Dog Separation Anxiety: Free Tips to Help Stressed Dogs

In this Omaha dog training session, we worked with two small dogs. Maya is an 11-year-old Silky Terrier and Maru is a 7-year-old Chinese Crested and Chihuahua mix. Both dogs love to bark and needed help coping with dog separation anxiety.

Since the family has a baby and the dogs bark loudly when people come over, I called ahead. I asked the guardian to bring Maru outside so we could meet there and I could take him for a short walk to see how he is and assess his dog behavior problems.

When I got back I had the guardian bring out Maya and repeated the process. This resulted in zero barking when I finally made my way inside the house.

How to Combat Anxious Dog Behavior Problems and Anxiety

The guardians may want to adopt a similar approach when friends come over to see the baby. They can help the dogs practice this sort of greeting instead of barking like crazy.

I could see the dogs were anxious and twitchy. I asked the guardians several questions about the dog’s daily routine. I also asked about the dog behavior problems they needed help with.

I found out the dogs were under exercised, lacked structure and saw the humans as peers or as having lower rank than the dogs. This lack of structure is a huge contributing factor to Maru’s marking inside the house.

As a dog behavior expert, I have done plenty of research on dog marking and I have found the three keys to stopping a dog from marking are:

• Pet with a purpose only. No free pets. Dog must earn attention and affection through positive and desired actions like sitting, coming, laying down, etc.
• Eliminate the dog’s ability to sit at the same or higher level than humans (dogs sit in positions of height based on their status amongst their peers.
• Remove or thoroughly clean (with an enzyme based product) all tainted items the dog has urinated on as the smell attracts more marking.

How to Stop Dog Separation Anxiety

After going over rules, structure, how to reward desired behaviors (passive training) and some creative ways to exercise, I was ready to address the dog’s separation anxiety problem.

Separation anxiety in dogs often comes from triggers like their owner getting ready to leave. This can cause increased stress and panic.

One good way to help is by teaching the dog to stay. This can reduce their need to be close to the owner all the time.

The process involves slowly increasing how long and how far the dog can stay in one spot. The owner will move around during this time. Eventually, the dog will practice being alone in the house without the owner leaving.

Another helpful way is to desensitize the dog to certain triggers. For example, you can pick up your keys.

Do this many times without leaving. This helps the dog stop linking these actions to being left alone. Over time, with consistent training and exposure, the dog gains confidence and learns to remain calm in the owner’s absence.

Helping a dog with separation anxiety is all about building their confidence. It also involves helping the dog practice being alone.

Separation anxiety often happens because we love our dogs a lot. Without any structure, they become needy. This makes them unprepared to be alone. But adding a little structure is a great way to stop a dog from suffering from separation anxiety.

I taught the guardians how to train a dog to stay. This will boost their confidence. It also lets the humans help the dog practice staying while they leave the room for longer periods.

To help the family remember all the dog behavior tips I shared in this in-home dog training session, we shot a roadmap to success video.