Why and How Corgi Puppies Develop Separation Anxiety

corgi puppy in front of blue background

Corgi puppies are great dogs. They are intelligent, loyal, energetic, and they adore their owners. Corgi puppies revel in being a part of the family.

They tend to be friendly and family-oriented because they were initially bred as herding dogs. They would have to go out with the shepherd and his flock of sheep every day in those times. Their job was to move the sheep in the appropriate direction.

By nature, Corgis are very affectionate animals that love attention from their owners. Corgi puppies are very playful and mischievous, but it's not uncommon for them to develop separation anxiety when their owners leave the house or aren't paying attention to them for some reason.

Corgi puppies with separation anxiety can show signs that lead to destructive behaviors in your home, but more on that later.

Your puppy's first few months in their new home is a very significant time for them. The first few days in a new home are stressful for a puppy, so be calm and happy, spend lots of time with him, and don't let the noise or messiness bother you. Set up a schedule on when to let him out, when to feed him, and when to play. If you have kids, pick a breed that is good with kids, then teach the kids to be kind and gentle. Please know that if you leave your puppy alone for long periods during the day, it can develop separation anxiety.

You may have been told that Corgis are independent and do not like to be dependent on their owners. Although this is true, it does not mean that Corgis are immune to separation anxiety.

The truth is, fear, anxiety, and other forms of stress can happen to any Corgi puppy. Why? Anytime an animal's current situation is different from its evolved expectations, these emotions can become present. So if your puppy is suffering from separation anxiety, you need to understand what's causing it and how you can help them get past it.

Keep reading to learn more about separation anxiety, symptoms that might manifest in your Corgi puppies, and tools to provide support for your beloved dog!

corgi puppy sitting on the ground

Separation Anxiety in Corgis Explained

So, how do Corgi puppies get separation anxiety and what can you do to help them?

Separation anxiety, also known as isolation distress, is a type of anxiety dogs display when separated from their human or animal companions. It's most commonly seen in young puppies and some mature dogs but can happen at any age.

Separation anxiety in dogs is associated with stressful, fearful, and anxious behaviors. When these behaviors become excessive and disruptive, they can interfere with a dog's life and people's lives in their families.

Separation anxiety in Corgi puppies is more common among dogs who have been adopted from a shelter or rescue organization. Separation anxiety can begin at any age but is more likely to start between six months and three years of age, as Corgi puppies develop social attachments to owners and usually become more fearful when separated from their guardians. Separations may be initiated by the owner (for example, when going to work) or by some environmental trigger that prompts the dog to think he has been abandoned (for example, someone leaving the house).

Corgi puppies feel safer if they are kept in a familiar environment and around familiar people. Developing your Corgi puppy's comfort levels makes it imperative to socialize your puppy as soon as possible. It may take up to two months for your puppy to feel safe without you. If your puppy hasn't yet been adequately socialized, they may develop separation anxiety and fear when you leave the house. When this happens, it's essential to do what you can to help your Corgi puppies cope.

To deal with severe separation anxiety in Corgi puppies, you need to take a few steps. First, you need to ensure that your puppy has some positive experiences when you are away. These positive experiences will help them understand that they are not alone and will be safe while you are gone.

Next, teach your puppy to stay in a dog crate or kennel when you leave the house. Again, it is essential for your puppy's feeling of safety to have their own space where they can feel secure and comfortable.

Lastly, try to keep your puppy busy when you are away so that they don't have time to get anxious. Keeping Corgi puppies busy can be done by playing with them, taking them on walks, and giving them plenty of exercises.

Remember that it is essential to take your Corgi to get checked out if their separation anxiety becomes severe or if it starts causing physical damage to itself. Separation related problems can be a tricky type of anxiety to deal with in the long term. If you're having a hard time dealing with it on your own, bringing in a professional dog trainer or behaviorist may be a good idea. There are some people who've been professionally trained to deal with separation anxiety in dogs. They'll know exactly what to do and how to handle the situation.

corgi puppy on a leash walking through the grass

Symptoms of Separation Anxiety in Corgi Puppies

Separation anxiety is one of dogs' most common behavioral problems, and Corgis seem particularly prone to it. Unfortunately, people are often unaware that their dog has separation issues until a significant incident, like your dog chewing up your favorite shoes or having an accident on your carpet, occurs. While these are easy ways to tell that your dog has some anxiety problem, there are other signs of anxious behavior.

One sign is if your Corgi puppies act differently when you leave them at home alone than when they are with you or any other family member. For example, they may become anxious and bark or whine incessantly while you are gone. Or they may become destructive and try to escape their crate or the house itself to find you. But when you are around, none of these behaviors exist. If this story resonates with you, then your Corgi puppies may suffer from separation anxiety.

In some cases, your puppy may begin to exhibit destructive behavior while you're away at work or school. A common form of this is chewing furniture or tearing up carpets.

Some Corgis are naturally anxious and may be more prone to developing separation anxiety than others. It's even possible for puppies with no history of separation anxiety to develop it after moving into a new home or after the loss of a family member or pet companion. However, the most common symptom of separation anxiety is excessive barking and whining when left alone in the house.

Puppy separation anxiety is not just a single behavior but a cluster of behaviors. It can include destructive acts, accidents in the house, frantic attempts to escape from confinement, and sometimes even self-injury. You can tell that these behaviors are linked by the timing: puppies who exhibit them almost always do so when their owners leave.

The destructive acts associated with puppy separation anxiety are often quite varied. Some dogs chew on furniture or destroy doors and windows. Others may bark incessantly or howl. Still others urinate or defecate when left alone. All of these behaviors may be ways of relieving stress and communicating distress.

