Polite Greetings

Jumping up to say hello is an extremely common behavior that owners struggle with. It’s natural for dogs to want to reach our faces and make physical contact when greeting us. Unfortunately it’s dangerous for bigger dogs to jump up, and can be annoying even from the little ones. Here are a variety of techniques to resolve this issue.

 

Start as soon as you get your puppy

When our pups are tiny and adorable, everyone wants to get down on the floor and encourage the pup to climb onto their lap. Many people will even encourage the puppy to reach up with his front feet for petting. This is where the problem starts! You are training your puppy that he gets attention for climbing or jumping on people.

Instead, only give your puppy attention when he has “four on the floor.” Either a sit or a calm standing position can be your pup’s way to politely say “please” when asking for attention.'

This applies not just when you have guests over, but also during walks, and when letting your puppy out of a pen or crate.

 

Sit to Greet

This is the most common way to teach pups to politely ask for attention.

  • Cue your dog to sit. (Use a hand signal to help an excited dog recognize what you want.)

  • If your dog jumps up, withdraw attention (stand back with arms up, or exit the room again). Then remind him to sit and try again.

Here is a training video of a dog learning to politely “sit to greet” when someone comes in the door.

Another dog learns to “sit to greet” when approaching people.

 

Go to Mat

If your dog has a strong “go to mat” and “stay” behavior, you can use that as another way to teach him to have self control when people come in.

  • Cue your dog to go to his mat and stay. (Use a hand signal to help an excited dog recognize what you want.)

  • Have your guest approach your dog to say hello.

  • If your dog gets up, immediately remind him to return to the mat.

 

Come and Go

For dogs that can initially contain their excitement but then ramp up with energy, teaching them to say hello for a few seconds and then return to you can help them stay calmer.

  • Have your dog initially say “please” by sitting.

  • Cue your dog to “go say hi.” Let him approach the guest.

  • Have the guest interact with your pup for a few seconds.

  • Call your dog back to you. Have him sit and show calm.

  • Repeat several times until your dog is calm enough to let him interact naturally.

For dogs who struggle to turn back to their owners, luring them away with a high value treat may be the ticket.

 

Powering up your training

It’s important to withdraw attention every time your dog jumps up, so that jumping doesn’t get reinforced. However the training will be even more effective if you can prevent him from getting all the way up in the first place.

  • Have your dog on leash before you open the door for guests. No matter which of the above techniques you are using, you can use the leash to halt your dog and prevent him from getting his feet all the way up onto your guests.

  • If your dog is large and strong, you can use a tether instead of holding him yourself. Your guests can stand just out of range of his front paws while still leaning forward to pet him when he’s calmly sitting or on his mat.

  • A baby gate or exercise pen can also be used to keep anyone from getting knocked over while they say hello.

This 10 minute video shows a real-time training session with a dog who is learning to sit and be calm at my approach, with the help of a baby gate to prevent successful jumping on me.

High value treats are another tool to make this training more effective:

  • Reward your dog for sitting or standing calmly both before and during the petting.

  • Hold treats down by your dog’s front legs or place them on the floor so that your dog’s weight is shifted down during the petting - reducing the chances of jumping up.

  • Scatter several treats on the ground as your dog approaches the other person, so that his attention is divided and his weight is shifted down. (This is especially helpful for high arousal dogs, who may sit politely but then explode forward and up toward the person.)

Dogs who enjoy holding toys in their mouths often jump less when they are showing off their toy. Encourage your dog to go get his toy before he approaches guests.

Giving your dog plenty of exercise before guests arrive will reduce the amount of excess energy he has for jumping.

Your dog will be calmer with guests if you work ahead of time on the doorbell, knocking, going to the door when there’s no one there, and so on. Here is a great tutorial from Emily Larlham/KikoPup.

If your dog is still struggling, break down the greeting process into smaller steps. Teach your dog to be calm when you walk up without making eye contact or or talking to him or petting him. Then add eye contact, then add a happy voice, and so on.

Emily Larlham gives a comprehensive guide to breaking down the greeting into small, manageable steps for your dog.

 

How to pet the dog (training the human)

The way you say hello to a dog has a HUGE effect on his behavior. Use these techniques to further help him be successful - and tell your guests, too.

  • Use a calm, slow voice rather than high-pitched and happy.

  • Turn your body partly sideways rather than facing head-on.

