DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My neighbor across the hall confronted me yesterday, accusing me of mistreating my dog. She said that “Cookie” whines and barks for hours whenever I am gone, and that I need to take him with me rather than leave him alone in the apartment. I work full-time at an office that doesn’t allow dogs. When I travel, I take Cookie to a sitter. But is 8 to 10 hours away too long for a dog? — Gerald in Brooklyn
DEAR GERALD: Dogs aren’t always happy about their owners going away for eight hours a day. They can develop separation anxiety. This can manifest as non stop barking, whining or even acting out (like destroying your slippers, pooping in the living room or worse).
Try counterconditioning, a training method recommended by the ASPCA in its article “Separation Anxiety.” Each time you leave home, give your dog a treat or a puzzle toy with treats inside (which will keep him occupied for several minutes). When you get home, put the toy out of sight.The idea is that Cookie will associate your leaving with an enjoyable treat.
You can also desensitize him to your leaving by getting Cookie used to your “departure cues.” For example, if you always put on a coat and pick up your keys when you leave, have a training session where you do the same thing, but then sit down and watch T.V. instead of leaving. You’ll need to do this (and probably other moves) for several weeks, but it could help.
These are very basic training exercises, and you may need to incorporate additional training. Check out the article on www.aspca.org, talk to Cookie’s vet and consider working with a professional trainer to help curb his anxiety.
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© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
By Sam Mazzota
King Syndicate
