5 Things to Expect During Separation Anxiety Training
Transparency is something that I do not take lightly. Before clients even schedule with me, it’s important that they have as much information as possible about what to expect when embarking on alone time training. This helps set expectations for the reality to come. These are a few points that I feel it is important for clients to be aware of before they commit to an alone time training protocol.
Snail’s Pace Progress
Progress will be slow. It will be painfully slow at times and this is totally normal and to be expected. We are modifying behaviors that are tied to a negative emotional state and this will not be achieved quickly.
Ups & Downs
There are going to be ups and downs. That is the nature of home alone training. One day your dog will sail through 10 mins of alone time and the next day they may fall apart at 60 seconds. It’s all information for us on how to proceed. We must move at a pace that ensures your dog is feeling comfortable and safe.
Adjustments to the Plan
We will likely need to tweak environmental factors as we move through the plan. One common example is adding background noise to drown out sounds coming from outside the home, but every setup is different and there may be other things we need to tweak as we move through the training.
Adjustments to Expectations
You may come to me with a goal of “2 hours so I can go to dinner” and when you really see how slow this can be, it may be more realistic to adjust that goal to be something like, “I’d like to be able to check the mail!” Once we achieve that smaller goal, we can then set our sights higher.
Celebrating Incremental Progress
You are going to have to learn to think like a dog trainer. This means celebrating incremental changes in your dog’s behavior. It might mean celebrating the fact that they settle more quickly between warm-up steps. Or maybe there’s a longer delay between when you close the door and when they move toward the door. Maybe they put their head down for the first time during training. Look for these changes and celebrate them.
Freedom & Peace of Mind
Ultimately, you are going to gain freedom & peace of mind. Before you have even achieved any of your goals, you will have the freedom & peace of mind that your dog is no longer panicking when left alone. Trust the process and we will reach your goals.