Be Right Back! The Separation Anxiety Podcast

No one gets up in the morning and puts on a t-shirt saying “I can’t wait to do separation anxiety training today”. And so it can be easy to find that life gets in the way, and we end up not training.  Or, when we do train, we're ALL about the training. So much so, that it feels like that's all we do.  If this sounds familiar, just know that this is perfectly normal. It happens to everyone! That’s why in this episode of the Be Right Back! Podcast I dive into super-practical tips for making training fit into your life, rather than letting it take over your life.  If you feel overwhelmed and too busy, then you must make sure you listen. Listen while you’re doing something else so that you can easily fit it into your day!

Oh, those infuriating dips, drops, setbacks, and regression. There isn't a dog parent out there who doesn't go through ups and downs in separation anxiety training.  The thing is, though, what we see as confounding and confusion variable progression is actually very normal. And when we understand what's going on in a dog's brain when they learn to be home alone, it makes begins to make so much sense. Tune in to find out more what happens as your dog learns, and how you can use that information to improve your training. 

You might be thinking you aren’t ever going to make any progress with separation anxiety training because your dog won’t stay on her bed. Or maybe she starts on her bed but always follows you to the door and waits there. She needs to relax, right? Well, yes and no. We definitely need our dogs to show no anxiety when doing home alone training. But that doesn’t mean she has to stay put. Listen to find out more.

So many behaviors that come naturally to dogs are problems for us humans. Think barking, chewing, jumping up, counter-surfing – you name it! No wonder dogs get confused and get it wrong. And no wonder we get frustrated.  That’s why in this episode, I’m thrilled to share an interview with Jane Robinson, Chair of the Association for Pet Dog Trainers, UK, about our expectations for dogs, and how we can make our communication with them less frustrating for all concerned.

If, recently, you've caught yourself thinking that your problems are insignificant ”in the scheme of things“, then you are not alone.  When we see war and devastation in the news everyday it can be easy to think that our problems don't matter. But someone else's suffering doesn't make your situation magically okay. That's why in this episode, I chatted with Certified Life Coach, Christal Allen-Harrahill and asked her to share her tips for dealing with our own emotions while processing the disasters we see unfold around the world. The big takeaway that I hope you get from the interview is the advice Christal gives about self-compassion, and how that's not indulgent but vital. As Christal states, you can't drink from an empty cup.

Sadly, we are fed a huge volume of incorrect advice about separation anxiety. And whenever we get bombarded with information, we start to believe what we are told, whether that information is fact-based or not.  That's why, in this episode, I go through four of the most commonly-held beliefs about separation anxiety that we must reject. 

Separation anxiety dogs fear two things the most: being alone and being crated. Vet stays create a perfect storm of both of these factors.  There are ways we can help make vet procedures less stressful for these dogs though. And in this episode I share six tips for helping make the process go as smoothly as it can.

No dog ever voted for being left home alone. Yet, the average dog has learned to put up with our comings and goings.  They welcome our return with tail-wagging joy.  “You’re home! How wonderful for us both!” It’s different for dogs with separation anxiety.  They don’t cope with being left home alone the way average dogs do.  Given a choice, they would never want us to leave them!  “Don’t go!  I can’t cope!” And so, as long as we have jobs, medical appointments, and social lives, we owe it to the dogs who live with us to help them feel more confident and less fearful while we’re away from them.  One way to accomplish that goal is to give dogs choices when it’s realistic to do so. In this episode we dive into what choice looks like in separation anxiety training. And I'll share some tips for how you can introduce choice into the separation anxiety training you do with your dog.

During the holidays, many of us are on the road visiting family and friends. And I'm often asked whether it's worth training when you're away. That's why in this episode I dive into the pros and cons of doing separation anxiety training away from home. If you're traveling this festive season, tune in to find out what your best plan of action should be!

Having seen 1000s of owners go through separation anxiety training, I've got a pretty good sense of the most common questions people have, to say the least! That's why in this episode and next, I'm giving you the answers to the most frequently questions that come up, including how often should you train, how long should a training session be and is following bad? Tune in to find out the answers!