Whether you are experienced in owning and raising dogs or you are currently embarking on your first four-legged friend adventure, you will know very quickly that all dogs are different. Not in just the literal sense as in there are dozens of different breeds, but characteristic and personality wise. There are all types of dog personalities: friendly, hyper, skittish, angry, the list goes on. Every dog reacts differently to different things, does their own funny and quirky little tricks, and they all want love and affection so that they can feel happy in their life. Being able to read and understand your dog and what they’re seeking is the best way to have a great partnership and be proud of your pet.
There are numerous guides to housebreaking a puppy. Nearly every dog is capable of being trained to do their business outside and understand that that is where they are expected to go every time. Because dogs are such basic loving creatures, their minds operate strongly on repetition and routine. Breaking a dog is outlined by a specific routine that a dog understands and picks up on quickly; when the owner comes home and lets me out of the cage to go outside, that is when I will go to the bathroom. While your interaction with a dog may be very routine, sometimes your personal life and obligations may not be as routine and can result in your dog showing signs of franticness and stress. This is usually seen as signs of separation anxiety in and can often times be a lot more difficult to deal with.
While there is no surefire cure for separation anxiety in dogs, like there is medication and therapy treatment for humans, there are definitely some steps you can take to assure that you dog is able to relax and act appropriately both when you leave the house and when you come back. Here are some things to consider when you see your puppy or dog showing signs of distress upon your departure:
Leave Calmly
When you get riled up to leave the house it can often times excite the dog into believe they’re going too. They can grow accustomed to picking up on subtle things like grabbing your keys or putting on shoes and know what it inevitably means. Make sure you give your dog attention and acknowledgement of their presence up until you leave the house. It is also very important that if you are in the process of kennel training them to not get lazy and slack on locking them up. Whether you’re leaving for the day or just running down the street, make sure you put them in their cage and reward them with praise or a treat. This will form their relation between seeing you leave and knowing they are loved and rewarded when you go, thus making them less frantic to see you walk out the door.
Monitor Your Time Away
It’s very easy to get caught up on a Friday night when you’re out with friends and not keep an eye on the time. This tip is especially important for dog owners that live alone and have no one else around the house to let the dog out while they’re gone. Dogs can be fine in their cage for a few hours, but upwards of 7 hours on a dog is rough for them to hold their bladder and not begin to feel abandoned. Since dogs don’t have a frame of reference for time passing like we do, even an hour or two can seem like a day to them. Constantly leaving the house for long periods of time will build up a sad and fearful callous in their character to connect you leaving the house with them being restrained for hours on end.
Appraisal Upon Arrival
When you get home it is very important to let your dog know you are very excited to see them. By praising them and providing lots of physical contact and verbal approval of their enjoyment of your return you will teach them to associate their recurring excitement with the fact that you do in fact come home. After time they will begin to understand more thoroughly that when you leave you do inevitably come back and soon they will be more calm while you’re gone as well as when you come home. It is very important to monitor their excitement upon your return. They are allowed to be happy and run around in excitement, as they should have room too when you take them outside to do their business, but do not let them jump on you or bark loudly upon your presence. This is set the wrong example that they should make a scene whenever someone comes to find them.
Having a well trained dog is a great alliance to your house and family structure. Being able to take them out in public and be proud of them is a great feeling of accomplishment and love. Knowing that your dog is at home, fine and relaxed, while you’re away at work all day, is a wonderful weight off of every dog owner’s shoulders. It is very important to interact with your dogs while you are home so that they know their owner has a relationship and bond that won’t be walked away from, so when you do leave the house their simple happy minds are aware that you will return to love them again soon.
Zach C. writes for Colley and Colley, LLP, a personal injury law firm in Austin, Texas. Zach thinks that most dog bites can be avoided.
