Samantha Rawson the Dog Expert is back with in studio on RTÉ Radio 1 to answer your canine questions.
Before digging into listeners' questions, Rawson tackled the subject of separation anxiety when it comes to children returning to school after the summer break.
"Get them ready now," she advises. "It's three or four weeks - most primary school kids go back at the end of August and secondary maybe the second week of September - so start separating the dog now."
By bringing baby gates into the house (you may need one on top of the other for bigger pets), Rawson explains that dogs can retain social access to the house while adhering to clear physical boundaries.
"The big mistake people make is expecting a dog to be alone - fully alone - without ever teaching it to be along when there people are there. Your dog should be able to tolerate being in the kitchen or whatever room you designate on its own while there are people there [in the house]."
If you allow a dog to consistently follow you around, they will understandably become very attached and feel a sense of separation anxiety when you leave.
"I don't like to let dogs see me leave and I also don't like dogs to see people arrive," she says. "The comings and goings of a household should be none of the dogs' business."
Dogs are emotional animals meaning that they form emotional, physical and visual attachment to their owners.
The first thing to tackle, says Rawson, is emotional attachment: "If you can sit in a room with a dog and just ignore it so that the dog isn't expecting any attention or interaction, good."
The next step will be to implement physical separation whereby you sit further away from the dog or keep it in a puppy pen while you go to make a phone call or get your cup of tea.
Finally, you might tackle visual attachment by being able to close a door between you and the dog. However, it should be noted that many dogs will struggle to tolerate a closed door which is why baby gates are a popular option.
These steps of separation can be aided by handy distractions like a snuffle matt, snacks or a puzzle that can help to distract the dog from any anxieties.
For more tips on anxious dogs, quiet commands, healthy routines, and over-attachment, listen back above.
