The dog is afraid to be alone. What to do?

It is important to find out why the dog is afraid to be alone in the apartment. Most often this is due to feelings of anxiety. This is the most common reason for howling. A dog may be afraid of loneliness, because in nature this inevitably leads to death.

Also, the animal may be afraid of other dogs – the subtle hearing of the pet picks up barking far outside the house. Such anxiety is especially typical for puppies that were taken from the kennel. Scientists have found that the environment, devoid of stimuli for the emotions and curiosity of the puppy, slows down the adaptation of the dog. If the puppy has only recently entered the family from the kennel, you should be patient and allow him to gradually make up for the gap in development. A month later, the pet will be able to show all his skills life in society.

As soon as the puppy has been given all the necessary vaccinations, it should be taught to different sounds of the street, games with other dogs, meetings with passers-by. For calm behavior, be sure to encourage the baby with affection and treats. You can, for example, keep food in your pocket, and every time people approach, give the dog one small piece of treat and praise it. Soon the dog will realize that people and other dogs are not a threat.

Another reason for barking is the desire to raise one’s status and get closer to the leader of the pack. If the puppy is male and is in the puberty stage, this is the most likely cause of barking. In this case, the owner of the dog needs to reconsider his views on raising a pet as soon as possible. Most likely, the owner allows the pet too much, and at the age of two or three months, he is trying to take a dominant position in the pack. If the owner is too loyal and allows the pet to show signs of dominance (for example, putting his paws on his shoulders, as dogs of some large breeds do), then this will certainly bring problems in the future. The puppy must clearly understand from early childhood who is the boss in the house. This is manifested, for example, in who enters the house first after walking on the street. Always the first should be a man, and only then – a dog.

It is important to track how the household reacts when they find out that the pet howled. Often people make a common mistake: they rush to hug and feel sorry for the dog, sometimes even distract them with treats. This is not how you should behave in any way. The dog concludes that it is beneficial to suffer, and this does not improve his behavior in any way, rather the opposite. Therefore, resist the desire to feel sorry for the poor fellow.

Finally, pay attention to how you behave when you leave home. Be calm when you leave, do not rush to the pet with compassionate hugs. When you return home, also remain calm. You should not yourself believe that the dog survived the grief, and rush to reward it. Let her be given the right attitude towards your absence from home.

If one of the household members found the pet howling or barking after the owner left, then the dog can be punished. It can be a stern cry or a trickle of cold water directed at the animal’s face. The main thing is that the punishment should not be physical.