    • If you can, also encourage the dog to turn sideways so that you’re facing his shoulder and side. This further reduces the intensity of the interaction. Do this by altering where you’re offering your hands, not by physically moving the dog. [Video examples to come.]

  • Some dogs do much better if you avoid direct eye contact, which is too intense for them to handle. Look at their tail, instead.

  • Reach down to pet and scratch the underside of his neck, chest, and sides rather than over his head.

    • The majority of dogs do not like being pet over the head, so this is good advice for every dog!

  • For really major jumpers, you can give pets and scratches on their neck while slipping your thumbs between the neck and collar, or holding gently around their shoulders. This way, as soon as the dog tries to jump up, you “catch” them with your hands and prevent them from getting any vertical air. As soon as they stop trying to jump, return to calmly petting and scratching around the neck and shoulders.

 

Discouraging nibbling

Nibbling on hands when you’re trying to say hello is most often a symptom of humans reaching over the dog’s head. Instead of that, reach down low toward the dog’s chest, or pet from the side, “collar to tail.”

How to pet a mouthy puppy “collar to tail” so you don’t get bitten.

Some dogs just need to have something in their mouths - encourage them to grab a toy before trying to pet.

If the dog does nibble, make sure that you immediately withdraw attention. Keep calm (so as not to excite him), but pull your hands away and cross them for a few seconds. Have him sit (or do another calm behavior) before you start petting again.

 

Practice, practice, practice

Make sure that everyone in your family, and everyone your dog greets, is consistent!

 
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Problems with Prey Drive

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Resource Guarding

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Leash Reactivity: Emergency Exit Strategies

 

Emergency exit strategies

Before we jump into set ups and working around triggers, work on these foundation exercises. I refer to these as “emergency exit strategies” because they are most commonly used to prevent your dog from getting into a bad situation, or getting him out when he’s already starting to go over threshold. You should first practice them randomly at home and on walks, when everything is calm and there are NO triggers around. Practice until your dog responds correctly and happily to each cue.

 

Name game: Use to improve your dog's responsiveness to his name.

  1. Call your dog's name.

  2. Immediately after, throw him a little party - happy talk, a treat, playtime, etc.

 

U-turn: Use to cue your dog to turn around voluntarily, without stress and without alerting him that a trigger is nearby. Later on, this will also make it easier for your dog to do the Engage-Disengage exercise (see below).

  1. With your dog on leash, walk forward a few steps.

  2. Say “u-turn!”

  3. Turn around 180 degrees.

  4. Jog forward a few steps.

  5. Reward your dog for catching up with you.

 

Climbing up the leash: Use when your dog is at the end of a tight leash, and you need to get closer to get his attention or lead him away.

  1. Place one hand in front of the other along the leash, as if you were climbing a rope. Repeat until your hands are close to your dog's collar. (Make sure that you are the one moving toward your dog, not pulling your dog toward you.)

  2. Use the name game, treat magnet, or gentle but steady pressure on the leash/collar/harness to turn your dog away from the trigger.

 

Treat magnet: Use to distract and lead your dog away if he’s to too fixated to respond to the “u-turn” cue, or when you really don’t want him to look around and spot a trigger in the area.

  1. Grab a small handful of treats in your hand. There should be enough treats that your dog can lick and nibble for a while, but not so many that they’re falling out of your hand.

  2. Hold your hand into a lightly closed “tunnel” shape, and place it directly in front of your dog's nose.

  3. As your dog starts to lick or nibble at the treats, lure his head to the side and have him follow the treats until he's turned around and walking away from the trigger.

  4. Let him continue to eat the treats as he's walking away.

  5. The handful of treats should act like a “magnet” attached to his nose - he doesn’t look up or away, just keeps his attention fully focused on the food.

 

Ziggy and his owner demo turning away using the name game, climbing up the leash, and the treat magnet.

 

Demo of teaching the “scatter” cue.

Scatter: Use to distract your dog when you are unable to completely avoid a trigger. Also use to give your dog a break and help him calm down (works best in grass).

  1. Say “scatter!”

  2. Scatter 3-5 treats on the ground and let your dog hunt for them.

  3. Repeat as many times as needed until trigger is gone or dog is calm enough to continue walk.

 
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Leash Reactivity: Training Around Triggers

You have the background info, you’ve done the foundational training. Finally, let’s get to actually teaching your dog to be calm around his triggers.

 

Desensitization and counter conditioning

This is one of the gold standard approaches to reducing reactivity, especially when it is caused by fear or anxiety. In brief, we will teach your dog that the appearance of his triggers predicts getting yummy treats. Here is an article with more information on this process and how to apply it.

