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Dog owners often ask how long it takes to cure separation anxiety in dogs and while it’s an understandable question, unfortunately it doesn’t have an easy answer. In today’s high speed society, we’re all looking for instant solutions, but when it comes to your dog’s behaviour problems, time and patience is the best cure.

You see, how quickly or slowly a dog deals with their separation anxiety depends upon how serious the symptoms are, the individual personality of the dog and the opportunities it gets for learning new behaviour. All these different variables means that there is no definite time frame you can put to this problem, which is actually a positive thing.

Now I realise that everybody wants the problems of separation anxiety in dogs to disappear as soon as possible, but having short time frames frequently results in people putting themselves under undue pressure. This is likely to have an unfavorable effect on the situation, making dog owners more anxious and less patient with their dogs. If they add further pressure to that by badgering themselves with questions like “why hasn’t this worked yet”, they are more likely to end up feeling a failure, or deciding that that the training program does not work and giving up before they get the results they are looking for.

Time Pressure Could Raise Your Stress and Your Dog’s Nervousness

Another downside of putting yourself under time pressure is that your pooch will pick up on your concerns as they’re very sensitive to our moods and feelings. They can often take their lead from what we are feeling too, which means that if they sense you are stressed it will add to their own anxiousness and the result will be that it takes longer to resolve the problem.

Basically, the best approach once you have found a good dog separation anxiety training programme to follow is to relax and accept that there’s no pressure, and instead trust that it’ll happen. Ironically, it might help reduce the training time necessary.

Learning Does not Happen in a Straight Line

Another fact about learning new behaviour or skills worth mentioning is that while training needs to be regular and consistent, improvement seldom happens in a steadily growing upwards curve (ask any athlete or sportswoman), instead you have a tendency to get large leaps forward followed by a plateau where you often feel you are getting nowhere. Your dog’s training could develop in the same way, so do not give up when you hit a plateau stage, as you could be on the point of getting one of those massive leaps ahead.

A good tip is to keep a record of all of the anxiety problems you need to handle and record your progress every week, however little, because when you’re feeling de-motivated it will be a great reminder of how far you have moved forward. Stick with your training plan and you will see results as long as you are consistent and persistent in your training, and give your dog the right messages. I’ve heard many, many stories of dog owners who’ve used training to get rid of their dog’s anxiety problems and in the process gained a far more cheerful and relaxed life for themselves and their dogs.

Author Venice Marriott is a writer and dog owner and runs a website, which provides help and information for dog owners dealing with dog anxiety. Get more information about how to cure dog separation anxiety, when you visit the site.

While digging is natural for a dog and part of their inbuilt survival mechanisms, some digging can be driven by separation anxiety in dogs. A stressed dog can develop many extreme dog behaviour problems and trying to dig their way out of the garden is just one of them.

Hence while you’re never going to be happy to find holes all over your beautifully kept lawn or in your prized flower beds, make sure you know what drives the problem before looking for an answer to stop your dog’s digging.

Signals of Anxious Dog Digging

If your dog only digs when you’re out, they could be showing you how anxious they are to be with you. They are not making an attempt to run away, as many owners apparently think, but panicking to get out so they can come and find you.

You may have a nervous or anxious dog by nature and it is just part of their character, or the anxiety can develop over time. Either way, a training course that helps you to desensitise your dog will help their anxiousness, as will you taking on the task of pack leader by being the decision maker. These two approaches will help calm an anxious dog and the digging might actually stop without any other help.

Dogs fundamentally need to know who leads a pack, that means if they are not sure that you lead the pack, they will assume that they do. But as a dog doesn’t understanding our world (why else do postmen get bitten around the world) they can get very anxious if they assume they are in control as that makes them responsible for the security of the remainder of the pack.

How to Stop Your Dog Digging

If your dogs digging problem is not driven by stress, you need to take a practical approach to stopping it because digging is natural and just something some dogs do, whether to hide food or prepare a den. Those are both natural drivers.

First, accept that it’s just your dogs nature, and that some dogs are lots more subject to digging than others, then you can try to find a workable solution, for example not letting your dog out in the garden unmanaged. That way you should be mindful of what your dog is doing.

