Separation anxiety (sep-anx) is very common in dogs in mild forms, especially during times of transition:  when the dog or puppy first comes home, if they're staying somewhere away from home, or if you move to a new home, etc.  Sep-anx can be from more than just home, it extends to other human and animal family members with whom the dog has bonded.  Addressing the potential for this from day 1 with your new dog will help tremendously, but the protocol I'm going to outline is for any dog with mild to moderate separation anxiety.

Note:  if your dog is an escape artist, digs out of an outdoor enclosure, destroys crates, and/or eliminates or injures themselves when left alone for any prolonged period of time, this protocol is NOT SUFFICIENT for you.  I highly recommend we do a consult, you start with Malena DeMartini's work, and/or consult with your veterinarian or a qualified veterinary behaviorist about medication.

The main issue is a lack of object permanence, which is a core understanding that even though the dog cannot sense the presence of someone or something, that thing still exists.  For dogs, if they can no longer see, smell, taste, touch, or hear you, you have disappeared from the face of the earth forever.  This leads to all sorts of common behavior problems, such as over-exuberance when you return home, excitement  urination when greeting people, and of course, separation anxiety.  The most important thing is to teach the dog that what they value comes back.  In order to do this, we must practice leaving and returning so many times, the dogs lose interest and can begin to trust we'll return.  This is when repetition, not duration, is most important.

All of my dogs, when they first come home, experience me leaving the house for no particular reason every 15 - 30 minutes, depending on the severity of their sep-anx.  I walk out the door and close it, then immediately return.  I repeat this whenever I'm home until the dog has no reaction to me leaving or returning.  It's boring and part of the norm.  I can add duration for while I'm outside, such as counting to 10 or walking farther away, or stretch out the time for the interval to an hour or more.  The more frequent, the more normal -- the less frequent, the more exciting.  I would also do a lot of dummy leaves where I got ready to leave, but didn't leave.  Dogs catch on to patterns very quickly, and putting on shoes, getting keys, putting on a coat, and grabbing a bag are tell-tale signs that you're leaving.  This is my go-to starting point for all my mild sep-anx cases.

Of course, we want to keep the dog safe when we do have to be away for a long period of time.  I highly recommend confinement in a crate that is sturdy (solid metal or plastic with air holes is usually most resistant to escaping/avoids self-injury).  You can do Susan Garrett's crate games to get them to willingly participate in crating, as well as feed them all their meals in their crate.  I made the crate the starting point for all play interactions as well, both inside and outside (from the car).  I also practiced a lot of going in and out when I didn't need to leave them in their crate for very long, adding it to part of my dummy leave routine.

If a crate is not what you prefer, a bathroom or laundry room, ex-pen, or another small space may be a viable alternative.  However, it is likely that the dog will chew, paw at, and scratch near the door.  If so, be prepared to repair your home, and please do not get mad at your dog for doing it.  Ensure the room is escape-proof, do not leave windows open where the dog could launch through a screen and venture out trying to find you.

Some dogs do very well having another canine or feline companion.  If your dog is your only pet and they have mild to moderate separation anxiety, consider getting them a friend if they have a high social drive.  For many dogs, however, they have no need for a companion other than their human family, or they simply are too intensely codependent on their people, and another dog or cat will not suffice to soothe their sep-anx.

While you're away, give your dog something to enjoy that will take the sting out of your absence and departure.  A frozen Kong, bully stick, or marrow bone can be a wonderful chew to soothe their anxiety.  There are even multiple Kong recipes to try for variety.

When you do return home from being away for an extended period, it is likely your dog will be tremendously relieved that you've arrived and will be jumping out of their skin to see you.  For many of us, this greeting is part of the reason we got a dog; however, I urge you not to reward this state of mind with affection and reassurance.  You will be reinforcing how valuable your return is, and contributing to their sep-anx.  Please be "boring" when you return until your dog calms down.  This allows them to come back into their mind and body in a healthy way.  Once calm, or at least calmer, then you can resume your normal greeting routine.  Once the sep-anx is resolved, you do not need to continue this part of the treatment.

Some dogs have severe separation anxiety that cannot be helped with the above outlin alone.  When to draw the line:

• Your dog does significant damage to your home in under 1 hour or on a regular basis.
• Your dog has injured themselves trying to escape their crate.
• Your dog has mangled a crate and/or escaped it.
• Your dog cries constantly, unable to rest for hours in your absence.
  
