Don’t Leave Me! Step-by-Step Help for Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety by Nicole Wilde

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011 at 1:40 pm

I‘m reading DON’T LEAVE ME – STEP-BY-STEP HELP FOR YOUR DOG’S SEPARATION ANXIETY, by Nicole Wilde, and learning tremendously from it.

Nicole Wilde is a highly regarded dog trainer whose books and DVDs are top notch. Separation anxiety is a common canine problem, and it can be a huge problem for owners. Wilde shares her own experiences with her dog Sierra, a shelter rescue dog. Near the end of the book, she says:

As I write this, it is exactly seven months from the day we brought Sierra home. I won’t say she’s completely “cured,” but for a dog who’s been through so much in her short life, it’s a major improvement… Sierra is finally at the point where she can remain relaxed for a few hours while we are gone. We still wouldn’t leave her alone for a full day, and we can all live with that.

How did they get to that point? The book’s title includes “step by step” and the steps take you through evaluating the situation, for example, figuring out if the dog has separation problems regarding one particular person (our LarryDog has that with me) or whether it’s “isolation distress” that anyone being there can ease. (I think our Lola has this kind, but will try one of the tests recommended to see.)

Wilde has a lot of ideas for when you have to leave your dog or dogs home alone. She suggests methods that you first try out for very brief periods and later extend.

Also, nutrition, being sure your dog gets enough exercise, making a schedule for playdates and other social events for your dog, and using medications under veterinary care are all covered. Thee’s a great section called “The Alone Zone” on where your dog will be when you are out — in a crate or section of your home or yard. She talks about the routine leading up to your departure; notice which parts cause anxiety.

That text link at the start of this article takes you to its page on Dogwise, where I got it as an ebook and have been reading it on my laptop. They have it there as a paperback too. Clicking on its image will take you to Amazon where it’s a paperback and you can read a lot of very favorable reviews. (Prices are identical at the two places.) If you have a dog with separation anxiety, this is the best resource so do check it out!

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Anonymous

I borrowed a copy this book from a friend of ours. It’s a great resource and very comprehensive. My ONLY criticism is that – as is the case with most training guides – it doesn’t allow for owners whose lives are necessarily short of time. Most of us have to earn our living; some, like me, are lucky enough to be able to work at home, but even so, there is often a very full day’s work to be done, and working at home demands a very rigid and rigorous discipline. How then do we fit into that work schedule the multitude of desensitisation and familiarisation exercises that Nicole prescribes, so that on the occasions when we do have to leave our beloved hound at home he will be content and secure in the knowledge that we’ll be back before long?

Or have I misunderstood it all?
http://training-dogs.com Rosana

Marty, this is an important enough question that I will do a blog post about it.
Anonymous

Thanks for picking up on this, Rosana. And your promised post makes a great deal of sense. I’ll let you know how it goes!