Another choice, if you’ve a large enough garden, is to consider making a little area where they can dig. Take them there regularly and praise them if they dig in this area, making it a positive thing.

If you catch your dog digging where you don’t want them to, avoid making a scene (i.e. Don’t scream, run after your dog, or strike them) as some dogs will realise this is a good way to get their owner’s attention when they need it, even if you’re cross and it can become attention seeking behaviour and encourage them to dig much more!

Author Venice Marriott is a writer and dog owner and runs a Dog Anxiety website, which provides help and information for dog owners dealing with behaviour problems caused by anxiety. Get more information on how to stop dog digging, when you visit the site.

Dogs are fearful of all sorts of bizarre and wonderful things from the sound of falling leaves to people wearing hats or men with beards.

But as amusing as some of their fears seem, living alongside a fearful dog isn’t very easy. While many people spend our time trying to calm our dogs over exhuberance down, owners of fearful dogs spend their time trying to coax their dog out from under the furniture and build their confidence.

Some owners can only walk their dog after it’s dark because their dog is scared of seeing other dogs; other owners can’t invite friends and family into their home as the dog is so frightened of folk and yet others owners who can’t get their dog to go out of the house without shaking with fear.

The things that make your dog afraid can also lead to other behaviour problems like fear aggression, too much barking, destructive behavior and other conditions like separation anxiety in dogs.

Top Dog Fears

Noises seem to lead to the most fears and there are many dogs who are afraid of thunder, typhoons and fireworks. Loud noises are perhaps most understandable to us, but equally you’ll find dogs who are afraid of noises like the telphone ringing, the vacuum cleaner, or the door chime.

People can also be a big source of fear amongst dogs, with some dogs focusing on men or youngsters to be scared of, and others being fearful of particlular things about folks, like beards or hats or particular voices. I heard about a dog that started barking ferociously at the sound of a popular newsreaders voice, but at no others.

Places can also make dogs scared, ranging from wide open spaces right down to developing fears about peeing in their own favourite rear yard spot.

Some of their fears are difficult to understand, especially when a dog suddenly is scared of a place they have used for years without worry. On a forum just recently a dog owner was saying how her dog was suddenly fearful of being downstairs and would rush upstairs at each opportunity and spend her time looking anxiously back down the stairway. She would only come down when desperate to toilet or when offered a walk and then would run down the stairs and out the door as quick as she could.

3 things That Help a Fearful Dog

It’s important to stay calm yourself when handling a dogs fears because if they pick up on our own worries it’ll give them more reason to be afraid.

Don’t make too much fuss of your dog while they’re in a panic state either as it can increase their feelings. Treat them in a friendly but straightforward way like there isn’t anything for them to worry about at all.

Learn how to use desenstisation training to gently introduce them to the things they fear in a controlled way and use lots of treats and praise.

Author Venice Marriott is a writer, dog owner and runs a website which provides help and information for dog owners dealing with dog anxiety. Get more information about dog fears and the symptoms of separation anxiety in dogs when you visit the site.

Comparing a dog jumping up to the Queen sitting on her throne may appear strange, but the link is a lot closer than you probably think!

Ask yourself why the Queen sits on a throne and why we bow or curtsy when we meet her?

The answer has a great deal in common with pack behaviour, as when we bow down we reduce ourselves and so raise the person we are bowing to. This performance is simulated in houses around the globe by dogs who, upon seeing their owners come home, or visitors.. visit, will start jumping up at them.

Now the queen clearly does not need to demonstrate her status every time she meets someone, as it has been done already for her. However for a dog this action is all about being the highest and thus demonstrating who’s in charge. So forget thinking it’s just dog behaviour problems, and try having a look at it as your dog asking you a question about who is in control of who.

What follows your dog jumping up usually falls into two camps, either the dog is met with affection, which can regularly result in the dog becoming even more wound up, or the dog is chastised either thanks to the humiliation of the dogs bad impression on your visitor or because one more assult from your dog and your shopping will be strewn all over the floor.

