Days are starting to look different, and that means that alone-time goals are shifting. For many, “leaving the house” now means being gone for 8 hours 5 days a week. And it should come as no surprise that a goal like that will take much longer to achieve than it would to water the plants.

If you break a bone, your doctor will be able to tell you roughly how long it will take to heal. If you’re building a house, your contractor will know how many months before the job is complete. Unfortunately, resolving separation anxiety isn’t like that. Each dog’s trajectory is different. And recovery can be complex.

There are only 3 steps in the separation anxiety protocol that has helped hundreds of my clients overcome alone-time struggles with their dogs. You heard me right – 3 steps. Sounds pretty simple, right? And the truth is, it is quite simple. But it’s not easy.

Let’s talk about thresholds. If your dog is struggling with separation anxiety, your understanding of thresholds is absolutely paramount. It’s the baseline of knowledge you’ll need to create true, lasting behavior change. It’s the foundation upon which a separation anxiety training plan is built. Without it, we’re spinning our wheels and potentially making our dogs worse.