hi could you please advice how i can handle the following situation. my 4 years old terrier howls constantly when i'm not at home. i've had no complaints from the neighbours so far (i guess because they're at work too) but i'm afraid it's not so far from it. is that separation anxiety? how can i train him not to howl?
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Yes, it sounds like separation anxiety. How does he behave when you're leaving the house? The first step to get rid of this problem would be to clean up your thinking: when you leave, don't pity the dog and don't say it's all right because they don't understand words but only your inner energy. Pity is OK for humans but dogs sense it as weakness, so your terrier must be thinking something like "He's weak, he needs protection, he needs a leader, I can't let him out like that". Moreover, when you give affection while the dog is excited like this, you actually praise and reinforce this condition. I wish I could give you more tips but it's difficult when we know so little about the dog and the problem. Perhaps you should consider finding a dog behaviorist, or try to google for different technics to get rid of separation anxiety.
Have you thought of getting another dog so that your terrier has a fellow to have fun with while you're out?
R
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