Training Philosophy
What Is Puppy Separation Anxiety Behavior, and How Do We Address This?
Puppies with separation anxiety are likely to be very stressed when separated from others. Perhaps you have noticed that your puppy hates the crate way more than most puppies? Maybe your puppy cries and barks nonstop whenever you’re away from them. You may not feel like leaving the house because of your puppy’s anxious behavior.
It’s normal for a puppy to occasionally cry when left in a crate, but excessive vocalizations, urinating or defecating in the crate, and scratching or biting at the crate door can all be signs of separation anxiety behaviors. For more information, we recommend checking out our blog on normal vs. abnormal puppy behavior, written by our Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage.
We address separation anxiety behavior through science-based training methods such as positive reinforcement and classical conditioning, which help to teach your puppy positive associations with being alone.
The Benefits of Puppy Touch Sensitivity Training
Our team, led by Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant Sean Savage, use behavioral wellness based training methods that have been developed over more than 20 years addressing fearful behaviors in puppies. We provide luxury dog training services, serving Miami and South Florida, including Coral Gables, Pinecrest, Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne, Sunny Isles Beach, Palm Beach, and Jupiter.
It’s very important that touch-sensitivity behaviors are addressed early, or this behavior will often get worse as a puppy gets older. Fortunately, behavior modification training teaches your dog positive associations with being touched, which reduces fear based responses such as snapping, growling or biting.
When treating touch sensitivity, you should see positive results within the first week and after completing the program, your dog will be more calm and confident during everyday situations. These situations include inside the home, during vet and grooming appointments and in common occurrences such as taking your puppy’s collar off and wiping their paws.
Training Programs
This program’s goal is to treat your puppy’s separation anxiety behaviors and teach relevant obedience commands, socialization skills, and manners.
It includes connecting with Dr. Echterling-Savage during virtual consultations to discuss your puppy’s behavioral history, challenges, and your training goals. You will then be given a personalized training plan and provided with ongoing support and guidance to achieve your training goals.
Training will be provided by Dr. Echterling-Savage, a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with a PhD in Behavioral Psychology, specializing in animal behavior. She has over 20 years of hands-on experience treating complex separation anxiety behaviors.
Dr. Echterling-Savage will create a personalized training plan to best address your puppy’s unique needs. This helps to treat the underlying causes of separation anxiety, to achieve long-term success with training. She will implement science-based training methods, including classical conditioning and reinforcement, to support your puppy’s behavioral wellness.
After your initial meeting, Dr. Echterling-Savage will continue to offer guidance and troubleshoot any separation anxiety behaviors, ensuring ongoing progress in your dog’s training. This program runs for four weeks for mild cases and five weeks for moderate or severe cases.
During this virtual program, you will connect with Dr. Echterling-Savage for virtual consultations to evaluate your puppy’s behavior and develop a personalized training program that addresses your puppy’s unique needs. Throughout the program, you will receive support, including troubleshooting of behavior scenarios, to ensure ongoing progress in reducing your puppy’s separation anxiety behaviors. The program’s duration depends on the severity of the separation anxiety behavior, with mild cases lasting four weeks and moderate to severe cases lasting five weeks.
In our Separation Anxiety Puppy Behavior Modification Package, we offer private virtual sessions with Dr. Echterling-Savage, our Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB). Dr. Echterling-Savage is one of only a few Board Certified Behavior Analysts specializing in Applied Animal Behavior, with only around 50 CAABs in the country. With decades of expertise, including published research on canine behavior, Dr. Echterling-Savage is a leading expert in her field, making her consultations an invaluable opportunity for those seeking transformative change.
Dr. Echterling-Savage will connect with you virtually to evaluate your puppy’s behavior, designing a training program that addresses your specific needs. After your initial meeting, Dr. Echterling-Savage will continue to offer guidance and troubleshoot separation anxiety behavior scenarios, ensuring ongoing progress in your puppy’s training. This program runs for four weeks for mild cases and five weeks for moderate or severe cases.
In our puppy separation anxiety program, we will treat your puppy’s separation anxiety behavior, as well as teach relevant obedience commands, manners, and socialization training.
Separation anxiety behaviors that we address in this program include:
This program includes:
Depending on the distance from Tampa Bay, travel may be complimentary or require a small additional cost.
We use science-based training methods to treat your puppy’s separation anxiety and to teach obedience commands. This includes counterconditioning, which encourages your dog to develop positive associations when left alone.
Our training methods will improve your dog’s behavioral wellness by providing lifestyle restoration. You will be able to leave your puppy at home, knowing that your puppy has developed healthy coping skills and emotional stability to be left alone.
In our Separation Anxiety Puppy Training Program, your puppy will live and train with Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage, and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Sean Savage, at their home in Tampa Bay, Florida. During this program, your puppy will also be trained by our other Florida-based dog trainer, Shelby Shipp.
Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with a Ph.D. in Behavioral Psychology, specializing in animal behavior. She has over 20 years of experience teaching dogs obedience commands, manners, and addressing mild to severe fearful behaviors. Dr. Echterling-Savage mentors and trains Beyond the Dog’s trainers.
Sean Savage is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) and Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA). With over 20 years of experience training puppy’s, he teaches obedience commands and manners, while addressing a wide range of behavioral challenges including fearful behaviors.
Shelby Shipp is a dog trainer who supports our board and train programs. Before joining Beyond the Dog, Shelby worked as a veterinary assistant while completing her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science. She has experience training dogs in obedience and manners, and addressing complex problem behaviors.
Before training begins, Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage will meet with you for a virtual consultation, where you can discuss your puppy’s separation anxiety behavior, any questions that you may have, and your training goals. We also ask that you submit your completed “Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior” questionnaire, which will help us better understand your puppy’s behavioral history. Dr. Echterling-Savage will then create a personalized training plan to treat your puppy’s separation anxiety, provide obedience training, teach good manners, and support socialization.
Sean Savage, or one of our other trainers, will then pick up and transport your puppy from your home to Tampa Bay, Florida. We always prioritize your puppy’s safety, and during this trip, your puppy will stay by their trainer’s side, whether in the cabin or in a car.
During the four-week board-and-train program, your puppy will live and train at the Tampa Bay home of Dr. Echterling-Savage and Sean Savage. During this stay, your puppy will be a part of the family, with training throughout the day, along with dedicated play and relaxation time.
Training occurs both at home and throughout the Tampa Bay area, so we can most effectively treat separation anxiety behaviors and provide high-level obedience training across various environments. This includes teaching your puppy to be comfortable with multiple distractions, including a wide range of people, dogs, and other stimuli. Training will occur both at home and in public areas, including parks, shopping areas, hiking trails, farmers’ markets, and dog-friendly beaches. Every training session is developed to your puppy’s personal needs and is taught privately, so that your puppy always has the trainer’s full attention.
During the four-week training period, we will keep you updated on your puppy’s progress, which can include virtual meetings, phone conversations, emails, videos, and progress reports.
At the end of the board and train program, we will return your puppy home, where we will provide 4.5 hours of return and follow-up lessons. During these lessons, we will teach you what new skills your puppy has learned, how to manage these skills, and how to achieve long-lasting results from training.