Treating Separation Anxiety in Dogs

This book has three great features: shows a detailed method of behavioral training a dog to accept longer and longer absences from their owner without anxiety or destructive behavior; very comprehensive discussion of drugs; very useful discussion of new technology which can help monitor a dog remotely.Unfortunately, the book has a glaring flaw: it gives only passing reference to the use of crates. The index lists them only on page 78, where they are mentioned too briefly.Crates, in my opinion, are the best single tool to help dogs overcome Separation Anxiety (SA).Why? Reading the book an owner will realize that overcoming this problem behaviorally requires a significant amount of time, energy, and money. A typical dog trainer will charge anywhere from $1000 to $5000; the methods often take three to six months; there is no guarantee that the methods will work; and even the best trained dogs going through weeks or months of training will later on, experience relapses. More training, I suppose? In contrast, crates provide an immediate solution; cost anywhere from $75 to $750; and surprisingly sometimes dogs get so used to their crate that they grow out of their symptoms WITH NO SPECIAL TRAINING.Most owners are not well educated in the four major types of crates. At the lower level, there are two major types of crates: hard plastic with a wire mesh door and thin wire. These can be purchased new from about $75 to $150 (about half that used), and Amazon has a wide selection. Try one, if it works, the problem is solved and if the owner chooses, behavioral training can proceed simultaneously.If the dog gets out of these lower level crates, there are two major types of higher level crates: with bars or a “dog box”. The cost is higher: about $300 to $700 new and about half that used, and Amazon has a wide selection. The crates with bars are made from heavy duty aluminum or steel and often advertised as virtually indestructible. The “dog box” is often used for hunting and are almost fully enclosed metal boxes. These dog boxes usually have nothing that a dog can put its teeth or claws on. Surprisingly once a dog realizes that they cannot get out of a crate, they often relax and grow out of their symptoms.To illustrate why I believe that crates are the better solution than behavioral training or drugs (which are among the methods advocated in this book), consider this story. While driving around with my dog in the car, I kept the windows rolled all the way down since he seemed to enjoy the fresh air. After several months of this, he began jumping out of the window! While the car was moving! Not to run away; once I stopped the car he ran right over to me (and thank goodness, he had not hurt himself or been run over by a passing car). If I were a believer in behavioral training, I would probably hire a dog trainer or follow this books method myself, and gradually over several months, the dog would learn not to jump out of open car windows. Cost? A lot of time and maybe $1000 in dog trainer fees. Instead, since a car is essentially a large rolling crate, I simply rolled up the windows part way! Plenty of fresh air comes in! But the dog cannot jump out. Cost? Zero time and zero $. Problem solved!I hope the next edition of this book will discuss the four types of crates as the single best method of dealing with this problem, and the most effective too, in terms of time and money.

I am a professional dog trainer and bought this book when my I finally realized that everything I knew on how to fix separation anxiety wasn't working. Give them exercise - Check. Didn't work. Even though physically exhausted the anxiety out weighed the physical. Give them something to chew on- Check Marrow Bone. Didn't work. My dog wouldn't even touch the bone if it meant I was leaving her alone. I was desperate and devastated. I am a professional trainer - I SHOULD be able to FIX this. Finally I found this book and Malena. I didn't work with Malena personally but I did have a consult with her and had her as a back up if using this book didn't work. I am happy to say that it did. I followed it step by step, pushed sometimes and had some back slides but today I have a dog who I can leave home alone for up to 8 hours at times. It can work for you too. Luckily I was able to not use Malena but this process forever changed the way that I work with and look at Separation Anxiety cases. It inspired me so much that I went through the Certification Process as well.Separation Anxiety is not an easy thing to work through, in fact it's utterly devastating but this book/protocol brings you hope while in a place of despair.I am sorry that you are going through this...I've been there, Malena has been there. I feel your pain and completely empathize with you. But this can help you too! I hope that you will be willing to do what this book asks of you. In months, maybe sooner, you can get your freedom back and remember why you got your pup in the first place.

I have been very slowly desensitizing my rescue dog from her separation anxiety for 5 months now. This is THE book to get for this...crisis...yes, it is a crisis. So hard for the dog, so hard for the human! I hired a local trainer who, hands down, recommended Malena's protocol for my dog. I will be forever grateful for her work, words of wisdom, positive outlook about how successfully these damaged dogs CAN be rehabbed. I could not have done this without the guidance of this book! My dog can now comfortably stay alone for an hour and a half. Doesn't sound like much, but you have no idea what I started with! She has come SO far! Marlena is the world's leading expert on this topic, one I have found to be incredibly prevalent in the canine community, sadly. So many dogs suffer from this malady. I decided I had 3 options: 1. Return my dog. (Not gonna happen.). 2. Let her suffer, go on with my life. (Not gonna happen.). 3. Rehab her properly, carefully (very!), methodically. I chose option #3. It's working!!!! It takes work, dedication and patience, please understand it isn't easy. But this lady knows how to do it. My dog isn't "cured"...but we ARE making great progress. She is healing, and I'm so grateful. I know I will look back on this process and be forever grateful for not giving up on my dog...I could not have done this without this resource.

My dog had separation anxiety to the extent that she would have a meltdown if left alone for 20 seconds or more, and it'd affect her the rest of the day. Needless to say I read a lot of online resources and books on SA, but we never made real progress until I read this book. (TL;DR: we were making it way too hard for our dog to succeed.)This book contains a comprehensive discussion about SA, how to tell if your dog has true separation anxiety or is just bored, an assessment of the extremity of the SA and the many different things you can try depending on your dog, and a detailed 5 step plan in training your dog to accept being alone. I'll recommend it to anyone having problems with SA.

Arrived on time. Currently reading and forming plan. I hadn’t realised it was aimed at trainers to help people with dogs like mine. The author is honest and says that it is clearly laid out for anyone to follow but the referencing to how the trainer can and show is a little off putting. I have picked up a few things I am doing wrong already though and have identified what his previous owners did that has probably caused it.

This book's aimed at professional behaviourists, but is easy to read and use, given a basic knowledge of conditioning, desensitisation etc.Assessment, treatment plans; use of technology, tools, tips to help during treatment, web links, handouts all covered. Also advice on setting up as a Sep.Anx trainer.2021 EDIT: there's an updated version out now

Very good read, gave me an insight into how some dogs feel and why they react like they do when left alone. I can now leave my dog in a cage with a few treats and the radio playing low and she appears to be happy enough for a couple of hours while I go shopping.

Excellent ,clear information on separation anxiety for dogs. Written very clearly so anyone from a novice owner to an expert dog trainer would be able to follow with ease. Covers everything from diagnosing a dog with suspected separation anxiety ,to technology that could be used to help in the training process, to the use of toys , medication , x pens and baby gates (and so much more). Haven't finished the book yet but would highly recommend so far .