As places begin to reopen, and plans get back on track, you may decide to board your dog.
In that case, we’ve got you covered! At Uncle G’s Bed and Biscuit we are avidly following CDC guidelines to protect our staff and customers to slow the spread.
If it is your first visit in with your pet, boarding can seem a bit intimidating if you have a pet with separation anxiety. Below we have listed several ways to introduce boarding to your pet and to help reduce their anxiety prior to their visit.
We also highly recommend the usage of pet CBD oil. We can provide dosing our “house” pet CBD oil as an extra service or we can administer CBD oil that your bring in for your pet. Ask our front desk for more info. Continue reading below for tips and tricks to be proactive about reducing your pet’s separation anxiety.
Training for Confidence:
Spend a few minutes daily with your dog woking on basic commands. This is to help build their confidence. By doing so, you will have a dog that is more sure of what they associate with good and bad. More confidence means less anxiety. Keep training positive and simple!
Have a safe space:
But make it fun! Your dog (or cat) should have a space that they feel is their own. Whether that is a cozy little corner bed with their favorite toy or the most extravagant play room filled with their favorite things, you can make this their special spot to feel safe. Practice having them spend short amounts of time here while you are home, and work up to having them stay there when you are leaving. Remember this may take weeks to months to achieve, each dog is different, so maintain patience!
Training for Independence:
Does your pet constantly follow your around? Try not to encourage this behavior. Your pet should feel comfortable enough to stay in another room without you throughout the day. To practice the length of time they are okay further from you, start by giving your dog the “down” command. Slowly back away a few steps at a time, each time adding a few more steps. In between varying distances, give them plenty of love for reward!
Calm Departures and Returns:
When coming and going from home, avoid making it a big deal. By fussing over the departure or arrival, you are enhancing the energy that your pet will feed off of. This acts as a reward for their anxiety. To break this habit, practice having your pet go to their safe spot or to “go to bed” with a toy when you leave. Try turning on a tv or radio on low to help with noise for comfort. When returning home practice not giving them attention as soon as your enter. Wait until they have calmed down, and you are able to devote your attention to them on your terms so they feel that their calmness and good behavior is rewarded.
Maintaining variety in your schedule:
Animals do very well with routine for training, feeding and many other things, however the opposite applies here. Try to leave for shorter amounts of time at different times once your pet is comfortable alone. By keeping a variety in when you leave the house, your dog will not see a need to fuss because your are consistently coming back. This will ease their separation anxiety and build their bond to their own comfort zone.
Things to note:
If your pet is still struggling with separation anxiety, ie. excessive whining, crying, barking, shaking, trembling, getting physically sick, damaging their surroundings/potentially hurting their self, etc. please seek a professional vet or trainer for help. Another great option for more progressive pets that simply just do not like being alone and could benefit from being around others, is to schedule a dog walker or sitter to stop in when you cannot, or try our doggy day care at Uncle G’s as a way to introduce your pet.
We hope these suggestions help.
Thanks for reading along, check out our other blog posts for more pet tips and tricks!
-Uncle G’s Bed And Biscuit
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Sources: https://www.mspca.org/pet_resources/dealing-with-separation-anxiety-in-dogs/
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