Puppy Has Separation Anxiety
My puppy has turned a year old and still has separation anxiety...
Anxiety Question:
My Lhasa/Shih-tzu mixed pup has turned a year old and still has separation anxiety.
I let him in the house and he immediately goes in his crate and is fine while I am in there with him but if I so much as have to run to the bathroom he barks until I come back and sit on the couch then he is happy and falls asleep.
I think he sleeps with one eye open because if I get up to do anything, such as wash clothes, he immediately wakes up and starts to bark again. He is like a child not wanting to be left at daycare. How can I stop his separation anxiety and make him be more independent?
Anxiety Answer:
Do you know what started this separation anxiety?
Was there a specific event that you can link it back to? Like was he attacked by other dogs when you weren't around?
This may sound goofy but you should work at building up your dog's confidence. Increase his exposure to new situations until his separation anxiety decreases.
You can correct him by sternly and calmly tell him "no" or use some other noise. Start doing this at home. Stage some exits from the room. You could disappear around the corner to get him to bark but be right there to quickly re-enter the room and correct him.
You might also want to increase his activity level - take him for more or longer walks. Tire him out so that he'll want to do nothing but sleep, and not keep a watchful eye on you.
Back from Anxiety Answer
to Anxiety Questions