The irony here is that both these reactions from you will encourage the dog to jump up again on another occasion because they have the attention they were looking for, and worse may give the dog an impression it is ‘leader ‘ and therefore responsible for the owner’s well-being.

Bigger Equals Better

This piece of dog behavior can be traced all of the way back to a dog’s origins (as well as that of Royal etiquette), and can be summarised in a straightforward equation: Bigger equals Better. Height domination is one way that dogs (and their wild cousins) create their hierarchy.

Back to the Queen, her raised status is achieved either with a raised seating arrangement (throne), or from her subjects reducing their height as an indication of deference or subservience, or sometimes both. I knew of a Chihuahua that controlled a Great Dane by jumping up onto the back of the settee each time they were in the room together.

Allowing your dog to assume that they are the pack leader can lead to other significant issues like separation anxiety in dogs.

The Best Way to Stop a Dog Jumping Up

The best approach is simply to give no attention to the dog when it jumps up. Don’t look at your dog directly, say anything to them or touch them. If you have to to stop the jumping, gently push the dog away or side step the attack, still without saying anything to your dog or catching their eye.

If you have a determined jumper, it might take time initially, but you will notice quickly the duration and intensity of each jumping up episode reduces, till the dog gives up altogether.

If you are at home and anxious that visitors will get this kind of manic attention from your dog too, then a simple solution is to put the dog in another room or on a lead before they arrive, giving you control over the situation.

When the dog gives up the jumping, it is a sign that he not only realises that this behaviour will not get him attention, but more importantly that it respects your personal space, an excellent signal to give a dog in the pecking order stakes.

Author Venice Marriott is a writer and dog owner and runs a website, which provides help and information for dog owners dealing with dog anxiety. Get more information about how to stop a dog jumping up, when you visit the site.

Hyperactive dogs can cause chaos in a household, racing around, knocking things over, and throwing themselves at people, and can be a danger if they start to bite, or scratching.

When they’re in this manic state it can be difficult to calm a dog down, which also makes it tricky to take them out anywhere as their behaviour is so untrustworthy.

Why do Dogs Become Hyperactive?

Most dogs are simply reacting to what is happening in their environment, though there are one or two health issues that might cause hyperactivity, as well as some diet causes.

Anxiety in dogs, attention seeking and a dog being dominant and uncontrolled are all potential reasons for a dog’s hyperactivity, so it is important that you try and discover what lies behind your dog’s problem before deciding how to approach ending it.

Observe your dog over the next week and see if you can spot what triggers the hyperactivity. Notice how you react to it, and how they respond to you and then try some of the strategies below that could help you create a calm dog.

The easy way to Influence Your Dogs Behavior

Dogs will often take a lead from the feelings they pick up around them, so if you’re stressed out, or other folks around your dog are stressed out, they’ll be picking up on it. This will make a dog feel anxiety or intensify their existing anxiety. If you are calm you may find your dog quietens down too. Certainly reacting in an anxious or irritated way to their behaviour is likely to worsen it.

Show your dog you are the pack leader maker to help calm the situation. It will give confidence to a nervous dog, and permit you to impose your own house rules on a determined and badly behaved dog. There is no need to do this thru dominance or force though; it’s more about showing that you are the decision maker in key areas that are crucial to a dog.

Using Training to Switch Your Dog’s Behaviour

Begin by having a look at the training you have done with your dog. Do you think they need more training or have they lapsed into bad behaviour habits and you want to tighten up on the rules? How consistent are you in your expectancies of your dog? If you permit them to do something one day, but not the next , they won’t know how you would like them to behave.

If your dog is suffering with anxiety, try some desensitisation training to build their confidence and remove some of the triggers that set it off. Mixing this with demonstrating that you are pack leader can be very effective.

Try giving your dog a consequence for hyper behaviour so they learn that their behaviour isn’t good. That doesn’t suggest hitting or punishing them, a quick 5 minutes time-out in a crate or alone in a room where they can’t do any damage may be adequate.

Indulge Your Dog in the Right Way

Make sure your dog is given some stimulation and exercise each day. It doesn’t always have to be a long walk, as games and other activities at home can be equally beneficial. However , keep the games under your control by deciding when the game begins and ends. If the game gets out of hand, stop the game immediately as this is an alternative way of giving them a result for bad behaviour.

