Separation Anxiety Training in Colorado Springs, CO

Separation anxiety is more than a dog that misses you. A dog with true separation distress panics when left alone: it may howl for long stretches, destroy doors and window frames, have accidents, drool, or hurt itself trying to escape. It is hard on dogs and owners alike, and around Colorado Springs a number of trainers list it among their services, mostly through in-home work.

This page explains how to recognize separation problems, how training for them usually works, the local help available, and how to protect your dog while you work on it.

Recognizing separation anxiety

The key sign is that the behavior happens when the dog is alone, or separated from a particular person, and not otherwise. Common signs are vocalizing that starts soon after you leave, destruction focused on exits, house soiling by a house-trained dog, pacing, panting and drooling, and frantic greetings when you return. Boredom and adolescent chewing can look similar, but a bored dog usually settles, while a panicking dog does not. Recording your dog with a phone or camera while you are out is the simplest way to tell the difference, and a trainer will usually ask to see footage.

It also helps to note when the problem started. Separation problems often appear after a change: a move, a new work schedule, a family member leaving home or a period when the dog was never alone. That history helps a trainer decide where to begin.

How training usually works

Most separation plans rest on gradual desensitization: teaching the dog that being alone is safe, starting with absences so short the dog does not panic and building up slowly. One local training center describes its separation program as gradual desensitization and conditioning to change the dog’s emotional response to being alone. Plans often also address the departure cues that set off anxiety, such as picking up keys or putting on shoes, and build a calm routine around leaving and returning.

• Absences are kept below the point where the dog panics, which often means arranging care so the dog is not left alone longer than it can cope with while training is under way.
• Progress is tracked by watching the dog, not by the calendar.
• Some dogs also benefit from veterinary input; ask your vet whether medication could help alongside training.

Many plans also change what happens around departures and returns. Keeping arrivals low-key, practicing departure cues without actually leaving, and giving the dog a safe, comfortable spot all help the dog stay calm. Exercise and mental enrichment before an absence can take the edge off, but they do not replace the gradual alone-time practice that does the real work.

Local help

Seven trainers in the area list separation anxiety in their own services. Most of them work in your home, because separation problems depend on your house and your routine: a balanced in-home trainer who covers the metro, a franchise territory trainer who works entirely in homes, a pair of private trainers who usually start with an in-home session, and an all-positive trainer in Monument who offers a dedicated separation anxiety program. A training center on the west side runs its own separation anxiety program, a balanced trainer includes separation anxiety among the everyday problems in its basic obedience package, and a training and boarding facility near Calhan takes separation anxiety as part of its behavior modification work.

Choosing a trainer for separation problems

• Ask how they will assess your dog. Good trainers want to see the dog alone, usually on video.
• Ask about the plan for absences. A plan that simply leaves the dog alone for long periods and hopes it adjusts is not a separation plan.
• Ask about methods. Separation distress is fear-based, so ask how the trainer builds calm rather than only stopping barking or chewing.
• Ask about support between sessions. Separation work is done mostly by the owner, a few minutes at a time, so messaging and video review matter.

Keeping your dog safe in the meantime

While you train, avoid leaving the dog alone for longer than it can handle. Options include a dog-friendly workplace, a friend or sitter, or a daycare, since several daycare and boarding businesses around Colorado Springs also offer training. Remove things a panicking dog could hurt itself on, and be careful with crates: some dogs settle in a crate, while others injure themselves trying to escape. Watch the video before deciding.

What to expect

Separation anxiety usually improves slowly. Many plans measure progress in minutes of calm alone time, and a dog may move quickly for a while and then stall. Life events such as a move, a new schedule or a new baby can bring setbacks. The encouraging part is that steady, patient work tends to hold once it is built, and a trainer who reviews your videos and adjusts the plan can keep you from pushing too fast.

Reviewed Separation Anxiety Training Trainers in Colorado Springs

These reviewed Colorado Springs-area trainers from our directory handle separation anxiety training. Each links to a full profile with specialties, certified credentials, reviews, and contact info:

• Bark Busters Home Dog Training Colorado Springs — 5.0★ (314 reviews)
• Two Tails Training — 5.0★ (81 reviews)
• Dog Training Laurie’s Way — 5.0★ (39 reviews)
• Woofies K-9 academy — 5.0★ (2 reviews)
• Best Dog Ltd. — 4.9★ (38 reviews)
• House of Dog Training Center — 4.8★ (19 reviews)
• Colorado Dog Works — 4.7★ (36 reviews)

See all Colorado Springs separation anxiety training trainers →

Frequently Asked Questions

Related: read our complete separation anxiety training guide or the full Colorado Springs dog training overview.