How to train a dog with separation anxiety

Separation anxiety training for dogs means building alone time gradually from a duration your dog already handles calmly, staying below the point where they become worried, and increasing only in small steps after calm sessions. Watch what actually happens, go back a step after any sign of concern, and avoid longer absences in between. This approach is called systematic desensitisation.

What is separation anxiety in dogs?

Separation anxiety, often called separation-related distress, is when a dog becomes worried or panicked when left alone or apart from a particular person. It is a welfare problem, not disobedience or spite. Boredom, noise fears, confinement stress, illness or incomplete house training can look similar, so only a vet or qualified behaviour professional can assess an individual dog.

What are the signs of separation anxiety?

Signs usually appear while the dog is alone or as you get ready to leave:

• barking, whining or howling;
• pacing, panting or being unable to settle;
• scratching or chewing at doors, windows or barriers;
• toilet accidents in a dog that is otherwise house trained;
• drooling, trembling, or refusing food or a favourite chew;
• watching the exit, or following you closely as you prepare to leave.

Many signs are quiet, so a video of an absence is often the clearest way to see what really happens. Researchers use video for the same reason (Palestrini et al., 2010).

How do you train a dog to be left alone?

1. Start from something already calm. Choose a duration you have seen your dog handle without concern, even a few seconds. Never leave until they become distressed just to find their limit.
2. Keep departures ordinary. Leave and return calmly, without a big goodbye or a dramatic reunion.
3. Watch if you can. A camera or baby monitor shows the first small signs of worry. It helps, but it is not essential.
4. Come back before concern builds. A target is a ceiling, not a quota. A shorter, relaxed absence is still useful practice.
5. Increase in small steps, only after calm sessions. Repeat a duration until it is easy before making it longer.
6. Make it easier after a difficult session. Go back to a step your dog found easy rather than pushing on.
7. Manage the gaps. While you train, avoid leaving your dog alone for longer than they can currently manage.

An owner-led programme of this kind reduced separation-related behaviour in a small study (Butler et al., 2011). The study was small, so treat it as support for the principle rather than a fixed recipe.

How much should I increase the time each session?

In small steps. No increment has been clinically validated. SettledSolo uses about 10% of the current duration, never more than two minutes, as its own rule of thumb. In a small timing study, dogs needed a difference of roughly 44% or more to tell two durations apart (Cliff et al., 2019), so a 10% step should be barely noticeable. Hold the duration or go back after any sign of concern.

How long does separation anxiety training take?

There is no reliable universal timeline. Progress depends on the dog, where they start and how well other absences can be managed. Expect uneven progress, with plateaus and easier days. A run of calm sessions matters more than speed.

How long can I leave a dog with separation anxiety alone?

Only as long as they can currently stay calm, which may be seconds or minutes at first. Plan other absences around that: a sitter, daycare, a friend or neighbour, taking your dog with you, or a changed routine. Absences that tip your dog into panic can undo progress.

Should I crate a dog with separation anxiety?

Not automatically. Some dogs are more distressed when confined. Practise in a setup your dog already finds safe, and treat distress that appears only with confinement as important information rather than assuming it is purely about being alone.

Should I punish or ignore my dog?

Do not punish anything you find when you come home: it cannot teach calm and may add fear. You do not need to ignore your dog either. Keep departures and returns calm and ordinary, and comfort them if they need it.

When should I get professional help?

Pause timed practice and contact your vet or a qualified behaviour professional if you see self-injury, escape attempts, damage to doors or windows, rapidly escalating distress, or repeated sessions that cannot stay calm. A vet is the right person to discuss whether a health problem or medication is relevant.

How SettledSolo helps

SettledSolo is a free separation anxiety training app for this process. It suggests a small next step from your recent sessions, times each departure reliably, records what you observed and explains every suggestion. It works without an account and keeps your training record on your device.

Sources

• Butler, Sargisson and Elliffe (2011), Applied Animal Behaviour Science
• Palestrini et al. (2010), Applied Animal Behaviour Science
• Cliff et al. (2019), Animals

More detail on how the app uses this research is on the evidence page.