My Journey to Becoming a Certified Separation Anxiety Specialist for Dogs.

My journey into becoming a Certified Separation Anxiety Specialist for dogs began the day I brought my puppy home. What should have been an exciting new chapter quickly turned into a new life of worry, frustration, upset and isolation. My puppy would cry, howl, bark and scream if I even left the room, never mind the house! I soon realised I had a dog with separation anxiety which turned my whole world upside down. Watching Luna struggle so much being home alone was utterly heart breaking, and like so many other owners, I felt completely out of my depth!

I did what most people do. I scoured the internet for advice and I tried every piece of advice about separation anxiety that I could find. From letting her cry it out, to ignoring her when I came back, to leaving food down, leaving clothes that smelt like me, crate training, you name it I tried it all. I was so desperate for something to stick and work, but nothing did and actually, it made things so much worse.

I found "Dore is a Bore" training online and dedicated a few weeks to working through this, really slowly. And it started working! Luna wasn't bothered about the door, so I started to try build duration out the door. But what I didn't know at the time was Luna was so uncomfortable with this. She wasn't howling or barking or making any vocalisations, so I thought she must be fine. But I was missing all the subtle body language signs that she wasn't ok. Each session, she went over threshold so no wonder the training wasn't working.

Eventually, I reached out to a separation anxiety specialist who guided me through a structured, science-based training plan which was personalised for Luna and her needs. We also discovered Luna was showing signs of pain and discomfort which was massively holding her training back. Once we got on top of her medical issues and found a training plan that worked for her, she started to make progress. This support changed everything!

I began to understand the training process, the subtle body language signals and how to manage her pain properly to get the most out of training. I learned how to track data, to notice patterns and trends and make changes to make training more effective.

The biggest shift wasn't just Luna's behaviour, it was in me. I had to change my mindset completely to be able to handle the training. Before, I would get so frustrated, I would fixate on how long I'm able to leave for and was so keen to make rapid progress. I had to learn to be patient. To listen to my dogs needs and go at her pace. To celebrate the smallest wins to keep me motivated.

Our relationship completely transformed when I stopped wishing she was something she wasn't. No one wants a dog with separation anxiety. But I had one. I had to grieve the life and the dog I thought I was going to get, accept she was never going to be the dog I had imagined and probably the dog we all think about – the one that can be left home alone, that can go anywhere without fear, doesn't react to other dogs and can settle down in the local café.

I learned that separation anxiety isn’t about disobedience or being difficult, it's a deep emotional response to being left alone rooted in fear, she was experiencing distress and she could not help how she was behaving. She was struggling and was trying to communicate this to me. Once I listened and allowed myself to fully accept and embrace Luna for the dog she was, suddenly the load felt much lighter.

At times, I still felt isolated and I didn't have anyone to talk to. I wanted to raise more awareness about dogs with separation anxiety too, as I knew my friends and family didn't understand. So, I started sharing our training journey online which made me realise just how many other people feel the exact same.

And that's what inspired me to start learning. What started as desperation to help my own dog with separation anxiety turned into a genuine passion for understanding and supporting other owners through the same challenges. I was unable to leave the house due to Luna's separation anxiety, so I made the most the most of the extra time at home and started studying and I wanted to learn everything I possibly could and I went on to qualify as both a Certified Dog Trainer and a Certified Separation Anxiety Pro Behaviour Consultant! For me, this wasn't enough and I wanted to gain some real hands on practical experience. So I completed a mentorship with a leading separation anxiety specialist, to make sure I knew how to help a wide variety of dogs and their guardians!

If you're living with a dog who cries, barks or panics when left home alone, I know exactly how that feels! The stress, guilt, frustration and worry completely takes over your life. Living with a dog who struggles with being left can be overwhelming and it's easy to feel like no one truly understand what you're going though. I've been there too so I completely understand what it's like to plan your whole life around your dog's separation anxiety.

But I also know what it feels like when you start regaining your freedom again! To be able to leave the house without worrying, to see your dog calm and relaxed on the camera and to finally start making a lasting change.

As a Certified Separation Anxiety Specialist, I am here to guide you through that journey. I use kind, evidence-based training methods and provide one to one support tailored to you and your dog. I know this process isn't just about training and I know how important support and guidance is when you're trying to help your dog. I'll be with you every step of the way. To guide you, support you, encourage you and celebrate every win with you.

If you're ready to take the next step and start helping your dog feel calm and confident when left home alone, I'd love to work with you! Together, we can rebuild your dog's trust, restore your peace of mind and help you regain your freedom and get your life back.

You don't have to figure this out alone. I'm here to help!

Book a free call with me today and let's talk about how I can help your dog feel relaxed when home alone and help you to feel confident leaving the house again.

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