What are the tips to deal with separation anxiety amongst poodles?
This blog answers questions :
What are the tips to deal with separation anxiety amongst poodles? What are the symptoms of separation anxiety in Poodles?
What are the tips to deal with separation anxiety amongst poodles?
Some tips pet owners can consider dealing with their poodle’s anxieties are:
Don’t leave them alone for long hours
Poodles can be left alone by a rule of thumb. where the number of hours a poodle can be left alone corresponds to “one hour per one month of age”, that is if a poodle is two months old they can be left alone for two hours whereas if a poodle is 3 months old they can be left alone for three hours. Similarly, a poodle who is about 1 year old can be left alone for about 8 to 9 hours.
Have a window in their room
Poodle owners can also make sure that they are kept in rooms that have a window such that they can see outside. However, this might not be the same for all the poodles.
Some poodles might start barking looking at other animals outside and people while some might enjoy the view and stay occupied.
Hence pet owners must observe their behavior when they are kept near a window-side in a room and make a decision accordingly.
Leave a light on
Dark houses might give a sense of loneliness more than lighted houses. Hence Poodle owners can keep their lights on in the room with the poodles are placed to make them feel more safe and secure while they are away.
Consult a vet
Pet owners must consult a vet for a proper diagnosis of their Poodles. Though symptoms like barking, whining, defecating are some symptoms of separation anxiety they can be caused due to other reasons as well.
Assuming that the Poodles is anxious and hence is carrying out disruptive behavior might be a cause of the neglect of the actual problem. Thus pet owners must consult their veterinary doctors to get the right diagnosis of their Poodles and then treat it accordingly.
Avoid punishment
When pet owners are trying to reduce the separation anxiety amongst their Poodles the first thing, they must keep in mind is that punishment for their actions is only going to worsen their symptoms and resulting anxiety rather than getting it in control.
Pet owners must understand that their pet’s negative behaviors are because of the stress and panic that was caused due to their absence.
Normalize living
Many pet owners shower affection on the Poodles before leaving in the form of cuddles and kisses, though this gives them a sense of joy when a pet owner releases them and approaches the door after unconditional affection they feel a sense of fear and threat.
This makes Poodles more anxious about their owners leaving and forms a negative association between their departure and unconditional affection.
Further on they start to rely on a pattern that whenever they are showered with such kind of love it means that they are going to be left alone at home.
Hence many pet owners are suggested that they do not make a big deal about their departure or arrival.
Avoid the association of objects with you leaving
Poodles pay close attention to all the clues and events related to their owner’s departure. For instance, if a Poodles owner has a habit of picking up the particular bag while leaving Poodles spontaneously realizes that it’s time for their departure due to the object that they picked up.
As they form negative associations with such objects these objects might create a sense of anxiety in them every time the owner departs.
The best way to help avoid such negative associations is to shuffle the order of things that the pet owners do before their departure such that it does not lead to a pattern that their Poodles pick upon.
Give them a habit of being alone
One of the most crucial ways to help Poodles deal with their anxiety is to help them be alone and realize that being alone does not mean being in danger or it does not mean anything bad.
Pet owners must help Poodles to get comfortable staying alone. They can do this by following small steps such as leaving them outside the supermarket when they walk in, leaving them in the backyard for a while while they’re cleaning up the house.
These small steps become very crucial to help Poodles get comfortable staying alone when their owners are away for a long time.
Use distraction
The best way to help Poodles from experiencing a sense of anxiety when their owners are away is to keep them distracted.
Pet owners can take the help of companion toys, food dispensing toys, or any object that reminds them of the owner’s presence when they are away to keep them distracted for a while without feeling uncomfortable.
Use a pee pad
Waiting for the owners to come back to get done with their washroom needs might be very stressful for many Poodles and impossible in some cases.
To reduce the stress related to their washroom needs owners can place pee pads which makes it easier to get rid of their washroom needs when needed
Select the right toys
Toys can be of two types one that provides entertainment when Poodles feel alone, upset, and require toys to interact with, the Smart Pet Love Snuggle Puppy helps perfectly for the role of a companion toy.
The second one could be using a treat dispenser which helps to distract Poodles when the pet owners are away.
A proper treat-dispensing toy can help keep the dogs occupied while the owners are away and fulfill their hunger needs too.
Play canine-specific calming music
Leaving the TV or radio on leaves no control over the type of commercials that are displayed, while playing calming music tailored for dogs can aid in a happy mood and a nice environment for the dog when left alone.
Through A Dog’s Ear: Music To Calm Your Canine Companion which is available as unlimited streaming, a CD, or an MP3 can be used for the purpose.
What are the symptoms of separation anxiety in Poodles?
There are many ways in which Poodles show their symptoms of separation anxiety such as:
- Destructive behavior
- Crying
- Increased levels of anxiety when the owner is leaving the home
- Overexcitement when the owner arrives high levels of housebreaking accidents
- Incessant barking
Conclusion
Separation anxiety in poodles refers to the behavior that they carry out when they have left home alone for very long hours. When poodles are left alone for long hours, they find it difficult to cope with the loneliness.
pet owners must be careful about the amount of time that they leave their poodles alone at home as it might trigger high levels of panic and stress impacting their behavior and mental stability.
Frequently asked questions: What are the tips to deal with separation anxiety amongst poodles?
Are poodles prone to separation anxiety?
Although poodles are not genetically anxious dogs some might experience anxiety due to several environmental factors and when they are away from their owners for a very long time.
Why is my poodle so clingy?
Poodles are clingy breeds where they tend to be clingy around their pet owners however this behavior normalizes gradually within a few minutes or a few hours.
Can poodles be left alone?
Poodles can be left alone by a rule of thumb. where the number of hours a poodle can be left alone corresponds to one hour per one month of age, that is if a poodle is two months old they can be left alone for two hours whereas if a poodle is 3 months old they can be left alone for three hours. Similarly, a poodle who is about 1 year old can be left alone for about 8 to 9 hours.
At what age do poodles come down?
Poodles take about 18 to 24 months before they start to calm down a bit. the number of times dogs take to calm down depends on their full growth that is determined by their breeds.
Citations
http://www.allpoodleinfo.com/poodle-separation-anxiety