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MASSIVE 30% off Separation Anxiety Programmes
Save up to £315!
Valid for bookings until 01/05/24
Separation Anxiety
Fear of alone time
'Unfortunately my puppy broke his leg when he was younger, so has developed an unhealthy dependency on me being around, as I had to carry him and be there for him. He has been glued to my side ever since, and haven’t been able to leave him alone to run to the shop, or even go to the loo without him joining me. Zoe has been brilliant helping us to reshape this bond to be a better more sustainable relationship, where he can be alone and do his own thing but still be with me when he wants. Zoe has has spotted little things that make my little companion worried or anxious and helped me know when to be there for him.' Ollie and Chad
Separation Anxiety - a complex issue
I cant leave the house without planning it like a military operation
I cant pop to the shop
I didnt think getting a dog would be like this
I am exhausted and frustrated
I hate seeing my dog suffering
I feel so isolated from friends and family
My dog should be able to cope
My neighbours are fed up with the noise
My house is being destroyed whenever I leave
These are all very common reports from owners of dogs who suffer with separation anxiety. Whilst it may feel like it, you are not on your own. Not even nearly. It is estimated that 1 in 5 dogs suffer from separation anxiety but unfortunately many owners either dont know (if their dog isnt noisy or destructive) or have not yet decided to take the steps to both support their dog and to gain their own freedom.
What is separation anxiety?
Separation anxiety is an all-consuming, completely overwhelming, genuine fear felt by the dog when they are left alone. This is a genuine fear, akin to a panic attack which lasts until someone comes back home.
Owners may hear that their dog is barking / howling / crying as soon as they have left the home and this will continue until they reappear. Other dogs may display destructive behaviours such as digging up carpets, chewing or scratching at walls and floor - especially around the point of where they last saw their owner. Others may pace constantly, become obsessive with self-grooming to the point of mutilation, they may toilet in the house or vomit, they may ignore toys and food, they may shut down... there are many many different signs of separation anxiety.
Why does my dog have separation anxiety? Did I somehow cause it?
Did I cause this as I never left my puppy alone?
They were a lockdown dog, is that why they have separation anxiety as they were with me 24/7?
I left them to 'cry it out' did that cause their fear?
No! You absolutely did NOT cause your dog's separation anxiety!
There are a myriad of known contributors to separation anxiety but you did not cause this. In actual fact nobody knows why some dogs suffer with separation anxiety and others don't. You can have a litter of puppies and can almost guarantee that one of them will suffer with separation anxiety but it wont become obvious which one that will be until the owners try and leave the puppy.
Known contributors to separation anxiety include: maternal stress in utero, maternal care after birth, genetic predispositions to anxiety, early life experiences and socialisation as a puppy, environmental influences and learning, unfortunate events leading to negative associations being made with being home alone (eg fireworks going off when the dog is home alone and the dog then understanding this to mean it is unsafe to be alone and scary things happen then)...
Wont they get used to it eventually?
No. They won't. Unfortunately as separation anxiety is a phobic response, the dog is driven by pure fear. Their brain instigates an emergency response to the situation, and even to signs that they are about to be left alone.
The brain instigates an instinctive and completely involuntary response of pure panic which increases their internal physiological responses (elevating stress levels, heart racing, blood pressure rising, stress hormones released into the bloodstream, a complete inability to calm themselves etc). This can drive the dog into performing a range of behaviours to try and reunite themselves with their owners or to relieve the stress and panic.
The dog is NOT responsible for their behaviours whilst in this state and they are absolutely not doing any behaviours out of spite or protest. They are unable to respond in a logical or rational way as they are being driven by pure panic. Think of the last time you were in a completely panicked state, were you capable of a calm and logical response? Probably not, and you had the ability to reason with yourself and listen to others reasoning with you, the dog has none of these abilities.
Without a structured programme of professional support, the dog will be unable to start to cope with being alone.
So, how do we overcome separation anxiety?
We work together on a very carefully planned and completely individual programme of desensitising your dog to being home alone.
Together over a series of weeks of introducing very tiny absences, we will start to teach the dog that being alone is safe. That they can cope with it. That there is no need to panic. We are working to reshape their perception of alone time and to rework their involuntary panic response.
Separation anxiety therapy takes a lot of time, patience and commitment but it also reaps those dreamy rewards! Rewards that may start with going to the toilet without canine supervision or putting the bins out, but that may end in those long-lost date nights, those cinema or coffee trips with friends, ability to go to the gym or the office, and those priceless hours of freedom!
Training Packages
Our 1:1 separation anxiety training packages are delivered entirely online. This is the most effective way to work with dogs with separation anxiety as a trainer coming to the home will change the dynamic of the environment and the dog's reactions. A trainer present cannot possibly observe the true reactions of a dog experiencing separation if they are sat in the room with them! Through using cameras, we will observe the dog's reaction to absences remotely during our training exercises without the dog being aware that we are present.
