Separation Anxiety · West Palm Beach
Separation Anxiety Dog Training in West Palm Beach
For dogs that panic when they are left alone: barking, chewing at doors, accidents in the house. An honest plan, a published price, and a clear line on what training can and cannot do.
Separation anxiety training in short
Off Leash K9 Training works with separation anxiety through a two-week Separation Anxiety Board & Train at $3,500, the same program and price as our Aggression / Anxiety Board & Train. It starts with an evaluation, your dog boards with one of our trainers for two weeks, and you finish with a two-hour one-on-one session that shows you how to keep it going at home.
What separation anxiety usually looks like
Most dogs that struggle when they are left alone show it in the same few ways, and usually only when nobody is home or right after you leave:
- Noise. Barking, howling or whining that starts as the door closes and keeps going.
- Damage at the exits. Chewing or scratching at doors, door frames, windows or the crate.
- Accidents in a dog that is otherwise house-trained.
- Pacing, panting or drooling, or refusing food while you are out.
- Escape attempts, sometimes hard enough for the dog to hurt itself.
Not every one of these is separation anxiety. A bored young dog chews too, and a dog that barks at every passer-by is reacting to the street, not to your absence. A short phone call is usually enough to tell the difference.
Rule out a medical cause first
If the problem is new, if it includes accidents in the house, or if your dog is older, see your veterinarian before you start any training plan. Some of these signs have medical causes, and a medical problem trained around does not go away. Medication is a decision for your veterinarian, not for a trainer, and in some cases it works best alongside training.
How the board and train helps
An anxious dog does better with a clear job and a clear spot in the house. Over two weeks with one of our trainers, your dog learns the seven commands in our obedience program, including place and extended place, and duration down. Those are the tools for a calm dog at home: a defined place to settle, held for longer and longer, with you out of sight.
The two-hour handover at the end matters as much as the two weeks. You learn how your dog works, how to use the same commands, and how to keep building time alone in small steps, so the progress does not stop when your dog comes home.
Results vary by dog. Major behavioral issues such as dog or human aggression cannot be guaranteed to be eliminated — our programs give you control and a clear plan to manage them.
What you can do starting today
- Keep departures and returns boring. A long goodbye and an excited hello make the moment you leave a bigger event.
- Do not punish what happened while you were out. Your dog cannot connect it to the damage, and it adds stress to the next time you leave.
- Practice short absences you know your dog can handle, rather than long ones it cannot.
- Exercise before you leave. A tired dog settles more easily than a restless one.
Related programs
If your dog also reacts to people or other dogs, see our aggression and reactivity page. If the trouble is mostly at your front door or in your yard, in-home lessons start at $850.
Separation anxiety questions
Can separation anxiety in dogs be trained?
Often it can be reduced a great deal, but it is not something any trainer should promise to cure. A dog that learns a calm, reliable place behavior and builds up time alone in small steps usually copes far better. Severe panic may also need help from your veterinarian.
How much is separation anxiety training in West Palm Beach?
The two-week Separation Anxiety Board and Train is $3,500, the same price as our Aggression and Anxiety Board and Train. It starts with an evaluation, and it ends with a two-hour one-on-one handover session.
Should I see a vet before training for separation anxiety?
Yes, especially if the problem is new or includes accidents in the house. A medical cause should be ruled out first, and only your veterinarian can decide whether medication would help alongside training.
Do you work with separation anxiety outside West Palm Beach?
Yes. Off Leash K9 Training serves Palm Beach County from Lantana north to Tequesta, including Lake Worth Beach, Greenacres, Riviera Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter.