Separation anxiety is a panic disorder. Not a training problem in the traditional sense — you cannot command your way out of a panic attack. What works is systematic desensitization: absences measured in seconds before minutes, independence built as a skill the same way we build a solid sit. The process is slow, unglamorous, and the only thing that actually works.

The protocol

We film the first session. Most owners haven't seen what their dog does the moment the door closes. That footage becomes the baseline. Progress is measured in camera footage, not owner intuition. By week six, most dogs sleep through a forty-minute absence.

Rally obedience, nosework, disc — precision sport training requires a different conversation than pet manners. We work on handler mechanics as much as dog behavior: where your eyes go, how you carry your shoulders, the half-second lag between your cue and your dog's response. Competition dogs are athletes. They need an athlete's coach.

Pre-regionals preparation

Eight-week intensives available for competition handlers within six weeks of a trial. Video analysis of previous runs included. We identify the three behaviors costing you points and build a targeted protocol around them.