Instructions
Make leaving and arriving home routine and unexcitable. Do not make a fuss when leaving and do not greet your dog too enthusiastically when you come back home. This will be hard, but it can help your dog with separation anxiety.
Give your dog a hard rubber chew toy or Nylabone to keep him busy while you're gone. A dog that is chewing on what it is allowed to chew on is not destroying furniture or other items and is also not barking incessantly.
Leave an article of clothing or a blanket or towel out so your dog can pick up your scent while you're gone. This can comfort the dog and help with separation anxiety.
Act like you are going to leave, but don't. Get your car keys and your coat, for instance, but then sit down for while. Practice doing this until your dog shows no sign of separation anxiety.
Take step four further by stepping outside the house and closing the door, but return quickly. Do this over and over, each time staying on the other side of the closed door, until your dog remains calm when you "leave."
Continue to leave the house for longer and longer periods. Start with ten minutes and keep expanding the time until your dog gets used to your absence and can thus deal with separation anxiety.
How to Help a Dog With Separation Anxiety
We all love our dogs and miss them when we're out of the house. But even more, our dogs miss us. Sometimes they can miss us too much. When a dog results to destructive behavior or incessant barking, these can be signs of separation anxiety. Separation anxiety is one of the leading reasons why people give up their dogs. Here's how you can help your dog with separation anxiety.