Behind the scenes: Separation anxiety training
When your dog struggles with being left alone, it can feel confusing and isolating. Many people wonder what actually happens when they work with a separation anxiety trainer. Is it in person? Do we leave the dog and see what happens? How does progress even get measured?
In this post, I’d love to give you a little peek behind the scenes. You’ll see what working together looks like, how we use technology to support your dog, and what we focus on when helping them feel safe being alone.
Step 1: Getting to Know You and Your Dog
You can begin by booking a free video call, a chance for you to tell me about your dog, your routine, and what happens when you try to leave. This initial chat helps me understand what’s been going on and explain how a structured, gentle process can help.
Or, if you already know you’d like to start training, we can move straight to your first session.
All sessions take place online. That might sound surprising at first, but it’s actually ideal for separation anxiety. Because everything happens remotely, your dog can stay in their familiar home environment with no new people and no extra stress.
We use your camera or a simple setup like your laptop or phone to watch how your dog reacts as you leave the house. This lets us both see what’s really happening in real time and gives us a clear, shared understanding of your dog’s behaviour.
Step 2: Understanding the Starting Point
Before we even think about practising leaving, we find your dog’s baseline, the point where they begin to feel uncomfortable. That might be after one step towards the door or after picking up your keys. Every dog is different, so it’s important to work from their comfort level, not a fixed timeline.
We carefully observe and record this early stage using the video feed. From there, I create a training plan that meets your dog exactly where they are. The goal is to help them stay below their fear threshold, gradually building confidence in small, successful steps.
During these early sessions, I also teach you to recognise the subtle signs of fear, such as changes in posture, pacing, lip licking, or the way your dog orients to the door. By learning to spot these cues early, you can prevent anxiety from escalating and help your dog feel safe throughout the process.
Step 3: The Training Plan and Ongoing Support
We use Julie Naismith’s specialised Be Right Back separation anxiety app to share daily exercises, track progress, and keep communication clear. You’ll log what happens after each practice, and we can both review how things are going over time.
The app makes it easy for me to adapt the plan when needed and for you to feel supported between our live calls. It also helps us celebrate the wins, big or small, that show your dog is becoming more comfortable being alone.
Our work is all about steady progress and collaboration. I review your notes, we meet regularly on video calls, and we keep your dog’s wellbeing front and centre every step of the way.
Step 4: Building Confidence Together
Over time, you’ll become more confident in reading your dog’s behaviour and responding in ways that help them feel safe. You’ll also gain a clearer sense of how to structure your absences so your dog continues to succeed.
Progress takes time and steady work, often over the course of several months. What matters most is that we respect your dog’s pace and keep the experience positive and predictable.
Closing Thoughts
Working on separation anxiety isn’t about pushing dogs to get used to it. It’s about teaching them that being alone is safe and that you’ll return.
If you’d like to know what this could look like for your dog, you’re welcome to book a free 15-minute chat, or simply get started with your first session whenever you’re ready.