  1. Dog sees trigger.

  2. Dog gets treat - sometimes just one, sometimes a stream of treats the whole time the trigger is happening/in sight.

 

Engage-Disengage Game

I often begin training with straight desensitization and counter conditioning exercises, but then progress to using the Engage-Disengage Game. There are two stages to this:

  1. Mark and reward the dog as soon as he looks at the trigger (engages).

  2. Let the dog look at the trigger for a few seconds and wait. Mark and reward as soon as the dog looks away (disengages) from the trigger.

Here is a lovely graphic from Alice Tong that explains the Engage-Disengage Game in detail.

If you prefer learning via video, here is one from Charleston Animal Society explaining how to teach this exercise, and here is another one from Bravo Dog Training & Behaviour.

Here is an example video of Georgia performing the Engage-Disengage Game with me while looking at another dog at PetSmart. (Yes, Georgia was very leash reactive before her training started!)

Here is a video of a dog fully trained in the Engage-Disengage (or “Look at That”) Game going for a stroll and “pointing out” potential triggers to his person.

This exercise provides the dog with a specific alternative behavior that they can perform instead of lunging, barking, and so on. It gives them more control over the situation and helps reframe the training exercise into a fun game. It also gives the owner more insight into how their dog is feeling about the trigger (did the dog disengage promptly or after a delay? Are the dog’s movements fluid and controlled or fast and frantic? Is the dog even able to disengage on his own without help?).

 

BAT (Behavior Adjustment Training)

This is another technique that works very well when combined with counter-conditioning and/or the Engage-Disengage Game. I will often use all three in a single session, flowing from one to the next as best fits the moment and the dog’s demeanor.

BAT was developed by Grisha Stewart. It is usually done with the dog on a long line (leash that is 10+ feet long) for better freedom of movement. (Remember that the more control your dog feels he has over the situation, the more relaxed he will be, which allows for greater success in the initial stages of training.) It can also be done on a regular leash if the dog is able to keep it loose.

We start far away and allow the dog to meander around the area. We keep him from inadvertently rushing toward the decoy, but allow him to observe his surroundings until he notices the helper. At that point you:

  • Help your dog come to a stop by slowing down and then halting progress with the leash.

  • Make sure the leash is slack once your dog has stopped.

  • Wait and watch your dog's body language.

    • If your dog is becoming more tense/alert or starting to show overt reactivity toward the trigger, help him move away (use one of the exit strategies explained above).

    • If he is calmly observing the trigger, let him continue watching. (The exception is for dogs who will go over threshold if they stare for too long.)

    • When he disengages and goes back to walking, sniffing, or other calm behavior, praise and continue letting him meander around the area.

This training technique most closely resembles a “real” walk and the final behavior we want from your dog: noticing a trigger, watching for a moment, then turning away and continuing to walk with you.

 

Play Way

This approach, developed by Amy Cook, is different than most because rather than teaching your dog specific alternative behaviors around his triggers, it focuses on helping your dog truly relax and even play with you while out and about in the world. Here is her explanation on using social play for behavior problems, and here is a detailed article on the method. Lili Chin has created one of her adorable infographics with information, as well. I generally recommend this technique for dogs who have many triggers for their anxiety, and have trouble relaxing and letting down their guard.

Practice playing together both on and off leash, first in the house, then in the yard. Think of your playtime as including lots of back and forth communication: are you enjoying this? Do you need a break? Would you prefer to do something else? Follow the “3 second rule” - after about 3 seconds of play or petting, pause and see what your dog does. If he engages with you, great, keep going! If he turns away or looks around, that means that he needs a break, or is concerned about something in the environment, or wasn’t into the type of play/petting you were doing. Give him a moment to look around, then ask him if he would like to play some more.

Over time, you dog will build confidence and be happy to ignore the rest of the world in favor of connecting with you in play.

Here are some video examples of playing with dogs, without treats or toys, and without overwhelming shy dogs or getting bitten or jumped on by big dogs:

 
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Rattlesnake Avoidance Training Info

With rattlesnakes being so common in our area, I am frequently asked about rattlesnake avoidance training. Many people are surprised to find out that the vast majority of this training is done by putting shock collars (also called “e-collar” or “stim collar”) onto the dogs in the class, and delivering a shock when they notice the snake. Proponents of this training believe that it’s worth putting the dogs through this experience in order to save their lives. However, there are problems with this plan:

  • There is no way to guarantee that the dog will make the intended association between snake and shock.

