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Rescue dog separation anxiety is common in pets that have been abandoned or mistreated by their former owners. Having faced violence and trauma, such dogs simply cannot embrace new shelters and new masters with complete trust and confidence. Hence, abandonment and attachment issues are common in rescues dogs.

Rescue dog separation anxiety is common in pets that have been abandoned or mistreated by their former owners. Having faced violence and trauma, such dogs simply cannot embrace new shelters and new masters with complete trust and confidence. Hence, abandonment and attachment issues are common in rescues dogs.

One effective way of solving this predicament is through desensitization, or a behavioral conditioning scheme that is geared towards making a pet dog less vulnerable to anxiety. This is done through gradual exposure to whatever triggers the fear.

This process needs a new stimulus (the, pet, treat) that will be presented as a reward or as a positive distraction. The treat distraction is used to divert the dogs attention from feeling any anxiety upon the sight of you preparing to leave. That treat stimulus may take the form of an exercise, food, or other conditioning tricks.

Here is an example:

Take your dog out for an exercise. Allow your dog to use all its excess energy until they are comfortably relaxed. This is important when you first start these techniques.

A tired dog is a well behaved, calm dog. Leaving a tired and exhausted animal pet at home is a great way to avoid problems. Some dogs are anxious due to lack of exercise alone!

Once your dog has had some exercise, go through your normal routine before you leave. Head directly to the door, go out and come back again. Repeat this drill until your dog gets used to you coming and going, but not leaving. Your dog should be showing no signs of stress. If your rescue dog is stressed out or anxious when you leave, they are likely to be stressed the entire time you are gone.

Leaving your dog in a calm state is crucial.

You can couple the desensitization training process with medication to stop severe anxiety and speed up your results. The key to overcoming rescue dog separation anxiety is a consistent plan. You and your dog will have a rewarding healthy relationship as a result of all of the effort you put in together.

Here are some additional resources to learn more about behavior modification, how to cure Dog Separation Anxiety, and shelter dog anxiety.

Author: Jennifer Middleton | Source: ezinearticles.com