Today's episode is all about separation anxiety in dogs. This is absolutely one of the most common reasons that folks might reach out to a dog behavior professional for help. It's also one of the issues that can be truly one of the most stressful (and sometimes feel debilitating) and can have a big negative impact on welfare on both ends of the leash.
Despite it being a really common issue, separation anxiety is often a little bit misunderstood when it comes both to the factors that can contribute to why it's happening in the first place and also the ways to treat it or help improve it.
So today we are very privileged to be joined by a powerhouse guest lineup to help us clear up some of these misconceptions about separation anxiety and share with listeners more about what it really is, why it happens, and paths to move forward.
We discuss:
- What is Separation Anxiety (and what it isn't)
- Causes of Separation Anxiety (perceived and actual)
- Prevalence in Separation Anxiety in companion dogs
- Treatment/Intervention options
- Common derailers of progress
- Success rates and timelines
- How to get started
Guests:
- Malena DeMartini-Price is renowned in the dog training world for her expertise in dog separation anxiety issues. She is the author of the books Treating Separation Anxiety in Dogs, as well as Separation Anxiety in Dogs – Next-Generation Treatment Protocols and Practices. She is also the founder of the Separation Anxiety Training Certificate Program (CSAT).
- Dr. Chris Pachel DACVB (Veterinary Behaviorist), Co-Founder and Co-Owner of INSTINCT Portland and Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland.
- Dr. Emily Levine DACVB (Veterinary Behaviorist), Co-Founder and Co-Owner of INSTINCT NJ/PA and Animal Behavior Clinic of NJ
Hosts Brian Burton and Sarah Fraser are Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of INSTINCT Dog Behavior & Training. Both are Certified Dog Behavior Consultants and have Master's degrees in Animal Behavior from Hunter College/CUNY.
INSTINCT has 11 locations across the US and services the global community via virtual consults. Over 19,000 students have also taken courses at INSTINCT's online school (with many free courses available): Learn more at https://www.instinctdogtraining.com/
INSTINCT Resources:
Online School https://onlineschool.instinctdogtraining.com
Free Monthly Seminars (Puppy Parenting Roadmap, Rescue Dog Roadmap, Behavior Roadmap): https://www.instinctdogtraining.com/seminars/
Youtube Version of the Episode (video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3xJy2GB3Ec