Do You Have Suicidal Dogs at Home? Part 1

December 12, 2009 by Dog Lover  
Filed under Dog Training


Separation anxiety is one of the most common problems that dogs develop. It is an anxiety disorder, and is defined as a state of intense panic brought on by the dog’s isolation/separation from her owner(s).
In other words, when you leave for work in the morning, your dog is plunged into a state of nervous anxiety which intensifies extremely quickly.
Dogs are social animals. They need plenty of company and social interaction to keep them happy and content. No dog likes to be left alone for long stretches of time, but some dogs do a lot worse than others. These dogs are the ones most prone to separation anxiety.
There are a number of contributing causes to the condition.
1. Some breeds are genetically predisposed towards anxiety and insecurity, which is something you should consider when deciding which breed you are going to go for (particularly if you’re going to be absent for long stretches of time). A few of these breeds include Weimaraners, Springer Spaniels, German Shepherds, and Airedales.
2. A significant proportion of dogs from shelters develop separation anxiety. Most of these shelter dogs have undergone significant trauma in their lives. They have been abandoned by their previous owners, and thus they have little trust that their new-found owner (you) is not going to pull the same trick.
3. Dogs that were separated from their mothers and siblings too early have been identified as being especially prone to separation anxiety. Puppies from pet stores are a perfect example of this.
They are usually taken from their mothers well before the earliest possible age (which is 8 weeks), and confined to a small glass box in the pet store for anywhere between a few weeks to two months.
This early weaning, coupled with the lack of exercise and affection while in the pet store, is psychologically traumatic for the dog.
4. Neglect is the number-one cause of separation anxiety for dogs. If you are absent much more than you are present in your dog’s life, separation anxiety is pretty much inevitable. Your dog needs your company, affection, and attention in order to be happy and content.
The symptoms of separation anxiety are pretty distinctive: your dog will usually learn to tell when you are about to leave (she will hear keys jingling, will see you putting on your outdoor clothes, etc) and will become anxious.
She may follow you from room to room, whining, trembling, and crying. Some dogs even become aggressive, in an attempt to stop their owners from leaving.
When you have left, the anxious behavior will rapidly worsen and usually will peak within half an hour. She may bark incessantly, scratch and dig at windows and doors (an attempt to escape from confinement and reunite herself with you), chew inappropriate items, even urinate and defecate inside the house.
In extreme cases, she might self-mutilate by licking or chewing her skin until it’s raw, or pulling out fur, or will engage in obsessive-compulsive behaviors, like spinning and tail-chasing.
Upon your return, she will be excessively excited, and will leap around you in a frenzy of delight for a protracted period of time (more than the 30 seconds to one minute of a happy, well-balanced dog. )
This extended greeting is a source of some misunderstanding and without realizing that such a greeting actually signifies the presence of a psychological disorder, some owners actually encourage their dog to get more and more worked up upon their return (by fuelling the dogs excitement, encouraging her to leap around, paying her protracted attention, and so on. )
If you are behaving in this way with your dog, please stop. I know it is tempting and very easy to do, and it seems harmless after all, she is so happy to see you, what harm can it do to return her attention and affection in equal measure? But in actuality, you are just validating her belief that your return is the high point of the day.
So she is as happy as Larry when you return but, when it is time for you to leave again, her now exaggerated happiness at your presence is under threat, and she gets even unhappy when you walk out that door.

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November 24, 2009 by Dog Lover  
Filed under Dog Training

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How to Stop My Dog From Barking When I Leave Home?

November 23, 2009 by Dog Lover  
Filed under Dog Training

we have to crate him otherwise he will rip up the house but even we didnt crate him one time, he still barked. i have tried everything people said on here. includings toys,kongs, food, water, music, tv, radio everything! but he still barks. and he barks very loud as well. its annoying the neighbours. i’m not buying a bark collar or muzzle, they are cruel and too expensive
thanks if anyone can help me
he usually barks for 5 minutes very loudly and then stops. sometimes he’ll eat his food first and then start barking
i take him for walks everyday. i just came back from an hour long walk at the park and i needed to go shopping. i thought he would be too tired too bark so i was pretty sure. sure enough, i come home tom find him barking again
how do i stop it?
exercise doesnt even work!
we live in flats and the windows are too high up anyway. and he’s in a crate as mentioned last time

How Can I Stop My Dog From Barking at People Who Visit Our Home?

November 18, 2009 by Dog Lover  
Filed under Stop Dog From Barking

I have a pick-a-poo(not sure how to spell it). She’s 4 yrs old and her name is Maggie. She is very affectionate but very territorial and extremely spoiled. When we are holding her she has problems with others coming near us. This can be a problem as well but the major problem is her barking. When we have company come into our home, she will start barking. I end up having to pick her up and bring her into the back bedroom and she will bark in there for at least 5 or 10 more minutes. I have tried to just let her bark hoping she would stop once she got used to the company but she doesn’t stop. We’re trying to visit over the barking of the dog. It’s ridiculous. Other than those two issues, she really is a great dog. She listens well (except when we ask her to stop barking) and she loves to cuddle. We really enjoy her but we have quite a bit of company so the barking is definitely a problem. She seems aggressive towards some people. I can’t tell if she would bite them or lick them so I don’t take a chance – off to the bedroom she goes.

I’m sure she’s reacting to some sort of emotion and I hate to see her hurt like that. I don’t want to punish her by putting her in the bedroom all the time but I don’t know what else to do. I’ve tried all sorts of different things to stop her but nothing seems to help. I would appreciate any help you can give!

How Do I Stop the Neighbors Dog From Constantly Barking All the Time When They Are Not Home?

November 17, 2009 by Dog Lover  
Filed under Stop Dog From Barking

When they’re home, it’s all good. But as soon as they leave, it’s non stop bark, bark, bark. I live in an apartment, and complaints to the office have gone unfulfilled. The people are pricks to say the least, and when asked if they might be able to do something about it, they respond “it’s a dog. Thats what they do.”

Any suggestions for this problem? Anything I might be able to buy from a store? I’m willing to try anything at this point.

Oh, I should also mention that I have 2 cats and don’t want to use anything that might freak them out. I’m not sure if dog whistles are heard by cats.

And before someone mentions it, I don’t want to move. This is the sweetest place money can rent.

Thanks in advance.