!

Fortunately, you don't have to come home to a mess every time that you have somewhere to go. Here are some tips for dealing with separation anxiety.

Have a schedule.

Just like people and children do better with a routine, pets do too. If you have been off all summer (or through the pandemic), you are going to have to get your pets used to you leaving all over again. You may want to slowly adjust the times that you get up and go to bed until they are where they will be when you go back to work. You may need to adjust mealtimes, as well as playtime so that your pet can start to adjust to his or her new schedule.

Start to leave your pet alone.

If your pet is hardly ever alone, you are going to need to start leaving him or her alone. Gradually, you can increase the time that you are gone, until your pet is ready for you to go away for hours at a time.

If that makes your pet panic, you may need to start even slower.

If the act of you leaving stresses your pet out, you may need to get him or her used to that. If you pick up your keys and put on your shoes, and you notice that your pet is already wound up, you may need to get him or her used to those things.

Pick your keys up and put on your shoes, but don't leave. You may have to do this multiple times a day until your pet doesn't care anymore. Then, start doing that and leave. Only leave for a few minutes and come right back. This will show your pet that you aren't leaving him or her. Gradually, you can start leaving for longer periods of time. Eventually, he or she won't be bothered that you are leaving, because he or she knows that you always come back!

Make exercise an important part of your pet's day.

Though we all know that regular exercise is important, it is even more important for those with separation anxiety. A good run and play will tire your pet out before you leave for the day. He or she is more likely to take a nap while you are away, because you already wore him or her out!

When you do come home to a mess, you can't yell.

No matter how mad you are at your pet, yelling will not help at all. You should also avoid greeting your dog enthusiastically. Instead, ignore your dog for the first few minutes that you get home until he or she settles down. You don't want your dog jumping all over you in excitement. Wait until you sit and so does he or she. Then, you can pet your dog. Your dog will quickly learn that, as soon as he or she settles down, you will give him or her attention!

Having a dog or cat that suffers from separation anxiety can be horrible. You could end up going through a few pieces of furniture while trying to break him or her of the habit. Having a good routine and desensitizing him or her can really go a long way. So, can ignoring your pet when you do come home. He or she will quickly learn that the best way to get your attention is to calmly come to you.

Previously published on Medium.