Separation anxiety is one of the top issues facing dog owners. The problem can be so bad that their pets develop serious behavioral problems. These include chewing furniture, scratching walls and the inside of doors, having a bowel movement on the carpet, and constantly barking during your absence.
Behavior that is related to separation anxiety can be a problem, because it happens while you are out. You might not even know it's happening. It's a problem not only for you and your family, but for your neighbors as well. Nothing irritates a close neighbor more than the incessant barking or yapping of a dog suffering with separation anxiety. This type of bark is different from the normal bark, which usually stops in a reasonable time.
Barking caused by separation anxiety can lead to even more problems for you. Your neighbor is quite within his or her rights to call the humane society or police to have the issue resolved. This can lead to the animal being removed from the property or at the very least, you can end up with a fine for excessive noise.
It's crucial to resolve separation anxiety in your dog as quickly as possible. Here are some things you can do.
1. Exercise to wear your dog out before you leave. Take her on a good, vigorous walk for about 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Distract her by providing her own items to chew, such as marrow bones. Give them to her just before you leave and she will forget about you long enough for you to make your departure.
3. Give her access to viewing the front yard so she can see what's going on outside.
4. Turn on a talk show so she hears voices of humans and doesn't feel so alone. Keep the volume fairly low, however. Dogs have terrific hearing.
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