I might get separation anxiety when you bring me home

Can you blame me? When I was surrendered to the shelter, I felt abandoned, and I’m afraid of being left again.

Jodi Andersen, author of The Latchkey Dog: How the Way You Live Shapes the Behavior of the Dog You Loveand co-founder of How I Met My Dog, says separation anxiety is not uncommon in shelters dogs.

Dogs are pack animals and feel the most secure and comfortable when they are physically close to their human family. Start to build trust with the following tip from Andersen. “Toss a treat to your dog as you walk out the door.

Then turn around, come back in, and walk right past your dog,” she says. “Do this several times a day and your dog will begin to trust that you always come back and actually to look forward to—instead of stressing about—your leaving.”