Separation anxiety is a common problem you might experience after you bring home your Siberian Husky. I went through it all! Whenever I was getting dressed, put on my jacket and shoes, or picked up my keys, Gatsby started to act up. He would cry, scream, howl because he knew I was going to leave him alone. I had to prevent this from happening. If not, how can I even step out of my apartment to run a few errands?!
Ways to Prevent Siberian Husky Separation Anxiety
After much research and getting tips from other Siberian Husky parents, here is what I did to successfully prevent my Siberian Husky from having separation anxiety.
Desensitization
Getting dressed, putting on my jacket, shoes, and picking up the keys were triggers to separation anxiety. My goal was to desensitize Gatsby to those triggers. So, I put on my coat and shoes and then sat down by the door. When Gatsby realized that I wasn’t going anywhere, he relaxed and played with his toys again. I jingled my keys often, even kept opening and closing the doors so that he would get used to hearing that. Then, I disappeared from him by going into my bedroom or bathroom. I kept doing this and gradually increased the intervals leaving him alone for 5 minutes, then 10 minutes, and so on.
Physical Exercise and Mental Stimulation
If you read most of my pet parenting tips, I always mention physical exercise and mental stimulation. Because how can your dog stay calm when they already have that pent up energy?! The point here is that you need to meet the needs of your husky first before you leave them home alone. This helped me successfully crate train Gatsby and also prevented him from destroying my apartment. I also have helpful tips on how you can provide more mental stimulation for your pup. Read my post on Mental Stimulation for Dogs: 8 Ways To Fight Boredom.
Treats Before Leaving and After Returning
I’ll give Gatsby a few treats before leaving. When I come back, I’ll always give him something awesome, like a bully stick or one of his favorite chews. That way, he knows that he’ll get his favorite chew when I return, so it isn’t so bad.
It Takes Time and Patience To Prevent Separation Anxiety
Gatsby’s separation anxiety didn’t go away overnight. It took me months of repeating the same methods above. Consistency is key! Nowadays, I can leave him home for a few hours by himself without crating him. He sleeps and waits for me to come home. I also have cats for those new to my blog, so I think that also helps when he knows his “pack” is still with him. And if you’re wondering if Siberian Huskies and cats can get along, read about it here.
If your husky has separation anxiety, remember that you need to have a lot of patience to help them get through it. I’ve read about many huskies who tried to break out their crate, and some even hurt themselves badly. If you’ve honestly tried everything and nothing works, I would suggest contacting an animal behaviorist or even your veterinarian. There’s a possibility that your Siberian Husky could have an underlying health issue causing this behavior.
* I am not a veterinarian, canine/animal nutritionist or behaviorist. I am a blogger. All information shared is based on my personal experience with my Siberian Husky and research about canine health and nutrition that I do for my dog. Please do not use content from this blog in place of veterinarian care.
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