PREVENTING AND OVERCOMING SEPARATION ANXIETY IN DOGS – TIP THREE

This video is the last in the series and brings together the tips taken in videos one to three (check them out on IGTV if you’ve missed them!). During this tutorial I give some tips and advice on what I like to call ‘setting the scene’. In simple terms, this is practising leaving your dog, helping them to build their confidence slowly and surely – a little bit like ‘role play’ if you like.

Before practising this final activity it is important that you have completed activities one and two – you must have exercised your dog and have something prepared to give them to do in your absence (a suitable food dispensing toy or something like a dog chew). Once you have fulfilled these first two steps you can then set about this third task and practice leaving them alone.

As with all training, take your time and progress at your dog’s individual pace. Start close by and at a distance that your dog can still see you. At this stage, set your timer for just a few minutes. Over time you can then build this exercise up by moving further away and increasing the time you are away for. Don’t rush the process – it is better to take it slower than is necessary than to have to try and undo any anxiety caused. Some dogs will take to the process quicker than others. Observe your dog carefully and work to their individual needs.

As always, please do seek advice from a registered behaviourist if you find that any training tips aren’t working for your individual dog. They will be able to trouble shoot and pin point exactly what is going on, why the training might not be working at this present time, and assist you with positively moving forwards.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel so that you can refer back to the series when you need to. And of course let me know if you give the training exercises a go.