    • The dog may actually associate the trainer, their owner, the other people, the other dogs, or the location with the shock - or even a random noise or scent that they sensed right before.

  • There is no guarantee that this will keep your dog from being bitten by a snake, even if they do make the intended association.

    • Not all rattlesnakes rattle before they strike - especially if they don’t have time because something has suddenly stumbled right onto them. So then the sound and sight are not cuing your dog to move away.

    • Your dog may be upwind of the snake, so the smell is not cuing your dog to move away.

  • Using shock (or any other form of pain or intimidation) is not recommended and simply not necessary to train dogs.

  • The snakes are also harmed during this training, as they are muzzled or defanged and repeatedly put into situations in which they perceive the need to act defensively (rattle) to protect themselves.

The good news is that there are alternatives - positive training methods can teach dogs to move away from rattlesnakes, too. Instead of using live snakes, trainers may use shed snake skin, recorded rattles, fake snakes, or even dead snakes. As above, there are no guarantees, but it is just as effective and now you are not risking serious fallout from the use of shock. The owner is an active participant in the process, which means that the dog’s responsiveness to and bond with their owner grows.

The bad news is that the shock collar trainers have really cornered this market, and it can be challenging to find local positive trainers offering classes or seminars. As soon as I hear of something in our area, I will add the info here!

 
 

There are other ways to protect your dog, too. [to be finished!]

vaccine info

understanding rattlesnake behavior

decreasing rattlesnake habitat on your property

 
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The word NO

As a trainer who uses “positive”/”force-free” training methods, my focus is always on teaching dogs what we want them to do and developing good habits. For example, for dogs who pull on leash, I teach them to heel and focus on the owner instead. I don’t advocate using punishment - such as yanking on a prong collar or choke chain - to make the dog stop doing something undesirable. What comes along with this is that I almost never use the word “no.”

 

Why is “no” not useful?

  • The intention of saying “no” is to get the dog to stop doing something. To us humans, it’s obvious what we’re referring to in the moment, eg, no barking, no biting, no jumping, no digging. To the dog, however, it’s not obvious at all! Especially since we tend to use the word “no” in many different contexts. It’s not specific enough to give useful information to the dog.

  • Some dogs may stop whatever they are doing and give subdued body language when you raise your voice or talk sternly. In those cases, it may seem like reprimanding them is doing the trick. However, it doesn’t tell the dog what you do want them to do, so that they can form good habits. It also doesn’t address any underlying problems that may be causing the dog’s “naughty” behavior. If your dog is barking because they’re fearful of the stranger coming into the house, telling him “no barking” won’t solve the real issue at hand.

  • Some other dogs just don’t care about their owner getting upset, or at least not enough to change their behavior. In which case, their frustrated owner is repeatedly saying “no no no!” while the dog continues on their merry way. As above, they are not being taught what we do want them to do. How are they supposed to do better next time?

 

So what should you do instead?

Don’t rely on using “no” to make any lasting changes in your dog’s behavior. Instead, use the following approaches to truly teach him different ways to behave.

  • Management: Prevent your dog from rehearsing the unwanted behavior as much as possible.

  • Be proactive: Make sure that your are meeting your dog’s baseline needs before he resorts to chewing up your shoes out of boredom. If you know that he tends to “act up” around a certain time of day, proactively give him exercise and appropriate activities before he starts up.

  • Redirecting: If your dog does end up jumping, barking, digging, etc, you immediately step in to remedy the situation and redirect your dog to a more appropriate activity or simply remove him. This may involve the use of a positive interrupter, using a leash to physically move your dog away, or getting him interested in toys or treat training instead.

  • Teach appropriate behaviors: Make sure your dog has a solid understanding of at least one alternative behavior. For example, if you want your barky pup to get your attention in a different way, teach him to sit quietly on cue.

  • Build good habits: Encourage your dog to rehearse those more appropriate behaviors over and over, until they become his “go-to” choices.

  • Desensitization and counter-conditioning: This should be applied for any behavior that is rooted in fear or anxiety. It is also often part of the training plan when dogs are over-excited, frustrated, or feeling other “big emotions.”

 

This video shows an example of a puppy who was biting his harness and owner’s hands every time she tried to put the harness on, despite firmly being told “no.” Chirag Patel showed his owner how to use treat training to teach the puppy to cooperate and easily put on the harness.

