How to Help Puppies Learn Separation Skills
Deal with puppies individually., Teach basic commands., Neutralize puppies' anxiety about you leaving., Play it cool., Keep them occupied with chew toys., Avoid punishing bad behavior., Consult an expert.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Deal with puppies individually.
When training puppies, it is best to approach them individually to keep them from distracting each other.
At around 7-9 weeks, puppies start to learn how to be part of a human home and must bond with their owners to do that.
Too much time spent with a sibling or other pet will run the risk of making its relationship with you secondary, or less important, making training very difficult., Much of a puppy's separation anxiety comes from a need for direction.
Once puppies are about 12-16 weeks old, try teaching them basic commands by means of correction and reward.
To start, this training should only last for 10-15 minutes a session, and it should be an enjoyable and bonding experience.
You can also visit the American Kennel Club website at http://www.akc.org/content/dog-training/articles/teach-your-puppy-these-5-basic-commands/ for instructions on how to teach your puppies the five basic commands: "Sit,” "Stay," "Lay down,” "Heel,” and "Come here."
Condition your puppies out of the anxiety they experience when you leave the house by way of treats.
Every time you are on your way out, give your puppies (one-on-one) a "high value treat"
- i.e. something that each puppy loves and only gets on special occasions.
Over time, your puppies will associate you leaving with reward, as opposed to stress., Dogs are very in tune with human emotions and tend to reflect them back in their behavior (e.g. a dog getting overexcited around a boisterous group of people).
Puppies with separation anxiety will be even more sensitive to the emotional influence of their owners or people around them.
When leaving your puppy (by exiting a room or going out of the house for a while), and when you return, stay calm and avoid exuding excessive excitement., Leave puppies with puzzle and chew toys when you're away to keep them occupied.
Teething puppies love to chew, and an assortment of five to ten chew toys will keep them physically and mentally engaged in your absence.
Choose digestible chew toys (e.g.
Puppystix) or hollowed out toys that you can put food in the middle of (puppies will have to work hard at chewing to get the food out of the toy).Visit a pet store to choose from a variety of chew toy options. , If puppies misbehave while you are away, punishing them afterwards will have no effect.
Dogs live in the moment, and puppies in particular will not make the connection between a punishment (e.g. scolding) and something they did earlier.
Stay calm, and be sure to avoid leaving your puppy alone until you are sure it will not misbehave again.For instance, if you come home and see that your puppy has chewed a shoe, stay relaxed, remove the shoe, and avoid leaving it alone with access to your shoe rack again. , If separation anxiety persists and your puppy continues to exhibit bad behavior, consult an expert for help.
Visit your vet to see if there might be any medical reasons behind the problems.
If there are no health related issues affecting your puppy, your vet may be able to recommend a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) to help train your puppy and resolve issues tied to separation anxiety. -
Step 2: Teach basic commands.
-
Step 3: Neutralize puppies' anxiety about you leaving.
-
Step 4: Play it cool.
-
Step 5: Keep them occupied with chew toys.
-
Step 6: Avoid punishing bad behavior.
-
Step 7: Consult an expert.
Detailed Guide
When training puppies, it is best to approach them individually to keep them from distracting each other.
At around 7-9 weeks, puppies start to learn how to be part of a human home and must bond with their owners to do that.
Too much time spent with a sibling or other pet will run the risk of making its relationship with you secondary, or less important, making training very difficult., Much of a puppy's separation anxiety comes from a need for direction.
Once puppies are about 12-16 weeks old, try teaching them basic commands by means of correction and reward.
To start, this training should only last for 10-15 minutes a session, and it should be an enjoyable and bonding experience.
You can also visit the American Kennel Club website at http://www.akc.org/content/dog-training/articles/teach-your-puppy-these-5-basic-commands/ for instructions on how to teach your puppies the five basic commands: "Sit,” "Stay," "Lay down,” "Heel,” and "Come here."
Condition your puppies out of the anxiety they experience when you leave the house by way of treats.
Every time you are on your way out, give your puppies (one-on-one) a "high value treat"
- i.e. something that each puppy loves and only gets on special occasions.
Over time, your puppies will associate you leaving with reward, as opposed to stress., Dogs are very in tune with human emotions and tend to reflect them back in their behavior (e.g. a dog getting overexcited around a boisterous group of people).
Puppies with separation anxiety will be even more sensitive to the emotional influence of their owners or people around them.
When leaving your puppy (by exiting a room or going out of the house for a while), and when you return, stay calm and avoid exuding excessive excitement., Leave puppies with puzzle and chew toys when you're away to keep them occupied.
Teething puppies love to chew, and an assortment of five to ten chew toys will keep them physically and mentally engaged in your absence.
Choose digestible chew toys (e.g.
Puppystix) or hollowed out toys that you can put food in the middle of (puppies will have to work hard at chewing to get the food out of the toy).Visit a pet store to choose from a variety of chew toy options. , If puppies misbehave while you are away, punishing them afterwards will have no effect.
Dogs live in the moment, and puppies in particular will not make the connection between a punishment (e.g. scolding) and something they did earlier.
Stay calm, and be sure to avoid leaving your puppy alone until you are sure it will not misbehave again.For instance, if you come home and see that your puppy has chewed a shoe, stay relaxed, remove the shoe, and avoid leaving it alone with access to your shoe rack again. , If separation anxiety persists and your puppy continues to exhibit bad behavior, consult an expert for help.
Visit your vet to see if there might be any medical reasons behind the problems.
If there are no health related issues affecting your puppy, your vet may be able to recommend a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) to help train your puppy and resolve issues tied to separation anxiety.
About the Author
Teresa Gutierrez
A passionate writer with expertise in home improvement topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: