Are you making these common mistakes in your dog’s separation anxiety training?

The principles of separation anxiety training with your dog and the concept of gradually exposing your dog to time alone sounds pretty simple, but the process is actually not as simple as it sounds. I have listed below five common mistakes dog owners make whilst trying to gradually desensitise their dog to time alone.

·       Leaving your dog for longer than they can cope with – Whilst you are gradually desensitising your dog to time alone it is essential to suspend all absences outside of training. This means your dog will not be left longer than they can cope with.

·       Starting training at a level that is too difficult for your dog – Many owners are surprised to discover that their dog begins to show signs that they are uncomfortable much sooner than they anticipated, with many dogs becoming anxious while their owner prepares to leave the home. For this reason, it is essential that you carry out a thorough assessment of your dogs’ capabilities before formulating a training plan. For many dogs with separation anxiety the training process begins with the process of gradually desensitising the dog to movement towards the door, and opening and closing the door before progressing to departure training.

·       Missing subtle signs that your dog is becoming anxious – Most dog owners are aware of the more obvious signs that a dog is not coping alone. Behaviours that are considered more obvious may include; barking, howling, destructive behaviour and toileting in the home. Before a dog reaches these more extreme behaviours, they often display more subtle signs that they are not coping. Subtle signs that your dog is feeling anxious include; pacing, excessive lip licking, drooling and pinned back ears.

·       Progressing too quickly – It is essential to work at your dog’s pace when it comes to separation anxiety training. Increasing the duration, you expect your dog to be alone before they are ready risks exposing them to time alone that they can not cope with.

·       Including pre departure cues in your training before your dog is ready – In the early stages of separation anxiety training it is recommended that you avoid all pre departure cues that your dog finds triggering. Pre departure cues include things like keys, shoes, coats and bags. Pre departure cues indicate to your dog that they are about to be left alone. Your dog is not scared of your keys or your shoes, but are instead triggered by the association that they have between your keys or shoes and their fear of being left. By eliminating pre departure cues initially we can focus on building up your dog’s confidence with you outside the home, and once your dog has a more positive association with being alone you can begin to gradually reintroduce pre departure cues.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the training process, and are in need of additional support when it comes to teaching your dog to be confident and content alone, let me know via email: info.caninesac@gmail.com or through the contact form that can be found on my website.