Going Back to School: Separation Anxiety
August 17, 2009 by Paris and John
Filed under Children & Dogs, Tips, Training
Back to school is an exciting time for households, with a change of routine after a long, lazy summer. But that change in routine can mean some anxious times for your dog–starting with separation anxiety when you or your children leave the house.
This week we’ve got some great tips from Bark Busters, the world’s largest dog training company, for dealing with this change in routine. Today’s tips: preventing separation anxiety in your dog when school begins:
Start early. A few weeks before the kids head back to class, Bark Busters recommends that you get your dog accustomed to being alone. Start by separating him from the kids and the rest of the family. For example, if you often take your dog with you as you run errands, leave him at home so he can get used to some alone time.
Pay less attention to him. Bark Busters says you need to start about a week before school begins with this one, as difficult as it may be. Your dog needs to get used to the quiet time he’ll be experiencing when kids return to school so every day in the week before classes begin, pay increasingly less attention to your dog.
Practice leaving the house. To reduce the chance of separation anxiety, Bark Busters recommends that you go through the motions of leaving the house…even when you’re not going anywhere. Go out the door then come right back in. The dog will stop associating the routine of your leaving the house with your departure. This will help him to be more relaxed when you actually leave when school begins.
When you leave. When school does begin, you’ll want to make sure your departure doesn’t cause additional anxiety. As the last person leaves the house for the day, don’t confuse your dog by saying in a sweet voice, “It’s okay, Buster–we’ll be home soon. Be a good boy.” If he is feeling concerned that you’re leaving, your happy, high-pitched voice can make him think it’s okay to feel anxious. Dogs are pack animals and so they expect their leaders to be strong when they leave the pack. Bark Busters suggests that you ignore your dog for about 10 minutes before you leave.
Tomorrow: how to keep your dog from being bored when school starts
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