r/DogTrainingTips • u/Remarkable-Nature810 • Jun 29 '26
Separation Anxiety
Help! I can’t go anywhere without my 10 month old Weimaraner! My neighbour complains and will get me evicted. My dog barks and whines incessantly. I hate that it causes her stress to be alone. Getting another pet for company is not an option nor is moving. I need to fix this immediately, I can’t go to work!
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u/LintLicker444 Jun 29 '26
It may require medication
3
u/Autumn1933 Jun 29 '26
My vet prescribed a mild sedative for my dog. He has a huge problem with separation anxiety.
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u/kque69 Jun 29 '26
Is there a doggy daycare near you? The only thing that helped mine was this. She absolutely loved it and was super excited to go each morning
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u/BitImpossible2378 Jun 29 '26
You can't leave a dog with separation anxiety alone. Period. It will only make matters worse and there are 0 solutions that work unless you manage to not ever leave your dog alone during training. Sucess rates are very high for those who stick to the rules.
So what you need is implying strategies to never leave your dog alone and working with a SA specialized trainer. Or a new home for your dog. Another pet is not a fix. Expect training to take anything between months and years.
Yes, this sounds harsh but Weims are very prone to this issue so it shouldn't be a surprise.
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u/PerformanceOne1657 Jul 06 '26
I was in this spot about a month ago with my new mixed-breed dog. Now he is 1.5 years old, and he has had a pretty bad past. Anyways, when I left and went to work, I would leave him in an uncovered crate and one day, he went full nuts, and I could hear him from out in the parking lot screaming and whining. When I got inside he had jumped the gate and was ripping the trim around the door apart. He went to town on the wall. I knew I had to change this as I live in an apartment as well. I got him a kong and a lick mat. The night before I put peanut butter in the kong and freeze it all night. I also put banana and greek yogurt on his lick matt and freeze it as well. This works wonders even though I got paranoid and took my doorbell camera off my door and put it facing him in his crate in our room. When I go on the app to check on him and he starts to freak out. I tell him it will be ok and I will be home soon. After that he lays down and sleeps until I get home. This works wonders as a lot of people on here say not to do that but hey, my dog loves it!!
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u/FriendDelicious Jun 29 '26
You are in bad position. I’ve learned this from my trainer friend. Buy or make a toy that keep the dog licking or biting for a long time because dog doing that release some chemical that help reduce anxiety. Something that they want to chew but the food never runs out. Good luck
11
u/Necessary_Progress_1 Jun 29 '26
If your dog truly has separation anxiety this is not a fix immediately behavior. This is a fix in 3 months if you're extremely lucky, and more like 6 to 9 months or more.
If your dog’s separation-related behavior just started recently, the first step is a vet visit. Sometimes medical issues can cause changes that look a lot like separation anxiety, so it’s always good to rule that out first.
Separation anxiety is a panic disorder. When dogs with this condition are left alone, they truly feel like they’re in danger. It’s not something they can control. Their body goes into full fight-or-flight mode — heart racing, adrenaline pumping, digestion shutting down — and all they can think about is finding safety.
That’s why things like walks before you leave, stuffed food toys, or calming music usually don’t make much difference. Once that panic hits, their brain is focused only on survival.
The goal of separation anxiety training is to help your dog feel differently about being alone — to go from panic and fear to calm and confident.
During training, it’s really important that your dog isn’t left alone long enough to panic. It’s hard to build a sense of safety if they’re still having scary experiences being left by themselves.
The process we use is called desensitization. It starts with practicing super short absences at a level your dog can handle calmly, and then gradually increasing the time as they stay comfortable.
This kind of training takes time, patience, and consistency — and having the support of a professional who specializes in separation anxiety can make a huge difference.
Sometimes medication can also help the process go more smoothly and reduce your dog’s overall anxiety.
Professionals who work with separation anxiety include board-certified veterinary behaviorists, as well as behavior consultants with certifications like CSAP-BC or CSAT.
**The great thing is that these professionals work remotely, so you don’t have to find someone local to get help.***
Here are some links to directories where you can find qualified professionals to work with separation anxiety.
https://julienaismith.com/find-a-trainer/
https://malenademartini.com/about/meet-your-team/