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Separation Related Problems

Does your dog cry, howl or destroy things when left alone or make a fuss as you leave? If so, then this is the service you.. Home visits can be undertaken throughout Northamptonshire, as well as around Banbury, Market Harborough and Milton Keynes.

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Feeling embarrassed, guilty, annoyed or just overwhelmed? If so, I can help!

 

Are you struggling with your dog:

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  • Barking, whining or howling when home alone;

  • Trying to stop you leave the house without them;

  • Destroying furniture or other items when home alone;

  • Sticking to someone like velcro around the house; or

  • Doing anything else related to suspected attachment issues or without their main caregiver?

 

It can be very hard to live with a dog you cannot leave, especially when it affects your life in so dramatic a way. My first dog could not be left home alone when I first adopted her, so I know how you feel!

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I can help you transform your dog’s behaviour to look more like this by giving you the tools to manage the bad times and re-train your dog to overcome their problems:

A behaviour consultation involves the following steps:

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  • Free initial telephone or Zoom call to discuss the help I can offer and to ensure you are happy with the process

  • Completion of a detailed history form and veterinary referral - this ensures I have a full set of information and that any underlying medical problems are taken into consideration and is in-line with my professional membership bodies’ Codes of Conduct

  • In-person or Zoom-based consultation, lasting between 1 and 2.5 hours – this allows me to fully assess each problem behaviour by clarifying details with you and takes into account the whole family’s experiences of the problem

  • Immediate intervention plan, discussed and agreed with you during the consultation – this allows immediate improvements to be made while keeping everyone safe and preventing further development of the problem(s)

  • Written report and additional resources, sent within a week of the consultation – details the assessment i.e. what is your dog feeling and why, and what is the immediate and longer term plan

  • Liaison with your vet, including written report – this ensures communication with the pet’s primary professional caregiver and is in-line with my membership bodies’ Codes of Conduct

  • Follow-up support for 12-20 weeks, depending on the package chosen, including:

    • Weekly 15-minute Zoom calls to check progress

    • Three to Six 30-minute Zoom calls to problem solve and discuss next steps (to be taken as & when needed)

 

Package options:

 

Standard Separation Problem package: Up to 2.5 hour consultation and report, with 12 weeks of regular follow-up telephone or video calls and email support. £595

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Premium Separation Problem Package: Up to 2.5 hour consultation and report, with 20 weeks of regular follow-up telephone or video calls and email support. £720

 

After working with me, you should feel more confident going out without your dog and be able to enjoy living with your dog again. No more guilt when you have to go out, no more daily struggles to get anything done outside the house – just happy times! And to top it all off, your dog will also be happier and secure in their world. You have the power to make this change! And all this can be done using scientific, proven and kind methods. My promise to you includes never using or recommending prong collars, e-collars or corrections of any kind.

​What should I do next?

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  • Book your appointment via the buttons on this page

  • Obtain a veterinary referral

  • Prepare the intake questionnaire

  • After the consultation you will receive the Behaviour Modification Plan in report form, with additional supporting materials

  • Receive ongoing support to continue to progress and restore harmony!​​

FAQs

How quickly can you solve the problem? Many dog behaviour issues require careful re-training over time. Sometimes you will see an improvement straight away, just by learning about the whys and hows, but usually it takes a few weeks to months to see a full resolution. There is often some level of ongoing management needed, especially where human safety is an issue. Can you guarantee to solve all my dog’s problems? Unfortunately, there are no guarantees as every situation and every dog is different. The Behaviour Modification Plan will take a significant amount of effort on your part but I will never ask you to do anything you cannot do, whether due to practical reasons or something else, e.g. lack of time. Having worked with many dogs over the years, with all sorts of issues, I can promise you I am in a great position to help you! What’s the difference between a dog trainer and a ‘behaviourist’? Basically, a dog trainer trains dogs to perform certain tasks, such as ‘sit’, ‘retrieve’ or more complicated behaviours, such as how to run an agility course. A behaviourist will take a full history of your dog to work out what is causing a behaviour problem and work with you to understand your dog’s behaviour and modify it as necessary. However, there is a lot of overlap in the real work and it is worth bearing in mind that anyone can call themselves a dog trainer or behaviourist, since these are not protected terms in the UK. My dog has multiple issues or doesn’t quite fit the profile described above That’s no problem! I will take account of everything that concerns you in the behaviour consultation, based on your priorities, as well as safety and welfare. My packages are largely the same in layout, apart from separation-related problems, which tend to require a different approach. You can either book a standard consultation or chat to me first here if you would like some reassurance. Why is a veterinary referral needed? Medical issues, including pain, can affect up to 70% of dog behaviour cases. It is also part of my professional Code of Conduct. It is therefore essential for me to work with the knowledge and support of your vet. Most vets do not charge for this and I can even arrange it for you. Can I claim on my insurance? Sometimes, yes, but it will depend on your policy. Please check your policy wording carefully and check with your insurer directly if it is not obvious what and who they cover. Unfortunately I am unable to offer direct claims at the moment but I am happy to work with your insurer to get your claim paid back to you.

​Case Study​

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Anthony and Jessica contacted me about their dog, Blue, who they described as ‘needy’ and ‘anxious’ in the house, especially if separated from Anthony. Blue would cry if they needed to leave the house and refuse to go into the kitchen, where they would usually leave him. From their reports of his behaviour, Blue was not anxious in other contexts but was very sensitive to where Anthony was in the house, and struggled to be away from him. This was interfering with the owners’ business and making their life pretty difficult. Initially we suspended absences as much as physically possible, so that Blue would not be stressed and could learn to feel secure. Then we trained Blue to settle in a new area in preparation for separation training. This occurred systematically and gradually, starting with Anthony getting up and walking out of the room (as opposed to leaving the house), always ensuring Blue was not stressed so he could learn he is safe if Anthony does leave. Blue’s behaviour (and stress levels!) became much better as we gradually enhanced his independence from Anthony and worked towards him spending time at home alone. Anthony said: “Victoria really helped us to understand our dog’s separation and anxiety problems and worked on a plan to help address those problems. Whilst he is not “100% normal” he is far better than he was, and with the plan and guidance Victoria gave, we know we are in the right direction”.

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