how to help a pitbull with separation anxiety?

pitbull separation anxiety

There is no problem as long as dogs relate to us in a balanced way, the problem starts from excessive attachment, then the dog suffers from separation anxiety.

and this appears when you leave the house, the dog’s behavior changes completely, and then you may think of carrying it with you in your bag wherever you go.

but this is an impractical decision Absolutely, so we'll give you solutions to help Pitbull with separation anxiety.

What causes separation anxiety in Pitbull?

Just as we experience anxiety and stress as a result of any change in our surroundings, dogs feel it too. Some of us are more concerned than others because of the sensitivity of genes to change.

There are some reasons related to pitbull dogs, which are specific to the characteristics of the pitbull, which can greatly help in the occurrence of the problem of separation anxiety in pitbull dogs, which are:

They love to get close to her owner and becomes happy if she makes him feel satisfied.
They like to play with children, and they do not get tired easily, pitbull dogs need a lot of long walks daily.
It requires the owner of the full-time because it needs periodic violent exercises to maintain his body.
Wonderful family dog.
Dogs are very human loving.
A dog that can be devastating to furniture or other things if left alone.
A social dog that greets most strangers pit bulls like long lost friends.
A dog that you may not be able to travel with due to certain breeding restrictions.

In general, there are reasons that lead to this situation, which may be shared by many dog breeds, including the pitbull, which are:

Change of ownership

Research has confirmed that dogs are most susceptible to separation anxiety, dogs whose ownership has been transferred from family to family, or from shelter to a new family, or vice versa.

this makes the dog feel sad about parting with the faces that he used to see daily, and his feelings are disturbed for fear of falling into the same situation.

Change of residence

Dogs are not only related to people, they are also related to places, and therefore changing the place of residence creates a feeling of separation, it is like the state of anxiety that affects humans when changing the place of sleep, or the things they used to use daily in the house.

Loss and loneliness

The loss of a family member, or his absence for long periods due to travel or death, affects the psychology of dogs negatively, as well as leaving the dog alone for a long period of time during the day, makes him feel separation anxiety.

Symptoms of separation anxiety in Pitbull?

The behavior of pitbull dogs' changes when they feel separation anxiety, and they show some signs such as:

Constant barking and howling, as a result of being left alone for long periods.
Defecation and urination in a place other than the designated place, whether in your presence or absence.
Violent behavior and the destruction of things in the house, and the dog may harm himself with this behavior.
Eating feces, where the dog eats its feces if it is separated from its owner or absent for a long time.
Speed of movement and a desire to escape, perhaps using a neck collar to control your dog.

How to treat separation anxiety in Pitbull?

The degree of separation anxiety in pitbull dogs varies from moderate to severe, and in all cases the methods of treatment are the same,

the difference is that in cases of severe anxiety, the help of a veterinarian and medication intervention, and treatment methods are summarized in:

Eliminate boredom

Sometimes one of the causes of boredom in dogs is boredom, not separation anxiety. In both cases, try adding more exercise and mental games to your dog.

If separation anxiety does not work, try to walk your dog at least in the morning for 30 minutes a day. Your dog is socialized, allow him to play with the surrounding dogs.

Try to share other activities with your dog, and use some interactive games that can also relieve anxiety, make him feel safe, that you are there, and that you won't leave him alone.

Change your behavior

Your habits before leaving the house are triggers for anxiety in the dog, so try to change your habits before leaving the house, such as: avoiding the sounds of keys, using a certain perfume,

or taking your bag from the table, all simple and routine things, but they affect the psychological state for dogs.

Crate training

Some dog breeders train their dogs from a young age to sit in the cage, and to get used to it being their safety zone when they are alone.

This training may work for separation anxiety and may cause your dog to become more nervous, so watch his reaction carefully with each attempt.

Training before going out

In addition to changing your behavior before leaving the house, as mentioned earlier, train your dog to leave him alone gradually,

especially if you have been with him for a long time, as happened during the period of home isolation during the Corona virus.

Start by leaving the dog alone for 10 seconds, and come back again, and repeat this exercise throughout the day,

making each time the duration of absence longer a few seconds, at the end of the week the dog becomes accustomed to sitting alone for 30 to 45 minutes,

and you can each time come back in it you give him some rewards, so that he feels good behavior and gets used to it.

It can also occupy his mind before leaving the house, by providing meals that need a longer time to be eaten, such as food puzzles,

which are done by distributing food in separate places, the dog knows its place once it completes a certain task that you set for it.

The good thing about this is that the dog will begin to associate your departure with pleasant memories.

Travel

Veterinary care experts advise not to leave the dog alone at home for more than 4 hours, even taking into account all the treatment methods for separation anxiety that we mentioned earlier,

and the reason is that dogs cannot tolerate this, and their behavior changes completely, so if you want to travel for several days, you must use a groomer for pets, or to leave your dog with a friend.

This must be arranged gradually at least a week before traveling, meaning that the dog gets used to the pet sitter almost daily during your presence, before staying with him completely in your absence, or getting familiar with your friend and his house before moving to live with him.

Conclusion

Raising dogs is a great responsibility, as much as we get from feelings of love and loyalty, we must be aware of the psychological state of the dog, and that it relates to us as we relate to it,

and in many cases the dog cannot overcome our separation from him, especially pitbull dogs, it depends on the type of dog and its age, the duration in which he is absent and change of place and ownership.

But in all cases, the dog should not be left alone for more than 4 hours, otherwise he suffers from separation anxiety,

which appears in the form of a noticeable change in behavior, such as: urination and defecation in a place that is not designated for that, scratching and tearing furniture,

and trying to escape, and treatment is done This is done through some exercises as follows:

Change your daily routine before leaving the house.
Added new dog toys.
Graduation in how long you leave him alone.
Link your departure with some rewards.
Don't say goodbye to your dog before you leave the house every day.
Walk with him at least 30 minutes daily.

In the event that the dog does not improve on this way, visit the specialized veterinarian, and use medications for severe anxiety cases, and in all cases, besides treatment, you will need the methods we mentioned earlier.