Separation anxiety in dogs is one of the hardest things to deal with. It is even harder if you have a full time job where you have to leave your dog at home alone for extended periods of time. Your dog is very sensitive, and you have to be very careful how you approach the problem. If you become too frustrated or are too strict on your dog, it can backfire and only make its separation anxiety worse. Many people have reached out to us asking if a dog trainer can help with separation anxiety. We will answer that question and explain how a dog trainer can help a dog with separation anxiety.
Can a dog trainer help with separation anxiety
Yes, a dog trainer can certainly help with separation anxiety in dogs. One of the main reasons trainers can help with this problem is because they specialize in teaching a dog what is good and bad behavior. When dog’s have separation anxiety, they usually display many unwanted behaviors such as scratching, chewing, and barking. A dog trainer can be very helpful because they can help teach dogs that these behaviors are bad and that they shouldn’t do them.
Dog trainers are also great at teaching dog’s positive behavior. They teach dog’s this by making them do small tasks such as sitting, and then reward them either with visual cues or with treats. This can be very important when dealing with separation anxiety, because they can teach dogs that being silent and not scratching when anxious is good behavior.
A dog trainer can also help with separation anxiety by helping you learn more about your dog and their anxiety. Dog trainers have experience working with thousands of dogs, so they have a plethora of knowledge concerning separation anxiety and the best way to treat it. Dog trainers will likely give you invaluable tips and suggestions on how to help your dog with separation anxiety.
Last but not least, dog trainers are experts in punishing dogs. As we mentioned in the beginning of this article, it can be very tough punishing a dog that has separation anxiety. If done incorrectly, it will only make the problem worse. Dog trainers are great because they know the perfect balance between being forceful but friendly with a dog. This is because they have a lot of techniques where they can enforce positive and negative reinforcement in dogs. Dog trainers can also be very beneficial for group trainings with other dogs. When your dog has the opportunity to socialize with other dogs, it can improve your dog’s behavior and help with its separation anxiety.