What is separation anxiety?

Separation anxiety is an involuntary panic disorder experienced by some dogs, which usually presents itself through three main behaviours: Vocalisations Toileting Destruction Many dogs will show one or more of these behaviours when experiencing alone time, along with many other stress related behaviours such as pacing, drooling and panting.

Do food toys help with separation anxiety in dogs?

Food toys do not cure separation anxiety Unfortunately, food toys are often ineffective in treatment for separation anxiety cases. Many dogs will not eat when anxious and so may leave the toy untouched until their owner returns. Even if they do use the food toy whilst their owner is gone, there are negative consequences that can come of this: - The dog is only distracted for the time that it is eating the food, and eating the food itself does not mean they are not feeling anxious. As soon as they finish eating, their anxiety will build again. - If you are filming your dog whilst gone, this can give you a false representation of how long they can cope. - The presentation of the food toy can become a negative cue that you are about to leave. In these situations we have essentially conditioned the dog that the toy is a bad thing.

Does exercise help separation anxiety?

Exercise doesn't solve separation anxiety problems. Although exercise is essential for a dog generally, it is not a solution in itself for separation anxiety. An exercised dog is just a tired dog. They will still have the ability to panic, feel anxious and afraid and so will have very little impact during alone time. Exercise is just a small part of the picture in helping to treat a dog with separation anxiety, along with a number or other measures.

Is my dog behaving out of spite?

Your dog is not behaving our of spite. One of the common misconceptions about separation anxiety is that the dog is intentionally exhibiting the behaviours as it is resentful that you have left them. Unlike humans, dogs do not have the cognitive ability to behave out of spite. They are behaving this way because they are panicking.

Does spoiling a dog create separation anxiety?

Spoiling your dog has no impact on whether it will suffer separation anxiety. “Spoiling activities such as allowing the dog on the owners bed or feeding the dog from the table also were not associated with separation anxiety” – Gerrard Flannigan and Nicholas H Dodman 2001. The scientific understanding of separation anxiety is that it is an evolutionary trait in almost all social animals. Like PTSD, OCD, generalised anxiety and phobias, separation anxiety is an involuntary panic disorder, essentially A fear of being alone.

Should I crate my dog if it has separation anxiety?

Crating a dog is not a solution in itself for separation anxiety. Confinement anxiety (fear of being confined in a small space, crate or pen) has been found to be strongly linked to separation anxiety. Although general crate training is great for many reasons and allows a dog to have a safe space when their owners are home, it can be in-effective in helping dogs with separation anxiety behaviours. With separation-related behaviours, crates will only work to contain the dog from destroying items or toileting in the house, and not to treat the anxiety itself. Crating your dog does not stop the panic they are feeling and they may actually feel less anxious being free in the house.

Can separation anxiety be cured?

Separation anxiety will not go away on its own, but it CAN be treated. The best method for treating separation anxiety is a process called Systematic De-sensitisation. This is a specific programme of exposing your dog to micro-separations at a very slow pace, and at a level where they remain relaxed at all times. Their panic level (threshold) is determined on the individual dog's behaviour and body language whilst experiencing alone time. Through separation anxiety training, the dog determines the pace every step of the way.

What do you need to start separation anxiety training?

Separation anxiety training is performed online, therefore all you need is: - Cameras or smartphones - Separation anxiety is best treated remotely with the use of internal cameras, phones or laptops. This enables us to monitor our dog's natural behaviour without the presence of a stranger. - Internet - A good internet speed is essential. - Commitment to training - Owners need to be very committed and patient to deal with separation anxiety. Progress is often measured over months rather than weeks, and regressions are very common.

Where do I start with separation anxiety training?

It is important when starting your separation anxiety training journey that you contact a specialist. CSAT's (Certified separation anxiety Trainers) have had extensive training and understand how to read a dog's body language and identify individual stress signals. I have had the pleasure to train to be a CSAT with Malena DeMartini, and can help you to create a personalised training programme which helps your dog to understand that alone time can be safe.

Pre-Departure Cues in Separation Anxiety: What They Are and How to Manage Them

A pre departure cue is a subtle signal which your dog associates with you leaving the house. These signals can create stress and anxiety before you have even stepped out of the door. As a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT), I focus on desensitising to these cues, to help make departures less stressful for both dogs and humans.

What are pre departure cues?

Pre-departure cues are any actions, sounds, or routines your dog associates with you leaving. Dogs are highly observant and notice patterns we might not even realise we have, things like picking up keys, putting on shoes or even locking the back door. Over time, they learn that these cues predict your absence and can trigger anticipatory anxiety.

Common examples of pre departure cues

Some everyday cues that may cause anxiety include:

Clothes such as shoes or coat
Items such as keys or bag
Work items such as Uniform or lanyard
Baby items such as pushchair or changing bag
Travel items such as a bike or scooter
Physical actions such as locking the back door, closing internal doors, putting on radio
Food items such as a bone, kong, snuffle mat etc (if only provided when leaving the house)
Verbal cues like “I’m leaving” or “Be good”

Every household will have its own pre departure cues. I have even worked with a client whose main pre departure cue was a surfboard!

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How do pre departure cues impact dogs?

When dogs associate these cues with being left alone, they may experience anticipatory stress. Common signs of anxiety include:

Pacing or following you around the house
Whining, barking, or vocalising
Panting, drooling, or trembling
Chewing, scratching, or other destructive behaviour
Attempting to escape

Recognising these behaviours as stress responses is crucial for successful separation anxiety training.

How to reduce the impact of pre departure cues

MYTH

Purely picking up and moving items such as keys, bags, coats and shoes around our house will desensitise our dogs, and mean they no longer associate these items with leaving

TRUTH

Dogs are very in tune to our movements and actions, and therefore know if we are using these items as part of us leaving the house, or simply moving them

To ensure our dogs are correctly desensitised to these items, they need to be introduced to Separation Anxiety training through a slow and systematic process

Final Thoughts

Pre-departure cues are often overlooked, but they play a significant role in separation anxiety. By carefully managing these cues through systematic desensitisation, you can help reduce the anticipatory stress

Separation Anxiety Training

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Written by

Katie Brill – CSAT / PACT-KSA / ABTC-ATI / KAD-AP
Separation Anxiety Specialist, Dog Training Instructor & School Dog Specialist

7th Jan 2026