• Your dog is inconsolable with chew toys, doesn't touch them when you're gone but devours them when you return.
• Seems to have other physical illnesses related to stress (pancreatitis, upset stomach, excessive skin irritations from allergies, etc.).

If your dog falls into this category from any of the above examples, it is time to seek further help than what is recommended here.  As mentioned, I will do a consult with you or you can seek a veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist, or someone who has been certified by Malena DeMartini.  There are other professionals who may be well-qualified who aren't any of these things, such as myself, but it is hard for me to recommend them.

If you have any tips I haven't mentioned or wish to get more specific, please comment below!

Congratulations!  You're about to welcome a new puppy into your household.  I'm so excited for you, I wanted to write a post about my common recommendations for new puppy owners.

If your puppy came from a breeder or a foster home, they likely already have a head-start on socialization, separation anxiety, crate training, and house training.  If your puppy is from a shelter kennel, then you'll have to be extra diligent to avoid accidents and destruction in the house, as well as ramp up your socialization efforts with items they couldn't be exposed to in a shelter environment.  Whether you did or didn't rescue isn't the point -- I don't judge!  This is just information you need to set yourself and your new puppy up for success.

First off, your new puppy is disoriented being in their new home.  Please be patient, and the first order of business is to teach your puppy their name and come so that they will come back to you if they get away for any reason.  After that, house proof your home.  Remove excessive hazards from puppy reach:  cables, laundry, remotes, shoes, decor that is purely decorative, etc.  This protects your home, belongings, and the puppy!  If you are unable to remove or hide cables, consider blocking off that area of your home so your puppy doesn't electrocute themselves chewing on what looks like a fun chew stick that turns out to be extra chewy and bendy.  Oh so satisfying!  Decide if you want your puppy to be allowed on the furniture, and stick to it unanimously throughout the household.  All my dogs are allowed on my furniture, and all my dogs sleep with me if they want to.

Next, house training.  My regimen looks something like this:

• Go out very first thing in the morning to their designated potty area or on a walk.  Wait until they pee and poop, then offer them an extra scrumptious treat, like string cheese or a tiny piece of hot dog.  Be sure you reward after every elimination for the first 2 weeks at least, longer if they're having trouble catching on.
• Go out every hour, on the hour, when someone is home.  Make a habit of offering your puppy the opportunity on a regular basis to eliminate outside.  Just like toddlers, they may not think of it on their own until it's too late.  As your puppy matures, they may not have to go every time, and that's ok.  Wait about 5 minutes just to be sure.  When they aren't going every hour, you can stretch it out to every 2 or 3 hours.  The general rule of thumb is that a puppy can hold it 1 hour for every month they're alive, + 1 hour when active during the day.  Overnight is longer, because their body is in rest mode and all their systems slow down.  I often receive reports of 8-week-old puppies lasting 5-8 hours their first night home!  Set an alarm to take your puppy out after about 4 hours overnight if you won't hear them crying to be let out.
• Go out after anything that may trigger their digestion or bladder:  eating a meal, getting a drink of water, playing, training, napping, etc.  Also go out just before you leave the house for any length of time or to go to bed for the night.
• If your puppy cannot be actively supervised by someone while they're home, be sure to tether the puppy to someone responsible enough to notice the puppy's signals if they need to go out.  Those may include:  pacing, whining, circling, sniffing, trying to get to the door that leads outside, scratching at a door, etc.
• If no one can tether the puppy to them (for example, when cooking dinner and the puppy will be in the way) or if no one is home, confine the puppy to a small area.  The area may need to start as a small crate, only big enough to let the puppy stand up, turn around, and lie down to avoid accidents at first.  They can graduate to bigger and bigger areas as they are successful not having accidents.  If no one is available to walk the puppy after 2-3 hours, it is alright to leave a potty pad in their enclosure, but this is NOT ideal.  I only recommend potty pads for very young puppies when they first come home.  Otherwise, a crate-trained puppy can hold it 4 hours in your absence, because they will be sleeping. 
• Note:  I do not recommend leaving a puppy or a dog for longer than 4-6 hours without an opportunity to relieve themselves.  Daycare or a dog walker is an option for professionals who simply don't have the ability to walk while they're at work for 8-9 hours.  Please allow a budget for this if you fall into this category before getting a dog or puppy.  Yes, dogs can hold it the whole time, but they are very bored and it does put a strain on their system.
• I never recommend having an indoor potty area for an older puppy or adult dog.  It confuses the dog that inside could ever be a toilet and it's best to just avoid it altogether.  Yes, many dogs do well being "litter trained," but that's not the point of a dog's lifestyle.  They need to get out, sniff, patrol, explore, walk and travel with their family.  That's what dogs do.
• You can start to allow your puppy more freedom and a larger confinement space as they are successfully choosing to go outside and not having accidents.  There will likely be setbacks, and that's normal!  Go back a step and try again in a week or so.  All my dogs free-roam my house while I'm at home and away without issue.