 

Time outs

There are situations I will recommend using a “time out” to discourage unwanted behaviors. A time out consists of 30 seconds to 2 minutes of the dog being removed from the situation in order to emphasize that we don’t want him to do a specific behavior. However this is always used in conjunction with the methods listed above, so that the dog is given information on what we do want him to be doing instead, those alternative behaviors are heavily reinforced, and the owner is using management and being proactive to prevent rehearsal of the unwanted behavior as much as possible.

 

Actions over words - using “no” effectively

If you are using time outs as part of your dog’s training program, THIS is the time to use your “no” effectively! (Although I tend to use the word “time out” instead, because it reminds me to be specific and consistent.)

  1. Say “no” or “time out.”

  2. Immediately after, put your dog up or remove yourself from the situation.

Now you have a cue that the dog will understand, and you can use it to highlight the exact moment that your dog did the unwanted behavior (eg right as he jumped up or nipped in play). It is your actions that give the cue meaning, rather than your specific wording or tone of voice.

 
 
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All Done cue

The “all done” cue tells your dog “we’re done with petting/playing/training, so you can do your own thing.” It’s helpful for persistently optimistic dogs who keep bringing you their ball or stepping on your heels after fun time is over.

Simply show your empty hands (or do "jazz hands") and say "all done.” Then continue on with your day, ignoring your pup for the next few minutes at least. With some repetition and consistency, the dog will learn to wander off and entertain himself after you tell him "all done."

Here’s an example:

Troubleshooting:

  • If your dog hasn’t yet learned the cue and continues to pester you for attention, make sure to ignore him. Do not repeat “all done,” or give him any petting or talk to him. He must get ignored in order to learn that the cue means "I am not going to interact with you anymore."

  • If you’re worried that your dog will start to do a “naughty” behavior in order to get your attention again (such as chewing things up, stealing shoes, or nipping), you should have him in a puppy-proofed area.

  • If you find that your dog experiences a spike of frustration and can’t settle down on his own, you can help him by giving him something else to do right before you cue "all done." This could be a chew, a food toy, a "fresh" toy for him to play with, or even just scattering a small handful of kibble/treats to redirect him as you leave.


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Nose Work

Nose work is an activity in which the dog is taught to use their sense of smell to locate an object. “K9 Nose Work” specifically is an organized sport in which the objects to find are hidden q-tips that have a tiny amount of essential oil on them - birch, anise, or clove. There is also “AKC Scent Work” which uses those same scents plus cypress. The organizations that run these sports (NACSW, AKC, and UKC) put on competitions in which dogs and owners get to show off their training against an objective standard. However there are many benefits to training nose work with your dog even if you have zero interest in formal competition.

 

Why train nose work?

There are two big reasons that I recommend this type of training for clients:

  1. It’s a major mental workout, which is a huge help for meeting the exercise and enrichment needs of active dogs. This is particularly helpful if you have a dog who is so athletic that you can’t tire him out physically, when the weather prevents you from getting out, or if your dog can’t do much physical exercise due to injury or illness.

  2. It’s a huge confidence booster for anxious or shy dogs. It gives them a structured, fun way to explore new surroundings and acclimate to the presence of people, noises, new surfaces, etc. There’s even a study that shows that “practicing nosework increases dogs’ positive judgment bias or ‘optimism’.” The authors also note that “behaving naturally and making active choices are two key factors in animal welfare,” and “olfaction-based activities contribute to dogs’ welfare.”

There’s also a third reason… which is that it’s fun!

 

What does nose work look like?

The final picture looks a lot like the work done by working detection dogs, such as those finding narcotics, explosives, forbidden foods at airports, or sea turtle nests on beaches.

You, the owner, will determine the area that your dog will be searching in - for example, one room of your house, your garage, your yard, or a particular area of the park. Your dog may be off leash if it’s safe, or on leash in public. You give them their cue, and they go off to find the “hide” using their excellent sense of smell, then indicate its location by pointing at it with their nose, staring at it, sitting and looking at you, or another signal you’ve trained.

A dog can be trained to find many different scents. In lieu of the essential oils used in competition, you could use a spice or extract (one that you don’t normally use in your kitchen, so your dog doesn’t get confused when you’re cooking), a dog toy, or an object (such as your keys!). You can even just use their kibble or treats, especially at the beginning.

