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Some dogs do not like being left alone in the house even for short periods of time. They miss their owners and this can be displayed in different ways be different dogs. Some examples being excessive barking or whining, destructive behaviour through chewing up furniture or soft furnishings or even (and perhaps most unpleasant of all) toileting in the house meaning a messy and smelly cleanup job for you when you come home. There are many ways which separation anxiety can be tackled and treated. One of them is by use of a crate for your dog whilst you are out. This is not as bad as it sounds as dog crates are used for other purposes too (transport for example) however crating is not suitable for all dogs and some will take to it better than others. That said, it can be an effective measure against a spot of separation anxiety although you must take time to train your dog to accept the crate. Here are some tips and advice on how you might do that. The general idea with crating is one which you are giving your dog a special space of his own in which he can feel safe and comfortable. The size of crate is an important choice and different sizes are available. Generally speaking it is suggested you go for a crate which is large enough for your dog to lie down, stand up and turn around in, but no bigger. Now it is time to introduce your dog to it. This should be done gradually and without forcing it upon your pooch. Let him (or her) get used to the new thing big metal thing in the house. Leave the door to it open and let your dog explore at his leisure. Sniff around it, see what it’s all about and get used to it being there. One big tip right now is to never, ever use the crating as a form of punishment. You do not want him to associate going in there as being anything bad, quite the opposite. Once you think your dog has got used to seeing the crate there and perhaps even been in there a time or two through the open door on his own it’s time to offer a little extra encouragement. Put a couple of his favourite toys in there and see if he goes in to play with them or if not encourage him gently to show him that there’s nothing to be afraid of. You might try putting his feeding bowl in there and giving him his dinner in his crate occasionally. Help him to get used to going in there and accept it as no big deal. It’s entirely natural. To help him even further you might get a special toy or treat which he only gets when going in his create. Throw it in there, say “crate” in an nice happy, encouraging voice and eventually get him to associate the word with going in there. Whilst he is in there make sure he has fresh water to drink and some of his favourite toys to play with an entertain himself. Once he’s used to that and goes in and out of his own accord or on command it’s time to start closing the door. Do this gradually for short periods of time to begin with slowly increase the time you have him in there with the door shut. If he whines or barks ignore him until he calms down then praise him for being good. Help with positive association. Next try crating him and then leaving the room – again for short periods to begin with and gradually building up the time he’s alone in his crate. When you return make no fuss of him or let him out until he’s calmed down then let him out and praise him. The eventual end result of this being that your dog is entirely happy to go in his crate, sees it as nothing to worry about as he’s got stuff to do in there and he knows you will be back. I hope this article is useful for you in you have a dog which suffers from separation anxiety. It can be distressing for both dog and owner though crate training is one technique you can employ to help combat it. For more information and tips on the condition and other techniques you can use please click here. You may also like three free dog health related ebooks (one of them is all about dog separation anxiety). Please click here for your free ebooks.
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