Using PupPod to help with separation anxiety

It’s a common problem of pet owners, having dogs that are distressed in their absence. Knowing how to deal with separation anxiety in dogs can be tricky and stressful for both dog and owner. If your dog suffers with separation anxiety, or just gets a bit miserable when you leave, PupPod might be an effective solution.  

We’re by no means saying PupPod can cure severe cases of separation anxiety, but for dogs who worry when you leave the house, PupPod can serve as a useful distraction and can work to tire their busy minds. This way, you can both rest easy when your dog is left home alone. For more examples of anxiety, check out Pet Honesty.

Want some proof? 

Below you can see a couple of stories from our awesome client base, talking about how they’ve used PupPod for anxious dogs.  

Karen’s story  

Karen is the parent of two pets, Bella, a 4-year-old poodle and Rylee, a 12-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Karen bought a PupPod specifically for Rylee’s separation anxiety, after seeing a post about it on a canine enrichment group on Facebook. “I saw it and thought ‘oh my gosh, that’ll work!’” Karen explains; she was excited to embark on Rylee’s and her own PupPod journey.    

Rylee, as Cavaliers do, loves to be around people. So, when Karen and her service dog Bella leave the house, Rylee gets stressed. “[When we’re out] he barks a lot, he won’t give up!... but after Rylee plays - he’s out for the day!”. Karen says the combination of mental and physical activity helps her Cavalier to relax for the day, and it also helps distract him when she and Bella have to leave the apartment.  

“We went out for agility today and, before I left, I started the game and there hasn’t been a peep out of him since!” Karen tells us. Karen gets notified when Rylee barks, so can tell from this when he is more distressed and when he is calmer.  

“The mental stimulation they get is like taking them for a long walk and works well for rainy day play.” Karen explains that, when both at home, the dogs play together with PupPod too. “There’s no food aggression, one will hit it, and the other will wait for it to go, it’s a team effort.”  

Since Karen bought a PupPod for Rylee to use, she explains that it’s a huge relief and she doesn’t have to worry either. “[PupPod] makes me feel I can leave and he’s okay.”  
 
After telling us that PupPod is one her favourite things she’s bought, Karen talks about the demand for this kind of dog game, “People are interested in stuff like this now, because of Covid! Everyone was with their dogs and now... they’re not. There’s a need out there for something like this."

Bella and Rylee playing PupPod

Kristy’s story  

“We are always looking for ways to up the ante, add increased stimulation and diversity to the things they have available to them. PupPod seemed like a really interesting way to do that.”  

Kristy is pet parent to Milly, an 11-year-old Australian cattle dog mix. She bought a PupPod a few years ago for both Milly and her late dog Luna, both of which suffer from different kinds of canine anxiety.  

“Luna was a reactive dog … she had limited opportunities for socialisation because she couldn’t handle the stimulation of lots of people and animals around. We had to be creative in making sure her needs were met in other ways.” 

When it comes to Milly, Kristy's approach with PupPod is slightly different as she's not using it directly to alleviate her separation anxiety. 

“We do find any sort of puzzles, things that work their mind, tends to increase confidence, so indirectly doing this kind of activity helps build their confidence and assuredness… helping any sort of anxiety across the board.” 

“We want [Milly] to know that she can problem solve, and she can take care of situations when she needs to. This sort of tool helps with that. It helps with control and confidence for all dogs, as dogs need to feel as though they have some sort of ownership over their own lives.” Kristy says.  

Milly’s separation anxiety makes it really hard for her owners to leave the house, with the routine having to be thoughtfully planned and choreographed.  

“Having PupPod in our back pocket as a way to get her worn out, and to a point where she’s comfortable with us being able to leave, when conditions are not ideal, is really helpful.  

We love to take her out for a walk but if that can’t work, then these indoor stimulations are incredibly helpful and stop us from not being able to leave. She has to have the exercise or mental stimulation. It’s one of the best ways to wear her out to make sure she’s in a spot where she can relax and rest when we’re gone, instead of being an anxious mess and never settling.”  

PupPod: a toy and a tool  

PupPod is a puzzle game designed for dogs to have fun. Yet, the toy has always set to achieve more than just this. PupPod is a smart toy that can keep dogs occupied when their owners can’t in our busy world. The puzzle game helps to enrich canines, build their skills, help them to problem solve and keep them mentally stimulated the way that they deserve.  

And, if you as a pet parent are experiencing your own separation anxiety from your prized pup, you can watch them play through PupPod’s high resolution integrated video camera – accessible through the mobile app. 

We’re so happy to hear that PupPod has helped Karen, Kristy and other owners with dog separation anxiety. We hope that PupPod can continue to help canines in this way, and many other ways!  

If you’d like a PupPod for your dog to help keep them occupied whilst you’re gone and soothe the sadness, then you can find out more, and buy your very own, here!  

Check out this article from Pet Honesty for more tips on addressing separation anxiety.