Do not give your dog any attention while they are hyperactive. Move away from them if at all possible or go in another room and do not talk to them, touch them or give them any eye contact. If they are acting this way because it gets your attention, they will soon learn that it doesn’t work and should stop their manic behavior.

Author Venice Marriott is a writer and dog owner and runs a website which provides help and information for owners dealing with dog anxiety. Get more information about the how to calm a dog down when you visit the site.

A whining dog can be so maddening, because occasionally it’s just about impossible to work out what they are whining for or what you can do about it.

While other forms of dog communication like barking or snarling appear to be straightforward and simple to comprehend, dog whining seems to be more complex and have more meanings.

Below are 3 typical reasons that make dogs whine and what you need to do about it.

Whining to get your Attention

In the house, many dogs will whine to get your attention or when they want something. Sadly , it appears the more they succeed, the more often they’ll use it, so you have to be careful how you respond. If they can get your interest whenever they start whining, they could also think that puts their position in the pack above yours and the result may be all sorts of other behavior problem. It’s best to ignore this sort of whining, rather than reacting to it (even screaming can be construed as paying them some attention) if you need them to stop whining.

Whining from Pain

Dogs will also whine when they’re in some type of discomfort. Pain can make them whine as can being cold or wet. You just need to use your judgement to work out if it’s worth taking any notice of. If you suspect they could be in real agony, then you must take them to see your vet, but if they’ve been fed, watered and let out to wee, it may just be a grumble or complaint, and again it’s best to give no attention to it.

Whining Because of Separation Anxiety

Dog separation anxiety might be the driver behind your dogs whining habits. Some dogs will start whining the second their owners is out of view, whether or not they’re only in the nearest room, and others will whine non-stop when they are left at home alone. If you are troubled that your dog might be doing this, ask your neighbors – they’ll soon tell you if they are whining! You’ll need to approach this issue with time, patience, persistence and a decent training programme to make them stop this kind of whining.

Author Venice Marriott is a writer and dog owner and runs a website, which provides help and info for dog owners dealing with the behaviour problems created by dog anxiety. Get more information about the reasons your dog whines when you head to the site.

Some people say there is little more charming than your dog jumping up at you enthusiastically when you come back home. Well, for the owner of a Yorkshire Terrier, that may indeed be lovable, but the poor owner of a St Bernard, may not agree!

Is A Dog Jumping Up Bad Dog Behaviour?

Passionate as the greeting may be , we want to ask ourselves if jumping up is decent behaviour or a sign of dog behaviour problems? Remember, both dogs we mention are doing a similar thing.

What if your dog jumps on others – such as visitors, babies or your aging aunt? Is that acceptable behaviour? Because, if we do not mind them jumping up at us, are we able to really expect them to realise that jumping up at other visitors is not okay?

Rather than tackling the behaviour direct, many dog lovers work around this problem, and try and avoid the situation arising. Some owner will try and distract their dog to allow them to creep into the house without being spotted and get ready for the attack, others dash into the house before their dog can cover them in multiple paw prints after being in the garden, while others erect a barricade with the bags they’re carrying to stop the dog reaching them.

In the short-term, these might be valuable tactics, but long-term they won’t solve the problem and stop them from jumping up at you.

The Actual Reason Your Dog is Jumping At You

Some dogs actually use jumping up opportunities to really put some power behind it, knocking their owners over in some cases. The reason for this may surprise you, but in a dogs natural environment, height is typically linked with might, so the bigger you are (or can make yourself), the higher up the pecking order you are.

In natural habitats, they will do this every time the pack gets back together. So if your dog jumps up at you to make themselves higher than you, and perhaps you crouch down, getting down to their level to say hello to them, you are giving them the clear sign they are higher than you in the pack structure which long term can create all kinds of other dog behaviour problems like dog separation anxiety.

What Has A Dog Jumping Up Got To Do With Separation Anxiety In Dogs?

The way that we make a response to jumping up is important to a dog because they are attempting to confirm their place in the pack .The problem is that because we don’t get what a dog jumping up is all about, we do not give them the right reply.

