Dog behavior issues = dependence and neediness
The survey that kicked off these dog behavior blog articles had this issue come in around number ten on people quizzed or about 3% of people.
Ironically the fifth highest dog problem was ” potential for separation stress/anxiety”
I say Ironically because mostly these two sets of issues are the same.
There are very few dogs that suffer from separation anxiety that are not considered over needy or having dependence issues.
Though like most of the topics already discussed the issue usually is based on the owner behaviour and not the dog.
Coming from New York City I know of a lot of needy owners and needy dogs. Dogs locked up in apartments all day, that are given twenty minutes a day of fresh air so that the dogs don’t pee or poo in the house!
One cause of neediness is the loneliness of the owner. If they don’t let their dogs out in an dog park, and they leave their dogs home all day, then when they come home smother them with affection but again don’t let them see other dogs or burn energy YES they will appear needy. The dog will not know how to behave around another dog or that it is natural to crave the pack structure of other dogs. The dog will become conditioned to being a human and become neurotic.
You can fix this issue the expensive and bad way with vets and drugs, or you can resolve it by giving the dog what it really needs and wants.
Separation anxiety as previously discussed occurs when the owner is trying to leave. The dog is being separated from its pack.
How do you solve dependence, neediness and separation anxiety?
The vast majority of dogs are not born snivelling, sad needy creatures. They are fun and full of life. The only way they become that way is human intervention.
If you live in a big city like NY or even a small country town, and you don’t take your dog out daily for a morning run, without lead in a dog park, where they can meet their own kind and expend all their energy, they will be over energised, nervous and have anxiety when you leave. They will not learn how to be independent or how to make a wise decision about an interaction with any other dog or human.
The choice is simple. the doing is hard for people who don’t really care about their dogs. if you can’t get up early, and your can’t afford to pay someone else to walk your dog, then perhaps you don’t need a dog? If you observe any of these debilitation, destabilising and neurotic behaviours from your dog, have a look at your own actions and commit to walking your dog at least every second day for a month, until you can work up to EVERY day for an hour OFF LEAD.
Problem solved. Gee thanks Linda !