What are the tips to manage separation anxiety amongst pugs?
This blog answers questions about: What are the tips to manage separation anxiety amongst pugs? What are some ways to reduce pug’s uneasiness? How to reduce your pugs time alone? What are the signs of separation anxiety amongst pugs?
What are the tips to manage separation anxiety amongst pugs?
some tips that pet owners can adopt to deal with separation anxiety in pugs:
Dog proof you’re home
Dog proofing one’s home is a very crucial step for many pet owners. Many times pugs might feel a sense of anxiety due to their safety and security. This anxiousness might come from a prior negative experience that they had while they were home alone.
Thus pet owners must make sure that they put away all the things that can be dangerous or go against their pug’s security at home when they are away such that pugs do not have any negative experiences by falling into danger when they are left alone.
Some ways to dog-proof a house are:
- Use gates that limit access to rooms with stairs and other gadgets.
- Cover the electrical outlets.
- Make cables invisible behind furniture
- Lock your kitchens and bathroom cabinets
- Keep the doors locked that are potentially dangerous for the pug.
Keep tearable and breakables out of reach.
Store toxic substances in places that are out of reach for the pugs such as medicines, cleaning products, and plants.
Help pugs to handle being home alone
Pet owners must help their pugs to gradually get comfortable being alone for a while this initially requires building their confidence in managing the absence of their owners.
Once they build a sense of confidence in staying alone they feel more comfortable with their owner’s departure and feel more safe and secure reducing their anxiety.
This requires giving the pugs a habit of staying within confined places that have a sufficient amount of space for them to move and stay distracted. Pet owners can use simple steps and practice sessions that range between 5 to 20 minutes of alone time
Some steps would involve the pet owners staying at home by their dog’s side then moving out of their dog’s side and then gradually stepping out of the house. This should further be reinforced in the pugs by praising them for staying alone and calm.
This way the pug will be able to form positive associations with being calm and staying alone. Further increasing the reward and alone time accordingly will lead to favorable outcomes.
Keep your bug in his safe zone
Setting up a safe zone is one of the crucial strategies for reducing separation anxiety amongst pugs. Setting a safe zone provides favorable outcomes for both the pug as well as the pet owner.
Benefits of setting up a safe zone:
- It makes an area in dog-friendly where they are out of potential risk.
- It helps the pugs to get into the habit of staying alone positively.
- Pugs might start feeling comfortable on the departure of their owners as they feel safe and relaxed in their own space
- Pugs start feeling more confident and less anxious about staying alone
- It helps to create a sense of security for the pugs.
Tire your pug for leaving
Exercising your pugs helps to tire them out in a way that they require some amount of rest and recovery time putting them to sleep. This can be done by taking the pugs for walks and playing with them in the backyard
Keep an eye on your pug
Pet owners can also use technology to keep an eye on their pug while they are away for long hours this can be done by setting up cameras in the area where the pugs spend most of their time when the owners are away.
Normalize living
Pet owners fail to realize that the reason for anxiety or its increasing levels in their pets is due to their behavior.
Many pet owners shower affection on the pugs 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 pugs 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.
What are some ways to reduce pug’s uneasiness?
Some ways to reduce pugs uneasiness are:
- Give them a plush toy that is designed to make them feel more calm such snuggle puppy toy.
- Play soothing music that is meant for relaxing your pug. White Noise Sound Machine works with dogs that suffer from anxiety
- The lavender essential oil has also been found useful in reducing the levels of stress in dogs. Using two drops of this on the pet’s collar or bedding can help to put them at ease.
- Another option could be to use a diffuser around your house which creates a soothing effect.
How to reduce your pugs time alone?
A few ways that pet owners can use to reduce the number of hours that their pugs are left alone at a stretch are:
- Take your dog to work if your company is pet friendly
- Consider working from home if you have the option to
- Hire a dog walker or dog sitter
- Try coming back home for meals if your workplace isn’t very far.
- Request a family member to pay a visit to the dogs while you’re away.
What are the signs of separation anxiety amongst pugs?
Some indicators of separation anxiety among pugs are:
- A significant change in behavior resulting in irritability
- Unusual barking and biting
- Howling or moaning
- Increased clingy behavior at the sight of the owner
- Heightened reactions including jumping and pacing around
- Urination or stools around the house
- Excessive chewing of paws
- Bouts of aggressive behavior for no reason.
Conclusion
Pug owners must pay attention to their behavior, and moods while they are away to make the required changes to reduce their levels of stress.
Frequently asked questions: What are the tips to manage separation anxiety amongst pugs?
What are some ways to treat a dog’s separation anxiety?
- Make your arrival and departure unnoticeable
- Leave some wearables that smell like you while you are away
- Provide them with natural calming supplements that are given over the counter
- Provide them with special treats each time you leave like a stuffed toy.
How bad is my dog’s separation anxiety?
Dogs with separation anxiety are very anxious and fearful when their owners are away, and they are at home for long hours. Prolonged stress due to separation anxiety might lead to destructive behavior.
What are natural remedies for dogs with anxiety?
Some solutions for dogs with anxiety are:
- Regular exercise
- Calming music
- Recommended essential oils
- Natural supplements
- Massage and acupuncture
- Grooming
- Pheromones.
Citation
Can Pugs Be Left Alone? 13 Tips To Make It Easier