Before leaving your dogs alone, try extending the exercise periods for your dogs. The point is to tire him out. Play fetch, run around, or let him play with other friendly dogs. Do not just go for a short walk. After the exercise, when you are home, leave your dog on his own for a while. If he is tired, he will be calmer and go to sleep. Then, balance the amount of exercise with the time you leave him alone. I use a very simple formula: 15 minutes every 2 hours alone. But remember, you have to make him run good and hard. Or at least, tire your dog out.
During a short walks or extended exercise period, you can pet, touch, and praise your dog as much as you like. Especially when you are obedience training your dog. This exercise, if done routinely, not only will your dogs be calmer while being left alone, it will also make your dog become more obedient in the house or park.
Important dog training tips
Be the pack leader
Show your dog consistently that you are the pack leader. Not him. You must be the one that decide when attention is coming up. You decide when enough is enough. Do this daily. Ignore your dog when he requests your attention. No eye contact, arms folded, no touches or strokes. As soon as you want to give him attention, pet him and play with him. Doing this, your dog will see you as a leader and he will be much more obedient.
Cure your dogs' separation anxiety in one weekend
In almost all cases, your dogs' separation anxiety is caused by you leaving the house. Act as if you were leaving the house. Do this several times a day. Go through all the same routine before you go. Grab your car keys, jacket and close the door. Wait until your dog is crying or barking, then come in. With so many false start you dog will not able to recognize when you are really leaving. And whenever you return home do not over-greet him. He will be too exited. If you have big dogs sometimes it can cause a problem. In fact, try not to pet or greet your dog for the first 3-5 minutes. He will see your leaving and arrival are not a big deal. If your dog jumps on you, ignore him. Pause with your arms folded or on the side and do not make any eye contact. He will be calm then you can praise him as much as you want.
Most dogs respond well to above methods. Eventually, you can adjust the amount of attention you give. Find the perfect balance between leaving him alone and playing with him. You will have a relationship that you and your dog enjoy.
From the Peoria Humane Society website: Melatonin the Marvelous!!!
Amazingly, an effective treatment for thunderstorm and noise phobias may be an over-the-counter hormone used by humans to prevent insomnia. Melatonin, which is produced by the pineal gland, sets the body's internal clock in response to exposure to light. The body creates melatonin only in total darkness (the pineal gland stops production when any part of the body, even the back of the leg, is exposed to light). In humans, melatonin has been shown to calm the nerves, reduce anxiety, relieve panic disorders, prevent migraine headaches and facilitate deep sleep. In birds and other animals in the wild, melatonin levels trigger spring reproduction, fall migration, and winter hibernation. Actually, hibernation is what brought melatonin to dogs with thunderstorm/noise phobias.
Melatonin has helped some noise-phobic dogs go from being panicked to only mildly concerned with thunder or other loud noises such as fireworks and gunshots (it has not been found to be effective in other stressful situations, only when noise is a major factor). It isn't a sedative. Your dog will stay awake and alert. Instead of being extremely afraid during a thunderstorm, a dog may just simply stop being afraid.
It is not quite known how melatonin works, but it has an acute effect on the central nervous system's neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that transmit nerve impulses. It appears that melatonin increases serotonin production and that it is a major inhibitor of dopamine release. Dopamine and serotonin are the important neurotransmitters involved in behavior. It may also have something to do with cortisol levels.
You may find Melatonin in health food stores, pharmacies and some supermarkets. It comes in a number of forms and a wide variety of dosages, so make sure to examine the labels carefully and select a product that contains the proper dosage for dogs. Make sure that it does NOT contain other herbs or nutrients. The usual dosage is 3mg for a dog that weighs over 30 pounds. In a few cases, very large dogs weighing well over 100 pounds needed 6mg, but that's unusual. For dogs that weigh less than 30 pounds, give 1.5mg. For a tiny dog, reduce the dosage even further. Keep in mind that 1,000 micrograms (mcg) is equal to 1 milligram (mg), so a 200mcg pill, which is a common dosage form, contains only 1/15 of the amount recommended for a large dog.
Whenever a thunderstorm is predicted, give the dog melatonin before you leave for the day. The supplement remains effective for several hours. Otherwise, give it whenever thunder seems imminent. If the dog becomes agitated, give the melatonin immediately. It may not be as effective on a dog that is already highly aggitated, however, giving it may prevent the situation form getting worse. Melatonin's benefits may be cumulative with a maximum benefit occurring by the third day.
Are there any dogs that shouldn't take melatonin? It has been said that you shouldn't give melatonin to humans with autoimmune disorders, so check with your veterinarian before giving it to your dog. However, it has been given to dogs with autoimmune disease, elderly dogs that had a number of diseases, dogs with heart problems and dogs with other illnesses, without any serious side effects. So again, you must consult your veterinarian before giving it to your dog if it has an illness.
The long term safety of melatonin supplementation has been debated by physicians and many holistic health experts warn against taking it for more than ocasional, short term use. However, no clinical trials have been conducted on its actions in dogs. Over-the-counter melatonin is not recommended for children because any hormone supplement may disrupt the developing endocrine system, so it is believed that it shouldn't be given to puppies for the same reason. As always consult your veterinarian.
Both Sydney King & Adam Katz are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Sydney King has sinced written about articles on various topics from Dogs, Cure Anxiety. Visit www.dogtrainingonly.com for readings. Sydney King also writes newsletters that are read by thousands of subscribers. Sydney King's top article generates over 1300 views. to your Favourites.
Adam Katz has sinced written about articles on various topics from Puppies Dogs, Dog Care and Pets. Adam G. Katz is the author of the book, "Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer: An Insider's Guide To The Most Jealously Guarded Dog Training Secrets In History." Get a free copy of his report "Games To Play With Your Dog" when you sign up for his free we. Adam Katz's top article generates over 49500 views. to your Favourites.