Dog Training Tips and Tricks
5 Things To Do To Resolve Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is one of the most challenging behavioral issues a dog guardian can face. It’s more than just a minor inconvenience, it’s a very serious problem that affects a dog’s mental and physical health, as well as your quality of life. Fortunately, it can be resolved. With the right methods, your dog can learn to relax and even enjoy alone time!
Let’s dive into the five best strategies to employ to resolve your dog’s separation anxiety, so you and your dog can get back to living a happy, more relaxed life together!
My Top 3 Favorite Enrichment Activities for Anxious Dogs
Proper exercise and enrichment is paramount for all dogs to live happy, fulfilling lives and while it’s best to provide a variety of enrichment activities for your dog, dogs suffering from anxiety, such as separation anxiety, may especially benefit from enrichment that promotes relaxation and calmness to help lower their stress levels.
Before You Leave! Preparing Your Newly Adopted Dog to be Left Home Alone
Congratulations on bringing home your new dog! It’s an exciting time and there’s lots to do in order to help your dog transition into their new home. Along with picking out the perfect food, treats, toys and the comfiest dog bed, you’ll also want to prepare them for important life skills like spending time alone in their new home. Preparing them properly for alone time will help minimize separation related problem behaviors like separation anxiety or isolation distress.
Are You Rewarding Your Anxious Dog For Barking?
Picture this…you have a dog who barks and whines every time you leave the house. You’ve tried leaving them with toys and kongs, you’ve left calming music on for them and they get PLENTY of exercise. But no matter what, the barking just doesn’t seem to stop. Sound familiar? What should you do? Do you ignore it and let them bark it out? Or should you come back inside to stop the barking? Doesn’t coming back when they’re barking teach them to bark for whatever they want? Like most dog training questions, the answer is not a simple one, but one that deserves to be addressed.
Navigating the Holiday Season With Your Puppy
Do you have a young puppy (or maybe an overzealous adolescent dog)? Wondering how in the world you’re going to get through the holidays with your puppy AND keep your sanity? I’ve got some puppy hacks that are not only going to keep your puppy safe, they’ll keep you from losing your mind as well.
To Crate Train or Not to Crate Train My Dog?
“Should I crate my dog?”
“Crating my dog seems cruel. Won’t he be sad?”
“I’d prefer if my dog slept in her crate at night rather than with me. Is that ok?”
These are some of the common questions I get asked pertaining to crate training a dog. In fact, the topic of crating a dog can spark some pretty polarizing debates.
So, should you crate your dog or not? Well, like many dog training questions, the answer is, “it depends.”
Is It Separation Anxiety, Isolation Distress or FOMO?
As a certified separation anxiety trainer (CSAT), I get calls all the time from people concerned and confused about their dog’s alone time behavior and what’s causing it. They want clarity and answers and if you’re anything like them, you do too. So, let’s shed some light on things so you can better understand and help your dog relax when alone.
The Story of How Training Saved My Dog’s Lives
A couple of years ago my dogs gave me quite the scare by putting their dog training to the test. It was shortly after moving into our (then) new home and we were so excited because Shiloh and Roxi finally had a beautiful, fully fenced backyard to run in. All was good! That is, ‘til one morning, while I was outside on a Zoom call letting the dogs play in the sun, when I realized it was WAY too quiet. Something wasn’t right.
Help! I Think My Dog Has Separation Anxiety!
Does your dog bark it’s head off when you leave the house?
Or, maybe you’ve come home to your house utterly destroyed (how can they do THAT much damage in such a short period of time!?)
And what the heck, now they seem to have suddenly forgotten all of the potty training you’ve taught them because you’re finding puddles and piles upon your return. You took them out right before you left, surely they could have held it!