Separation anxiety training isn’t about pushing your dog to cope — it’s about teaching them that being alone is safe. Using a gentle, evidence-based approach called gradual desensitisation, we start where your dog is comfortable and build from there. This blog explains how we work through door desensitisation using Door Is a Bore, remove triggering departure cues, and progress to calm alone time with structured support at every step.

If your dog finds it hard to cope when left alone, you're not alone – and it's not your fault. Separation anxiety is a common but often misunderstood condition in dogs that can cause real emotional distress. In this post, we explore how to recognise the signs, from the obvious to the subtle, and explain why early support is key to helping your dog feel calm and secure when home alone.

Is food holding your dog back from overcoming separation anxiety?
It’s a question many dog guardians never think to ask, especially when food is such a powerful tool in most training. But when it comes to treating separation anxiety, food toys like Kongs, lickmats, and puzzle feeders often do more harm than good. In this blog, I’ll explain why Certified Separation Anxiety Trainers avoid using food in training plans, and how relying on it could be the very reason your dog isn’t making progress. Discover what really works, and why distraction is not the same as recovery.

Trigger stacking is a critical but often overlooked concept in dog behaviour, especially when it comes to treating separation anxiety. When multiple stressors pile up, even small ones they can push a dog beyond their emotional limit, making it harder for them to cope with being alone. In this post, we explore what trigger stacking is, how it affects your dog’s stress levels, and why understanding it can make or break your separation anxiety training plan.

Before you begin separation anxiety training, it’s essential to understand what your dog can cope with right now. This blog explains why a proper assessment is crucial, how to spot subtle signs of stress, and provides a step-by-step guide to help you identify your dog’s current threshold. Starting at the right level sets the foundation for long-term success, and ensures your dog feels safe every step of the way.

Struggling with ‘Door is a Bore’? Here’s Why You Might Be Stuck
‘Door is a Bore’ is a powerful first step in helping dogs overcome separation anxiety, but progress can stall if key foundations aren’t in place. From starting at the wrong level to moving too fast or overlooking subtle stress signals, there are common pitfalls that can hold your dog back. In this post, I share five reasons your training might not be working, and how to get it back on track.

Many dog owners are told to ignore their dog’s distress and “let them cry it out” when dealing with separation anxiety. But science shows this approach can lead to emotional harm, not healing. Dogs with separation anxiety experience real panic, and when they stop barking, it may be a sign they’ve given up, not calmed down. This blog explores the risks of leaving dogs to cry it out, the concept of learned helplessness, and outlines a kinder, evidence-based approach to help your dog feel safe when home alone.

If your dog struggles with separation anxiety, one of the most important steps in their recovery is suspending all absences outside of training. While it may feel counterintuitive, avoiding alone-time completely—at least for now—creates the emotional safety your dog needs to learn. In this post, we explore why suspending absences is so crucial, how to make it work in real life, and the unexpected benefits many dog guardians notice along the way.