How To Properly Address Separation Anxiety and Dog Reactivity

Separation anxiety and dog reactivity are 2 very common problems dog Montreal area dog owners face.

Ricardo and his Doodle Esme came to see Family K9 Dog Training for help with both of these issues.

Many owners and their dogs struggle with separation anxiety and like Ricardo did. Ricardo sought help from multiple montreal area dog trainers. Nothing they did helped. He trained with esme for the better part of 2 years and made no progress whatsoever.

When he reached out for help it was evident that he is a very dedicated dog owner and wanted to do right by his dog – he hadn’t given up hope, they just needed to find a better way to resolve these common canine behavioural problems.

Esme came in for Family K9’s In Kennel/Board & Train program and her progress was just gorgeous.

After a 3 week in kennel training program @ Family K9 Dog Training they were reunited and this is a big day on so many levels:

The dog doesn’t know the owner is coming to get them.
Think about the dog with separation anxiety and what this does to them emotionally.
The dog reunited with the owner and then we ask her to go into her crate and relax.
Previously Esme could not be in a crate for even a moment without freaking out, barking, screaming and trying to fight her way out.
Now she can go into the crate and settle down!
Door open – she’ll stay in!
Leave her alone with the door shut – no barking at all.

Onto her dog reactivity:

Out come my trouble maker out sisters Lily and Ruby!
Esme had no trouble remaining focused and walked beautifully on a nice loose leash. She also demonstrated her calmness in the crate with another dog right nearby.
Finally we went outside where the dogs all got to zoom around and have a blast and Esme did several perfect off leash recalls.

Many dog owners struggle with issues with their dog’s behaviour that are so simple to address with the right technique and mindset.

If you have worked with your dog, worked with a trainer or several and are not where you’d like to be yet – don’t give up. Family K9 Dog Training specializes in helping owners with challenging dogs and behaviour.If you have worked with your dog, worked with a trainer or several and are not where you’d like to be yet – don’t give up. In fact many clients have already gone to other trainer and not had results that proved to be useful. Let Family K9 Dog Training help you have the dog and relationship with your dog that you’ve always wanted but never thought possible.

Ricardo and Esme reuniting @ our transfer lesson after not seeing one another for three weeks. Both of them are practicing being calm to minimize any setbacks and doing a great job.

Look for a video series on Family K9’s Youtube to be out shortly detailing Esme’s progress during her stay for training.

Esme can now calmly go into a crate and settle down right away.

She exhibits calmness and a sense of comfort and well-being that was not at all present before our training. Before our work together she would typically panic in a crate and bark, screams nd fight with the crate risking injury.

Her dog reactivity as seen here is all but a distant memory. Here she is on place with Lucky, A Portuguese water dog – who was in for dog reactivity (among a long list of other issues). Both dogs are calm and cool and able to remain relaxed and focused.

Prevent & deal with the most common dog behaviour problems

videos of dog training in and around montreal

“My dog is too needy – he constantly demands attention!”

Needy dogs exist for several reasons:

Dogs are social creatures and enjoy our attention, affection and play.
Most dog owners do not understand how and when to deliver the goods listed above so they constantly reinforce the wrong behaviours in their dogs.

Needy dogs almost always have something in common:

An owner who gives constant attention – wether willingly or as a result of being frustrated with the dog and thinking that they will get the dog to stop what they are doing or change their behaviour through attention, reward or correction.

Once the dog learns that the owner is like a broken slot machine – the dog will keep pulling on th eleven and hitting paydirt time and again.

In order for things to change – the dog needs to be trained and the owner needs to better understand their role as well as their dog’s mind and reset how they are living with the dog.

Dogs who counter surf – thievery at it’s finest

Dogs are opportunists. Leave something out – leave an untrained dog unattended et voila! It starts young – not wanting to use a crate, or maybe taking a chance leaving the dog alone in a room for a minute while you go to another part of the house. Or maybe you are adopting an older dog who has already learned this.

Once a dog learns that they can shop @ home – well this meats Amazon Prime. it isn’t next day delivery – it is same day delivery- same minute.

a combination of crate training, boundary training, leave it, and keeping things away so the behaviour does not get further reinforced helps Depending o the dog, the dog’s level of drive, it’s history – varying degrees of all of the above are needed.

How to give your dog affection and attention the right way

Attention given at the wrong time equals broken telephone. It sends a faulty message to your dog. In terms of neediness – the dog who is being looked at, shushed or touched while whining or pushing for attention is being paid for the behaviour.

What do you think happens to a dog when it finds a reward tied to a behaviour?

In order to help a dog not become pushy and demanding – or help one who already is – you need to audit your actions to make sure there is minimal to no incorrect reinforcement going on.

Using your attention, energy and affection to motive your dog to cooperate and work with you in training

That same attention affection and energy we just talked about can be used here to great success. Show your dog how much you enjoy what they are doing when they work for you. Motive your dog like I do with Blue in the video to change your dog’s attitude towards working with you from the equivalent of a dog who hates their job to a dog who is a full partner.