surchinmy
Ultra ALPHA
Mar 5, 2004, 7:16 PM
Post #4 of 9
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Re: [May, jooann, ai_ney] Misbehaved when no one around
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Hi ... Your dog is 2+yrs old and "behaves badly" when people are not around ... "Separation Anxiety" is simply a name to describe a situation when the dog gets nervous, stressed or slightly concerned when the owners are not at home ... This can also happen when a dog is taken into a new environment ... Quite oftenm, dogs that are over coddled, spoilt or over manja-ed ... exhibit separation anxiety ... This is not to mean we cannot love, cuddle and pamper our dogs ... but we must show moderation ... be aware of the causes and solutions for separation anxiety. Separation Anxiety can exhibit itself in many different ways ... common symptoms are excessive chewing, barking ... and sometimes elimination in the wrong places ... and basically, the dog behaves in a manner we humans describe as "bad" ... The important thing for the owner to realise is that - reprimanding a dog with separation anxiety is likely to make the problem more severe, more difficult to handle and cause other issues ... the solution is patience, training and reducing stress due to separation ... Ways to help reduce separation anxiety ... Suggestions: (A) Remove as much as possible the "bad" behaviour ... For example: Keep dog away from carpets and safely confine the dog within a reasonable area where no "damage" can be done & with reasonable area for elimination ... Put away anything that can be chewed, shoes, bags ...etc Remember don't confine your dog by using a choke chain ... don't confine your dog in a manner where the dog is required to pee & poop where he is sleeping ... (B) The owner must exhibit calmness when leaving the dog and when arriving home ... do not over-stress the dog by excessive or over exhuberent good-byes and hellos ... the idea is to try create a situation where leaving and returning home are basically normal non-events ... The idea is to teach the dog that you leaving is nothing to be concerned about ... (C) Leave the dog with sufficient toys and chews to help pass the time ... An old T-shirt with the owner's scent is a good addition to the dog's bedding ... (D) Make sure your dog gets plenty of play and exercise ... dogs without sufficient outlet for their energy can get naughty ... (E) In your case, where the dog seems to be elimination in wrong places ... reinforce housetraining rules ... For example: When your dog eliminates in the correct place ... don't just ignore that good behaviour ... BUT PRAISE & TREAT generously (this is one time, you can go extra with the praise) ... and basically strongly ground the correct behaviour for elimination ... (F) Check the internet for more suggestions, get a good training manual that has a chapter on separation anxiety ... speak to other experienced dog people ... try posting jooann & ai_ney ... they both seem to have handled the situation of separation anxiety quite effectively ... Check the following thread ... http://www.puppy.com.my/...on%20anxiety;#109415 Cheers ... PS ... From your post - my suspicion (guessing only) is that your dog may be spoilt ... ... and has difficulty dealing with being alone in the house and her antics stem from that ... But remember in cases of over-pampering resulting in separation anxiety ... reprimand does not usually solve the problem ... but consistent & effective conditioning and training will ...
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