Despite its strong and exuberant personality, a Jack Russell Terrier may as well suffer from separation anxiety just like other dogs. Remember the first time you took home your new puppy? You might have noticed him being restless and having sleepless nights. Some people think that this behavior is just normal to puppies, being young and new to the world.
But, have you ever heard of separation anxiety in dogs? Yes, dogs can suffer from separation anxiety just like humans. Separation anxiety is a condition wherein a dog becomes stressed because he is being left alone on his own. As social animal, a dog always wants to be the center of his owner's attention and leaving him behind will make him feel bad. Once a dog is having his separation anxiety attack, he usually paces, whines, chews or scratches door and window sills, commits accidents in housebreaking, barks without obvious reason and just gets stressed out. Other signs of separation anxiety include diarrhea, vomiting and constipation. These signs are often seen when the owner is not around or when he is being neglected or kept away from the owner.
Separation anxiety may not pose life-threatening diseases to your Jack Russell Terrier but this should be addressed immediately so as not to prolong the anxiety feeling reducing tension. There are many techniques that work best in addressing this anxiety problem. Doing physical activities is one good way. At least once a day, take your dog for a fast walk on a leash for fifteen to thirty minutes long. Ten minutes of obedience training each day will do as well. This will keep your Jack Russell Terrier's energetic body working. Ignoring the dog for fifteen to twenty minutes before leaving and twenty minutes upon your return helps reduce the tension your dog feels when you are gone even for a week. Reduce your dog's dependent on you by ignoring him for at least three weeks. Ignoring your dog means you will not allow your dog to follow you around and you are not even supposed to look, talk and touch your dog.
Ignoring your dog and trying to keep him away from you can be a difficult situation for you and your dog. The sight of him longing and begging for your attention is heartbreaking! But it's just temporary... You don't have to feel guilty for neglecting him. Just keep in mind that you are doing these things not because you do not want him around but because you just want him to feel happy when you are gone. You just want him to do his usual activities instead of feeling miserable and lonely.
| Richard Cussons is not just a writer but also a great lover of dogs. Discover more about Jack Russell Terrier at this site dedicated to Jack Russell dog. |
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