This is a recent question from a reader of my website:
Question: My dog Jake is a chihuahua and shih tzu mix. He is now five months old and I have been told he has separation anxiety. When I put him in his kennel he whines, drools profusely, bites at the door, and scratches trying to get out. Do you have any suggestions of what I could do to help him enjoy his kennel and realize that I am always coming back for him? Is there any way to help him relax?
Answer: It is a little early in the dog’s life to give an accurate diagnosis of separation anxiety. Separation anxiety is a real disorder. It is a chemical imbalance in the dog’s brain. My guess is that you have a dog that is simply nervous when you leave. If your dog really has separation anxiety, though, then there are only two courses of action:
1- Proper medication to help manage and control the chemical impulses in the dog’s brain.
2- Good training. In a case like yours you need to work on crate training. Use treats to help your dog enjoy the crate. Feed your dog only in the crate. Put your dog in the crate and ignore her for several minutes before you leave. When you come home ignore her for several minutes. Use the crate often while you are home and ignore the anxious behavior.
Good luck.
