Jess, Ellis, & Luna (Toronto, Ontario)

I brought home my puppy, Lu, in early 2020 and soon realized she could not be left alone. We tried leaving her a handful of times and always returned to a soiled crate, drool everywhere, a frantic dog, and occasionally - noise complaints from our neighbours. I found Jackie’s instagram account during this time and learned about absence suspension and systematic desensitization.

For two years, we spun wheels doing DIY separation anxiety training, only ever getting to about an hour of comfortable alone time before regressing. In this time I got a certification in canine separation anxiety and still could not crack my own dog. Jackie is the only person I knew I could trust more than myself to prioritize my dog’s welfare while we worked through her phobia of alone time.

We started working together in April 2022 and Jackie held our hands through regressions, meds changes, and moving homes. Lu graduated in September 2023 with consistent absences around the 3.5 hour mark, where she truly just snoozes alone time away on her big pillow in the living room. My husband and I are now reliably able to get dinner together, work out during the day, run errands, and go to friends’ houses without bringing Lu or getting a sitter.

Jackie is not just a dog trainer. She is a coach of people, a behaviour whiz, an advocate for your dog, and a friend. She explains a complicated process so simply, hears your voice as your dog’s guardian, makes an overwhelming process enjoyable, and seems to always have the answer.

Working with Jackie has been life changing in so many ways, for our dog and for our family. Outside of separation anxiety training, I feel like she has fundamentally shifted the way I view my dog, her behaviour, and our relationship. I will never be able to thank Jackie enough for the comfort and peace of mind she has given our family.