Here’s a video from AKC that explains the sport and shows dogs practicing. (Note that while the video mentions that dogs must be registered with the AKC in order to compete, it is NOT limited to purebreds. AKC provides a way to register mixed breeds so that they can compete in nose work and some other AKC sports.)

Here’s another video with examples of typical of K9 Nose Work training.

 

Getting started on your own

You’ll need:

  • Kibble or treats for your dog

  • The essential oil or other scent that your dog will be searching for

  • A small vented container to hold the scented q-tip, cotton ball, etc. If you’re using something larger, like your key chain, and there’s no danger of your dog eating it, then you can skip putting it into a container.

  • Metal tweezers, so that you don’t touch the scented q-tip or cotton ball directly. Be careful to avoid getting the oil on your fingers.

  • An airtight container for you to store your scented supplies when you’re not training. Your dog should not have access to these things outside of training time.

  • You can purchase kits that make it easier to get started. I have purchased my supplies from Paws 4 Fun. They have a great starter kit here.

  • 6-10 small to medium cardboard boxes, if you are starting with the box method.

Here is an article with great information on preparing, handling, and storing your supplies.

Here is another article with information on storing the essential oils.

 

Video tutorials

These videos can get you on the right track for this fun game!

 

Classes and private lessons

I highly recommend taking a private lesson or a group class if you and your dog are enjoying the game but you’re not sure how to make it more challenging over time.

I occasionally teach group classes in Vacaville - you can find full information on my introductory class here. I can also provide one on one training during private lessons.

Others who teach classes within a couple of hours of Vacaville.

  • Jennie Kiefer of Nosey Goldens teaches in Dixon, Davis, Loomis, Newcastle, and surrounding areas. She is a wonderful instructor for both rambunctious and anxious dogs. She does both group classes and private lessons.

  • Christa Wendlandt teaches small group classes in Vallejo.

  • Dodger’s Paws in Pleasanton offers group classes.

  • Tell A Tail is a training school in Livermore that does all nose work, all the time.

  • The East Bay SPCA sometimes has nose work classes.

  • The online Fenzi Dog Sports Academy has a whole nose work program.

 

Other helpful articles about nose work

Preparing for an ORT (Odor Recognition Test)

 

Alternative scent-based games

Here are links for other scent games that don’t fall into the typical “nose work” category - more will be added as I find good videos/articles.

 
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Separation Anxiety Referrals

A very brief intro to working through separation anxiety

Owners often realize that their dog is experiencing separation anxiety because they hear incessant barking (or get complaints from neighbors about it) as they’re leaving or returning home, find their dog has demolished their home, broken out of their crate, or emptied their bladder or bowels. These dogs are not just upset about being left alone; they are experiencing panic attacks. The solution is not to purchase an indestructible crate and a bark collar to suppress their behavior, but rather, to use desensitization techniques to teach the dog that they can be alone and feel okay about it.

The first step is to stop leaving your dog alone for longer than they can handle - which probably means not leaving them at all. That may seem overwhelming, but with help, it can be done. Here are some options:

  • Shifting your family members’ schedules when possible so that you trade off dog care.

  • Having people come over to spend time with your dog while you’re out: neighbors, friends, family members, people within your communities such as church, knitting circles, sports teams.

  • Taking your dog to spend time at someone else’s home - see list above, and consider other dog owners who don’t mind having one extra for a few hours. You could even trade care with them, so other times you’re watching both the dogs when they need a break.

  • Posting on social media such as NextDoor or Facebook to find more helpers not already in your social circle.

  • Bringing your dog with you on errands. (Just mind the temperature of the car on warm days.)

  • Hiring a pet sitter.

  • Taking your dog to daycare.

With that management plan in place, you will now begin the desensitization process. This starts with very, very low intensity doses of being “left alone” - that might be literally just opening the front door and closing it again, without stepping outside. Repeat until your dog shrugs this off as not interesting. Then start opening the front door, stepping through, returning, closing the door. You’ll also need to desensitize your dog to your “getting ready to go out” routine, such as putting on shoes, picking up keys, setting the alarm system, etc. There are many more nuances to this process and it should not be attempted without learning more from the resources or referrals below.

 

Getting help

While I do know how to help a dog work through separation anxiety (and even have personal experience with it), my preference is to refer out to people who specialize in this area. Here are my usual referrals and resources.

 

Hang in there

Working through separation anxiety may seem like an overwhelming process at the beginning, but it has a very good prognosis as long as you carefully follow the desensitization protocol. Best of luck!

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