This may lead many dogs to believe that they’re pack leader and therefore accountable for their other pack members (and that means you and the rest of the family), which can in turn can lead to dog separation anxiety, and that’s not a laughing matter.

In reality separation anxiety in dogs is an increasingly frequent problem that dog lovers are having to handle on an everyday basis.

The Proper Way To Stop A Dog From Jumping at You

Ignoring your dog till they calm down is the right way to address a dog jumping up, so don’t talk to your dog, stroke them or even look at them when you first come home. If they can see that throwing themselves at you is not going to get them the notice they desire, they ought to steadily become calmer.

Don’t call you dog to you and give them a fuss till they leave you alone. That might take 20 minutes to begin with, but will speedily decrease as they learn that being calm is what gets them an enormous fuss and tons of attention.

Author Venice Marriott is a writer and dog owner and runs a Dog Anxiety web site, which gives help and information for dog lovers handling dog anxiety. Get additional info about how to stop a dog jumping up when you visit the site.

Many dog lovers struggle to deal with the effects of anxiety on their dogs, facing dog behaviour problems that range from nonstop barking that provokes the neighbors to coming home to a dog which has urinated or pooped in the house. But recent research has given us one thing more to fret about – the effect that fear and anxiety in dogs has on both their health and lifespan.

Even though it has already been shown in other species that the stress responses to situations that create anxiety are linked with hormone and immune changes which are in turn related to diseases and shortened lifespans, this research sought to demonstrate whether the same was correct for our dogs.

In a survey carried out by Nancy A. Dreschel from PennState, 721 owners of lately deceased dogs filled out a comprehensive survey which was then analysed to find if there was any correlation between behavior, stress and fear, disease and reason for death.

Results proved that the more well behaved a dog owner thought their dog was, the longer the lifespan. Which is one of the best reasons I have come across in a long time for spending the time training your dog!

On the other hand, dogs with extreme fear and dogs with separation anxiety were shown to have an increased chance of getting skin disorders, and they got them more frequently, and more acutely.

However, while anxiety and fears weren’t directly related to the reasons for death in dogs, fear of strangers did corrolate with a shortened length of life.

Hence if your dog is suffering with fears and anxiety don’t leave it in the hope it may sort itself out or go away sometime soon. Take action now. Or you could be adding health problems to their anxiety and risk shortening your dogs life.

Author Venice Marriott is a writer, dog owner and runs the Dog Anxiety site, which provides help and info for owners coping with anxiety in dogs. Get her free help sheet about the major symptoms of dog separation anxiety, when you head to the site.

Most tail chewing in dogs is nothing to worry about but when a dog chews his tail till it loses its hair and begins to look raw, you do have an issue that you’re going to need to handle quickly because excessive chewing could cause permanent damage on the tail.

Dog chewing problems are driven by either medical, behavioural or environmental issue so take time to see what might be impacting on your dog prior to starting to treat it.

Medical Problems

Itching caused by a skin irritation or allergy can result in the dog chewing until they break the skin, making the risk of an infection in the area. Keep an eye out for ‘hot spots ‘ on your dogs tail, and talk with your vet for either topical treatments or antibiotics to clear it up.

Intestinal worms can be irritating to your dog’s anal area and cause your dog to chew on his tail near to the base. Treat with dog dewormer treatments which are generally available.

Diet allergies are also believed to cause exaggerated chewing, so a change to their diet like feeding them hypoallergenic food could eliminate the problem.

Enviromental Issues

Substances and items your dog is exposed to indoors and outdoors could cause the chewing too. Investigate your dog’s tail for parasites such as ticks or fleas, and if they are evident your veterinarian will suggest products to deal with these parasites. If fleas are the cause, be sure you treat other pets, your dogs bedding,plus your home to stop reinfestation.
Pollens, grasses, dust mites, mold, pesticides, soap, fabrics or poisonous chemicals could be affecting your dog, so observe what they come into regular contact with and if feasible try removing that item for a while to determine if it creates a difference to the chewing.

Dog Behavioural Issues

Dog tail chewing can also be a sign of attention seeking behaviour or anxiety.

