Training Philosophy
Does your puppy have separation anxiety whenever you leave the house? Are you unable to leave your Houston home without worrying about your puppy’s anxious behavior? Crying in the crate is normal puppy behavior and is nothing to worry about. However, if your puppy frequently soils the crate out of stress or starts to self-injure to escape the crate, our in-home separation anxiety puppy training program is here to help! One of our behavior consultants will come directly to your Houston home to work with you and your puppy. Your Houston trainer will create a treatment plan to make both you and your puppy confident and relaxed whenever you leave the house.
Does your puppy experience high levels of stress whenever they’re not right by your side? Our science-based training programs are designed to treat any form of separation anxiety in puppies. Led by Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage, we only utilize the latest research in puppy behavior in our training programs. Your Houston trainer will use a combination of classical conditioning and positive reinforcement to teach your puppy that good things can happen outside of your presence! Treating your puppy’s separation anxiety is a lifelong investment that can significantly increase both you and your puppy’s quality of life.
Training Programs
Learn more about insurance options below.
To treat your puppy’s separation anxiety and reinforce calm, quiet behavior when left alone including but not limited to:
True separation anxiety (not typical puppy whining in the crate) can be incredibly alarming for pet parents. Although this behavior normally develops around the age range of 3-5 years, in some extreme cases it is present during puppyhood and adolescence. Behaviors might include hours of crying in the crate, soiling the crate as a result of the stress of being alone, and self-injury. When this behavior is left untreated during puppyhood, it worsens into adulthood and can be life-altering for both dogs and owners. Identifying the signs of early separation anxiety is the first step to treating the behavior. We treat separation anxiety with classical counterconditioning. Over time, puppies learn to be comfortable and confident and no longer show high levels of stress when left alone, in the crate, or outside of their owner’s presence. Research by Zurlinden et al. examined levels of barking in kenneled, shelter dogs and showed that counterconditioning is an effective treatment method for treating separation anxiety. According to our resident CAAB Dr. Echterling-Savage, “Owners’ worries can be put to ease with training and simple modifications to their daily routines. A puppy’s aversion to being alone is reduced in a short time, and they can comfortably rest while crated when an owner is away or busy!”
The All-Inclusive Training Program for puppy separation anxiety encompasses 22 training sessions across eight weeks! Your trainer will customize your puppy’s training program based on the Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior that you will complete pre-training about your puppy’s history, behavior, and training goals. After crafting your puppy’s training plan, your trainer will work with your puppy one-on-one for three (1) hour sessions during the week. The fourth session each week is dedicated to your training! After the 5-week-long training, there are (2) follow-up sessions to support your progress. At the end of your program, your trainer will give you detailed instructions on everything you need to practice with your puppy to maintain their level of training post-program. Please note that our indirect behavior assessments will confirm the severity of your puppy’s behavior and if deemed severe you may incur a small additional fee.
If you are a pet parent with an insurance policy covering behavior modification, our puppy separation anxiety behavior modification is likely covered. Most companies with behavior policies such as Trupanion cover behavioral training when under the direction of a CAAB or a Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist.
Want expert advice on how to treat your puppy’s separation anxiety but don’t live in the Greater Houston area? Schedule a 1-hour virtual consultation with one of our behavior experts! Our CAAB Dr. Echterling-Savage or one of our Houston behavior consultants under her direct supervision will give you expert training advice on how to get your puppy comfortable with being left alone. After completing the Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior, we will recommend one or multiple sessions with Dr. Echterling-Savage or with one of our other behavior consultants under her supervision depending on the severity of your puppy’s separation anxiety. Pricing for a 1-hour virtual consultation with Dr. Ectherling-Savage is $375. Pricing for a 1-hour virtual consultation with one of our Houston trainers is $150.
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