How to Prevent Puppy Separation Anxiety

In order to prevent puppy separation anxiety you’ll find some tips below for fast results on how to teach your puppy to be left alone.

There is no way around it; eventually, every dog will have to cope with being left alone for a while.

Whether you need to leave for work, have to go meet some friends, go out for dinner, see the dentist, get your hair done, or go to the supermarket, you can't avoid leaving the house at some point.

Don't forget, however, that you're also leaving your dog alone when you go upstairs to do the laundry, take a shower, go for a bathroom break, take out the trash, borrow some sugar from your neighbor, and so on.

Below you’ll find some tips for fast results on how to prevent puppy separation anxiety:

• Use a dog crate
• Start the teaching-puppy-to-be-alone training right from day one
• Make sure you'll be available for your puppy full time for at least three weeks
• Make sure to leave your dog behind feeling satisfied
• Read a free chapter of my book How to Prevent Puppy Separation Anxiety: The Ultimate Guide

In the crate-training checklist I mention 6 tips you can use for a great positive introduction to crate-training.

Click here and download the crate-training checklist.

You start the teaching-puppy-to-be-alone training right from day one. You'll have the puppy sleep in a closed dog crate by your bedside/air mattress on the very first night.

For the puppy, this is a major step toward independence. Over the first eight weeks of its life, it has spent the nights lying side by side with its siblings. Spending the night alone in a closed dog crate is quite a big and sudden change from a puppy's perspective.

In an ideal situation, you'll be available for your puppy full time for at least three weeks, without any other obligations such as work.

It is important to ensure a gradual buildup of the teaching-puppy-to-be-alone training.

The puppy is the one setting the pace here, not you. It would be unhelpful if you had to leave your puppy alone before it is ready to deal with it.

When you're leaving your dog alone, it is essential to leave it behind feeling deeply content, to make sure that it is tired and that it will sleep through a large part of your absence. This is a lot more pleasant for your dog, and it reduces the risk of negative behavior occurring, such as biting, barking, or squealing.

Most (behavioral) problems are caused either by overexcitement and lack of sleep or by a lack of activity, giving the puppy nothing to spend its energy on.

Here is a very common situation: you are already late for an appointment, and you still need to walk the dog. You put the leash on in a hurry and take the dog to the nearest patch of grass located a hundred feet from your home. You allow the dog to pee and quickly return home. Then, you get in the car and drive off, to return five hours later.

This will definitely not leave your dog feeling satisfied.

So there you have it—I've given you some tips you can use to set out on a successful house-training process for your own puppy!

If you care about getting all the best expert knowledge and professional insights to support the training of your four-legged friend, you are very welcome to check out my step-by-step puppy training books. These books follows the new method of puppy training.

Other people with lots (20+ years) of dog experience also follow the the tips and advice in my books.

The information in my books is based on a comprehensive survey comprising no less than 255 questions, as well as on a series of in-depth interviews. A total of 30 professional dog trainers have completed the entire questionnaire, and their answers laid the foundation for the puppy training guide I created for you that can be considered a credible source of information.

Want to know more about my step-by-step puppy training books?

Click here and find out all you need to know about my step-by-step puppy training books.