My dog ignores toys when alone. How to help separation anxiety?

Question

I have a one year old maltipoo that I adopted a month ago. I am struggling with leaving him alone at home. I have watched numerous videos and have spoken with many dog experts and they all have said to make sure to have bones and chew toys to keep him occupied when we’re away. When my spouse and I are home he is usually sleeping And loves his bones. When we leave he is so focused on the fact that we are away that he cannot redirect his attention to his chew toys. I don’t know what to do. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | neutered | 1 year and 1 month old | 15 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Hi there! I'm sorry to hear that you're having this problem with Odie. It sounds like he may be having some separation anxiety issues. Many dogs with this problem are so anxious and upset when their owners are gone that they have no interest in chew toys or treats, which can make it very challenging to help them without professional help. Since it sounds like you've tried the usual "easy" things we would recommend, I would definitely suggest working with a veterinary behaviorist or a trainer who specializes in this problem to help you get on the right track with him. Many dogs need prescription medication at first to help reduce their anxiety enough for training to be effective. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here, which would be my first choice: www.dacvb.org If you don't have a veterinary behaviorist nearby, I would strongly consider working with a trainer who specializes in separation anxiety cases. I really like Malena DiMartini for this - she can work with you remotely via Skype, so location isn't an issue for her. You can find her website here: https://malenademartini.com/

My dog ignores toys when alone. How to help separation anxiety?

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