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My dog has bad separation anxiety. How do I help him? (reddthat.com)
submitted 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by Anchorxiety@reddthat.com to c/dogs@lemmy.world
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He gets very distressed and barks incessantly when anyone leaves the house. Even the jingle of keys or when you stand up and put a jacket on sets him off. He also won't go for a walk unless at least 2 people in the house go with him. The only exception is my dad who he will walk alone with.

He's just never content unless everyone is at home. Are there any ways we can help him to get used to being separated for periods of time?

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[-] bluegreenpurplepink@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

I would leave small treats my dog loved, like training treats, or I would break up a larger treat, and I would leave them all over the house in the places where she would go, where she hung out. I would do this right before I would leave the house. Then she had something positive to focus on, and this treat game only happened in my absence. This made her realize there was something positive about being in the house by herself.

this post was submitted on 12 Sep 2026
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