Nope, a mannequin dressed in your clothes isn’t going to fix your dog’s separation anxiety.
I get it, when your dog is suffering, it is completely normal to want to do everything you can, as quickly as possible, to bring them relief. A quick internet search will turn up a wealth of tempting suggestions, and a mannequin as a stand-in for you that wears your clothes and smells like you sounds easy and effective. Unfortunately, it’s not going to help a dog with real separation anxiety.
Dogs are far smarter than this idea gives them credit for. A mannequin doesn’t move, breathe, or sound like you, so it’s not going to fool your dog into believing you are still home. Plus, let’s just think about this a little critically – your dog doesn’t need a shirt on a mannequin to know smell you because your home already smells like you! Separation anxiety isn’t a shortage of your smell – it’s a diagnosed panic disorder in response to being alone with no humans. A mannequin isn’t going to change that.
The trouble with quick fixes is that they are rarely a long-term solution, and they cost families time, money, and hope while the dog continues to struggle. At best they are ineffective, and at worst they can be harmful. Nearly all of my clients come to me after trying some of these suggestions to no avail, and many of them feel guilty or discouraged when the ideas did not work. That isn’t your fault – people are desperate to help their dogs and find some relief but all this ends up doing is delaying real help for you and your dog. People may think they’re saving money, but as I’ve written about before, at what cost?
Separation anxiety training is a slow and long process. Most of my clients work with me anywhere from three months to over a year, depending on the dog, the client, medication, and many other factors. The training is simple and scientifically proven, and it works by teaching your dog, at a pace they can handle, that being alone is safe. But there’s no magic. It’s simple, but not easy.
If you would like to know which popular suggestions to skip and what to do instead, my free guide, 5 Suggestions That Won’t Help Separation Anxiety (And Might Make It Worse)!, explains why each one falls short and how we can actually give you and your dog some relief. If you think your dog might have separation anxiety and want guidance you can work through on your own schedule, my self-paced and affordable Separation Anxiety Training Foundations (SATF) course is a great place to start.
If you and your dog are struggling with separation anxiety, I can help. Set up your assessment today. Or pick up my self-paced Separation Anxiety Foundations course.
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Happy training!
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