Separation anxiety is, in my opinion, the worst dog training issue. The most challenging aspect is the fact that dogs can get worse if they are left alone for a longer amount of time then they can currently handle. For instance, if a dog is only comfortable being alone for fifteen minutes is left alone for three hours, he might get anxious after only five minutes next time.

Tonight it happened again. I had a session with a client that thought their puppy “was screaming bloody murder” in the crate and were anxious to get my opinion  about whether their puppy had separation anxiety.

On Saturday I saw a client for the first time. My client hired me to assess her 4-year old Yorkshire Terrier named Sam. My client has had Sam for 4.5 months and she recently started giving him Reconcile, a Prozac for dogs to address his dog-to-dog aggression issues. 

I sat with my client in her living room and petted Sam while my client provided me more details about what she has tried in the past and details about Sam’s reactivity level.

Bringing a second dog into the home often sounds like a good idea, but it can also cause problems in certain situations. Here are common reasons for getting a second dog and my thoughts on why it might or might not be a good idea.

As reported in the New York Times, Knut the Polar Bear in Berlin, Germany is showing signs of anxiety when left alone. To the outcries of animal-protection groups, Knut was hand-raised by his handler, Thomas Dörflein. As the article reports, this was good for business and brought in more than $8 million in extra revenue last year by attracting the public to view the adorable little polar bear.

There are a few preventative measures you can do with your dog to lessen the likelihood of problems later on. Unfortunately, even if you have the best intentions and do all the exercises properly, there are no guarantees of eliminating the problem later on. Regular maintenance is also a good idea.