You will benefit from:
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An introduction to understanding separation anxiety
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A thorough assessment of your dog
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Understanding the body language signs of separation anxiety that your dog is displaying
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Creation of a new bespoke training plan up to 5 times per week
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Reviews and feedback on your video submissions of training sessions up to 5 times per week
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Support by text or whatsapp between sessions
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1 weekly 30 minute training session delivered through an online live observation session
Expert guidance is invaluable in starting your separation anxiety journey as it is crucial to get off to a positive start so that the dog begins to gradually understand through repeated ‘safe’ experiences of tiny absences that it can begin to cope. Separation anxiety is a condition which requires detailed observation of the dog’s body language and can have many less obvious signs and symptoms. As a fully qualified SA Pro trainer, I can pick up and draw your attention to these behaviours so that you can start to become the expert in reading your dog’s stress levels and indicators.
Separation anxiety can seem an overwhelming, complex, frustrating and restricting condition to live and cope with. For the dog, it is terrifying. We will help you to make the most effective use of your time and provide advice and reassurance by being with you every step of the way.
For owners of dogs with separation anxiety, time is unbelievably precious. We will simplify the training process so that you know exactly what you are doing and how to continue to progress, starting you on the journey to recovering time and freedom and your dog on their journey of finding alone time tolerable and no cause for concern.
By supporting you with understanding, explanations, planning, reviewing each submitted recording, assessing it, providing feedback and guiding you, we will team up together to make the best progress for you and your dog.
"It's always very easy to talk to Zoe even about the hard struggles and she explains everything with such empathy and understanding" Kamila and Alf
Separation Anxiety Packages
1
Bronze Package
The Bronze Package is a 1:1, 4 weeks course to introduce you to understanding separation anxiety, recognising the signs of anxiety in your dog and starting your training journey.
You will receive individual support up to 5 times per week in the form of video reviews and feedback, a live training session and bespoke training plans created.
The Bronze Package includes:
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Initial video consultation, assessment and first plan created (60-90 minutes)
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Body language exploration - Support to become an expert in recognising your dog’s individual signs of anxiety so that you know what you are looking out for during training
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1x live 30 minute video training session each week
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Whatsapp / text messaging support between sessions (during working hours)
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Submit up to 4 further training videos per week for review and feedback
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Up to 20 bespoke training plans created for you (based on training videos submitted)
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Access to training app
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Able to purchase top-up sessions
Was £450
NOW £315
2
Silver Package
The Silver Package is an 8 weeks course including all of the benefits of the Bronze Package but, as much of the progress with separation anxiety recovery requires laying solid training foundations, this Silver Package is preferable as it extends for a further 4 weeks of progression, guidance, observation, assessment, training plans and support.
This extension allows you to lay a comprehensive training foundation, understand your dog’s micro-tells of anxiety in more detail and feel familiar with what you need to do moving forwards.
The Silver Package includes:
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Initial video consultation, assessment and first plan created (60-90 minutes)
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Body language exploration - Support to become an expert in recognising your dog’s individual signs of anxiety so that you know what you are looking out for during training
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1x live video training sessions each week (20-30 minutes each)
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Whatsapp / text messaging support between sessions (during working hours)
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Submit up to 4 further training videos per week for review and feedback
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Up to 40 bespoke training plans created for you (based on training videos submitted)
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Access to training app
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Able to purchase top-up sessions
Was £750
Now £525
3
Gold Package
The Gold Package is a comprehensive 12 weeks course including all of the benefits of the Silver Package but extending a further 4 weeks so that you benefit from a full 12 weeks of 1:1 support, feedback and guidance up to 5 times per week.
After 12 weeks on the Gold Package, you should be highly experienced in personally assessing your dog’s body language and how this informs your daily training sessions, recognising when to push on or reel in the time targets for the next session, you will understand and know how to deal with the highs and lows of training and what to do with sticking points. We will have identified specifics that seem to impact on your dog’s individual progress and what may hinder it and have discussed potential ways to overcome these, and you will feel confident to continue training by yourself.
The Gold Package includes:
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Initial video consultation, assessment and first plan created (60-90 minutes)
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Body language exploration - Support to become an expert in recognising your dog’s individual signs of anxiety so that you know what you are looking out for during training
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1x live video training sessions each week (20-30 minutes each)
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1x final 60 minute ‘handover’ session
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Whatsapp / text messaging support between sessions (during working hours)
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Submit up to 4 further training videos per week for review and feedback
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Up to 60 bespoke training plans created for you (based on training videos submitted)
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Access to training app
-
Able to purchase top-up sessions
Was £1050
NOW £735