Attention seeking behaviour isn’t tough to deal with and the easiest way to stop it is to simply pay no attention to your dog when they chew. Don’t look at them, speak to them or touch them in any fashion and even get up and walk away out of view as soon as they start to chew. They should soon learn that their behaviour does not work and give it up.

Separation anxiety in dogs is another reason for tail chewing and will take place when they’re left all alone. Sort of like an individual might chew on their nails when they were feeling concerned, dogs can chew on their paws or tail. This is because of the fact that the process of chewing releases a natural endorphin that helps to calm the system down.

Dealing with the difficulties of separation anxiety in dogs will need a good programme of dog separation anxiety training and a large amount of patience, and in extreme cases may need aid from some anti anxiety medicine.

Stop Your Dog Chewing His Tail Today

A lamp shade collar will instantly stop your dog accessing the area they are chewing, likewise some dog keepers find that using sour tasting sprays on the areas will stop the chewing. But these measures can only be used temporarily while you identify the cause and treat it so the problem goes away completely.

Author, Venice Marriott is a writer, dog lover and owner of the Dog Anxiety website, providing help and information for anyone dealing with dog anxiety. Get more details about your dog dog chewing his tail, when you visit the site.

With research telling us that somewhere between 15% and 50% of our dogs show evidence of dog separation anxiety, many dog owners are looking out for the best way to get rid of their dogs anxiousness and the dog behaviour problems made by it.

Virtually all dog trainers and vets agree that a behaviour alteration training programme is vital to be successful with this, even if you also get some extra help for the problem with stress reducing products or medicines.

Is Dog Training The Answer To Your Dogs Behavior Problems?

Prior to starting a training routine, you take the time to make certain it actually is dog separation anxiety that you are needing to treat otherwise your activities could all get wasted!

Many of the behaviors you see as a result of anxiety can also be utilised by your dog to get you to notice them. For instance, a dog could be chewing while you are out because they are feeling stressed and the chewing action helps releases a natural endorphin that soothes them down, or they might be chewing where you can see them because they know it’ll get your attention and that maybe you will even chase them (and that is a fun game).

As a rule, if they are showing the ‘bad behavior ‘ while you are around, it’s likely to be attention seeking, but if they only do it while you’re out, it’s more likely to be driven by separation anxiety. If you’re in doubt, consult with a dog trainer or vet.

How Effective is Dog Separation Anxiety Training?

Key to succeeding with any training method is the necessity for you to be both consistent and persistent. There is no ‘magic potion ‘ to get rid of your dog’s anxiousness and don’t believe anyone that says there is. Yes, you can medicate your dog, or distract them from their feelings with toys and other products, and they may help, but to really get to the roots of the problem and remove it permanently you have to use some training.

How Long Does Dog Separation Anxiety Training Take?

All dogs are individual, and learn at a different pace, so predicting how long the training will take to get rid of the anxiety is not easy. Some dogs will accept changes swiftly and you might see quite immediate results while other dogs are more resistant and challenging and it will take a bit more effort before they change. It also depends upon what sort of time you have got to put into it.

One other thing to remember is that while practice needs to be consistent, progress rarely takes place in little incremental steps – ask any sports enthusiast. You can regularly feel you aren’t getting anywhere and then suddenly take a giant step forward.

Getting to the Real Cause of Dog Separation Anxiety

Frequently at the roots of separation anxiety in dogs lies leadership issues and it is essential that you tackle that issue with your training.

It’s in a dogs nature to have a pack leader, so if they don’t think you are, they will assume they are. With the status of pack leader comes the responsibility for taking care of the rest of the pack, but as a dog does not understand our world, that role can be very stressful. An illustration of this would be why so many postmen are barked at and bitten by our dogs, we can see they are not a threat, but our dogs do not.

So take care that any dog separation anxiety training you use shows you the correct way to take on the leadership role in your dogs eyes. Wishing you all success.

Author Venice Marriott is a writer, dog owner and runs a Dog Anxiety web site which is there to help owners dealing with the issues of dog anxiety. Get more dog separation anxiety training tips, when you visit the site.

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