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Im just gonna say it, youre probably projecting your own complicated emotions onto your dog. Dogs are nowhere near that complicated, and thats what training is for anyway. All of this worry is in your head not your dog’s. You are most likely one of the giant and ever growing number of people who are entirely too emotionally invested in their pet. Its all a bit much honestly. Send your dog to training, and when it comes back, make sure you dont undo all of the work the trainers do by treating a dog like a fragile human baby.
Not really. If you mean the dog barks when you leave, then thats definitely something you want to get corrected in obedience training. Dogs 100% take cues from you. So find out from the trainer what YOU’RE doing when youre around the dog that makes it freak out when you leave, and STOP doing it.
This may sound nuts but in my experience dogs are empaths. They absorb and reflect your anxiety and will seem to need to be right by you all the time when you're stressed but be pretty chill with their naps when you're not. Puppies do sometimes have separation anxiety from their litter mates but tbh their short term memories (as distinct from abused dogs, who do need more reassurance and do carry that fear of abuse somewhere most of the time) are short and they are usually fine with stuffed animals for like 3 weeks and then get over it. I don't mean this to be callous, I'm a dog lover and a frequent foster dog parent so just sharing my POV
I would do it sooner rather than later, especially if you're WFH now and live in an apartment where your dog will bark for you while you're away and be a potential noise complaint.
Also as a pet owner myself, have to admit, I laughed at BBDO1's comment. (TBF, people DO emotionally Munchausen By Proxy their pets, and dogs especially mirror their owners emotions so it's important to be positive with them and not baby them too much.)
Your pup will be just fine, have faith!
Chief
OP.. don't let these haters hate...
I've been working with dogs for 40 years. Some have extreme separation anxiety at no fault of their owners.
We had a doberman that would chew his leg bloody if left alone. He almost chewed it off! We had to put an e collar on him every time we left. It took a few years to help him stop this behavior. Of course this is an extreme case.
To answer your question, yes training with a professional will help. They will work with puppy and you so you can help each other . They will provide you some tips and advice on what you can do to help your dog. It's going to take a big commitment, lots of patience, and most importantly consistency.
Good luck!
Meant to say Separation Anxiety**************
I don’t think my dog is depressed she’s too happy of a pup lol
@OP one thing I will say is that if she's a small dog or a puppy-puppy (8-16 weeks) you should make sure she doesn't have to be around big dogs she doesn't know. They won't intentionally hurt her of course, but I've fostered a few dogs that were injured by roughhousing by bigger dogs in fancy kennels or training programs.
Chief
OP - where are you located? We have a wonderful place we send our pup too. We are in NYC and this place picks up in NYC and takes your pup upstate. They have 5 acres up there for your dog to exercise, socialize and of course help train too. Lovely people who will take care of your pup like it their own. DM me and I can give you details.
Rising Star
Mine for sure had separation anxiety when I adopted it from animal control! After 8 years I’ve finally curbed it. I hide treats around the house whenever I leave so he’s distracted and doesn’t notice.
Our rescue had intense separation anxiety. He broke teeth getting out of a crate as a puppy. We could come home to a mangled crate and little pools of blood. Through training he really seemed to settle but we had to consistently keep up with it. The training was incredibly expensive but honestly worth every penny.
First of all - to all the haters, you clearly haven’t had a puppy in a long time AND SPECIALLY in the conditions we have today. I got my pup two weeks before lockdown and she had no problem staying by herself while I was at the office. However, once lockdown began she started demonstrating some separation anxiety. We’re still working through it, but here are some things I learned along the way:
- Do leave your pup alone (eg in a different room) for some part of the day. Also, if you have to go outside, don’t make a big deal about leaving the house (my dog knows when I’m leaving the apt vs when I’m in a different room, she only gets anxious if she sees me leaving the condo)
- Make sure to exercise and stimulate the hell out of your pup. a tired puppy = more naps, less stress. If you absolutely can’t leave home, try playing fetch and giving it dog puzzles (stimulates their brain)
- I took mine to puppy classes (which went online after week 2) and just met a trainer this week. I’d say it’s a good idea to look into lessons you can partake in, because you have just as much to learn as your pup does
- I have been considering boarding as a way to keep my dog entertained while I am at work. The good thing about a day care is that your pup doesn’t have time to miss you. However, I wouldn’t consider it as a solution to separation anxiety because it is unlikely the dog would stay at boarding on its own - the key is making sure they are comfortable staying at home by themselves
Rising Star
Even if you're not projecting you have to make the dog get over it eventually.
Solid k9 training. Look it up
Chief
Separation anxiety yes. Depression anxiety... those are your issues.
I’m not a fan of those boarding and training programs. When this is over get a trainer to do private lessons with you for weeks in a row, or go to classes. It helps you bond with the dog and be their leader. They learn how you want them to behave in your own home. I’ve seen too many people send their dogs away only to have them come back with more issues. Most recently a friend did this when she had a baby- the dog came back and was aggressive to the baby and has now been re-homed with her parents that live hours away.
There are a few ways to help! Leave your pup with one or your socks/something equally smelly/the dog's normal crate pad/bedding, so that there can be a scent of "normal" and "you."
If your boarding place allows, do a "meet and greet"- shorter daycare type sessions- to ease your dog into it and get used to the new place/people.
Ultimately, remember that your boarders are trained professionals and have seen it all before. My dog is an absolute nut when I leave for work, whining like she's in a lot of pain, etc., but she looooves her boarding place/boarders.