Looking at the Bigger Picture in Separation Anxiety Progress By: Stephanie Barger, CSAT, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA When Progress Slips You plan a short absence and want your dog to be comfortable while you’re gone. You step out for a short time and come back before your dog gets upset. You repeat, steady and careful. For a while, it works. Your dog settles. Time alone grows by a minute here, a minute there. You start to breathe again. Then one day, all your hard work stops working. Yo

The Difference Between Enough and Too Much By: Stephanie Barger, CSAT, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA Have you ever had one of those long work weeks where all you crave is collapsing on the couch? Or picture yourself after an exhausting day, a lengthy training conference, or even a bustling party. Do you find yourself seeking more stimulation? Probably not.Your dog feels the same. Just as you need a break from constant emails, meetings, instructional sessions (heck, even a boatload of beer

How Your Dog’s Entire Day Shapes Their Ability to Be Alone By: Stephanie Barger, CSAT, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA Let's Rethink What "Going Out" Really Means You know the signs. The jingle of your keys, the ritual of putting on your shoes, the final click of the door. For people dealing with a dog's separation anxiety, this moment of departure feels like the entire problem. So, you focus all your energy there. You practice leaving a room over and over. You change little things about ho