Unfortunately, a puppy's reaction to being left alone is not always clear-cut. He can show multiple symptoms at once or display just one or two at a time. Nevertheless, the result might be similar: a puppy who chews up your door after you leave, for example, may also howl as you prepare to leave or attempt repeatedly to escape from his confinement.

Ideally, it would help if you did something about separation anxiety before it starts affecting your pup's health and well-being. At the very least, if you want to prevent your dog from developing separation anxiety, make sure to keep reading this article and act on the lessons you learn.

corgi puppy wrapped in blanket

How To Help Your Corgi Puppies If They Suffer From Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety can be exceedingly difficult to deal with in your Corgi puppies. As a pet parent, not only does it cause a great deal of stress and frustration for you and your dog, but it can also become a problem for you if the dog damages property or becomes aggressive with people in the house.

If you have never had to deal with separation anxiety before, it can be a stressful situation for both you and your new puppy. You may wonder how to keep your dog calm when you need to leave them alone. It may seem like there are no solutions to this problem, but there are several things you can do to help your Corgi puppies cope with being alone without causing issues in the rest of the house or becoming destructive while alone.

Common sense will tell you that one cannot train a puppy in a day. Therefore, it is essential to set aside a good part of each day to spend with your Corgi puppies to work on their education, especially if your Corgi puppies suffer from separation anxiety. As with children, the results of your efforts will not show up overnight. Dogs want to please their human masters and they want positive attention. When you give your dog praise and affection, he will realize that he is doing something right. When you scold him for bad behavior, he will learn what it is that you do not like and try to avoid it in the future. And, when it comes to supporting your Corgi puppies through mild separation anxiety, it's important to remember the power of your positive reinforcement in their training.

The first step is to prevent the problem from getting worse. You don't want the dog to get attached to one particular place or thing. For example, if you let the dog sleep in your bed and your Corgi starts whining there, it will be challenging for them to settle when you put them in their crate.

Always end a training session on a positive note. If your dog has learned something new, give lots of praise. Give treats and affection frequently during the session, but save your final reward until he has completed the training successfully!

The key to solving any separation anxiety problem is consistency--you must never let your dog out of the crate when she whines or cries, even for just a few minutes. If you do so, you'll be reinforcing her negative behavior by letting her out of the crate before she stops crying. This inconsistent behavior will not help cure separation anxiety; instead, it will make it worse!

If your Corgi puppies suffer from separation anxiety, it's essential to give your puppy something constructive to do during the day. Exercising and playing with your dog will help tire them out quickly, so they won't have the energy to chew on things when you're not home.

You can do many other things to help your Corgi puppies cope with being left alone. First, keep your puppies occupied when you leave them alone for short periods of time (5-15 minutes) during their first few months with you. Use toys that physically engage them, such as tug toys or balls with bells inside them, so your Corgi puppies will be preoccupied and not have time to become anxious.

Calming Dog beds support Corgi puppies with separation anxiety. These days, Calming Dog Beds are one of the best options available for helping your dog feel calmer when you're not around. These beds are made to be as comfortable as possible--they're hypoallergenic, antimicrobial, and durable enough to last long after they've stopped emitting the natural scent that helps pets feel calm. Corgi puppies need more than just their bed to relieve separation anxiety--they need an environment where they can rest easy, knowing that their owners will come back for them.

Other ways to help your Corgi puppies include considering letting him stay in his crate while you are gone if this is something that he's willing to do. And finally, during those early weeks, make sure you spend at least 10-15 minutes playing with your dog every day before leaving him alone for a more extended period. These recommendations should provide ample support to your Corgi puppies who suffer from separation anxiety.

corgi puppy walking in front of flower bed

Other Ways to Support and Relieve Separation Anxiety in Corgis

Separation anxiety can be a severe problem for puppies and dogs of all ages, but it is especially common in puppies. While separation anxiety is a natural stage of development in a puppy's life, it needs to be nipped in the bud before it becomes a severe problem. The best way to do this is by training your puppy to accept being left on their own without becoming anxious or distressed.

The first few weeks are crucial in helping your puppy become attached to you and building his confidence. Building Corgi puppies' confidence will make them more secure living with you and help them adjust when you have to leave for periods of time. If your puppy has separation anxiety, he may cry, destroy things, or urinate in the house. You need to set up a routine and try to establish some consistency. Make sure everyone in the family is on board with this plan so that there are no mixed messages that can confuse your puppy. For example, if one person lets him out of the crate at night and another puts him back in, your puppy will not understand why he needs to be confined.

Here are some additional suggestions that may help. First, put the crate where you spend most of your time so that they can see you through the bars and hear you moving around. And, make sure there are enough toys and chews available to keep them occupied when you cannot be available to play with them directly.

When it comes time to leave him, please don't make a big deal about it. Just tell him you'll be back soon and calmly walk out the door. If he's in his crate, let him stay there for a few minutes before going back in. A puppy's first few days can determine whether he grows up to be a well-adjusted, confident dog or one that has a lifelong case of separation anxiety.

The more attention you give him during this critical time, the better his chances of growing up secure and confident -- and the less chance you will have of dealing with some serious issues down the road. Puppyhood is a susceptible period. You're doing your best to help your new puppy adjust to his new home and family. The more attention you give him now, the more minor behavior problems you may have later. Understanding the symptoms of separation anxiety and investing in tools to support your Corgi puppies at home proves that you care about providing a comfortable life for your dog!

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