Once house training is squared away, it's time to plan some activities to fulfill your puppy's drives!  Many dogs and puppies are food motivated, so scent games where they have to find a treat in a box and use their nose to tell where the box is and which box has a treat is a must.  After that, is your dog a terrier?  They'll love to chase a toy, catch it, and "kill" it!  If your dog is a retriever, fetch is the obvious game.  If your dog is a sighthound, have them practice stay, walk away as far as you're able, then have them launch to chase a flirt pole.  If your dog is a scenthound, the above nose work game is a good start, but tracking a trail (hot dog juice?) outside in the yard would be way more fun, especially if they found a prize at the end!  If your dog is a herder, I find a flirt pole and/or the sport of treibball are excellent substitutes for sheep or cattle in urban environments.  If your dog is a brainiac in need of constant stimulation, trick training can be a wonderful outlet.  If your dog loves the water, consider getting them a kiddie pool if you don't have a full-size pool for them to use.  If your dog loves to dig, build or purchase them their very own sandbox to save your yard and give them an outlet for that drive.  Never consider a "naughty" behavior something "bad" about your dog, it's just a drive waiting to be given an appropriate purpose!

If you're having any trouble with your new dog or puppy, I'd be happy to do what I can to help!  Some things I can answer with a quick email, other things we'll need to schedule a consultation for.  I do remote consults via Skype for those out of my service area.

Separation anxiety will be addressed in a separate post soon.  I'll link it here when I've written it.  Stay tuned!

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I wanted to explain, briefly, what each tool in the dog training toolkit is used for.  I'm going to start with the tools I use and recommend, and then move on to the ones I don't.  However, I'm not going to start a debate, or vilify other trainers who do use them.

Tools I use and recommend:

1. Standard buckle or tag collar.  This collar is not intended to be for training or walking purposes.  It is purely decorative.  Walking a dog with leash attached to the tag collar can cause major tracheal damage should the dog lunge after something or pull for an extended period of time, and is not recommended.
2. Martingale collar.  The wider, the kinder.  This collar, when fitted properly, is inescapable.  So for dogs with an impressive display of flips, turns, and bucks to escape or back out of their normal gear, this is an excellent tool.  Contrary to what I've heard from some other trainers, martingale collars do not help with leash pulling.  They were designed for sighthounds, whose extremely narrow heads allow normal collars to come off, even without trying to slip them.  I use them in conjunction with front-clip harnesses, like the Balance Harness, as well as head collars, like the one by Dogs My Love.
3. Harness.  There are several types, and I wanted to describe the ones I don't recommend first.  There's step-in ones that buckle on the back -- which is great for head shy dogs.  However, I find the buckle digs into the spine if the dog pulls forward or lags behind.  Then there's types that have a strap that goes straight across the chest and shoulders, such as the Easy Walk, ComfortFlex, and Freedom harnesses.  These harnesses seriously impede movement and affect the natural gait of the dog.  There are harnesses designed for pulling sleds and weight pull sports, but aren't used for dogs on leashed walks.  There are various types of padded harnesses intended for maximum comfort on hikes -- which I do recommend.  My personal favorite is Ruffwear's Front-Range harness, which also has a tab in the front for leash attachment to inhibit mild pulling.  I highly recommend this harness in conjunction with my K9 Lunging Method for teaching leash walking, as well as freedom of movement for hiking or doing parkour.
4. Head collars.  This is a management tool only, to inhibit extreme pullers when there isn't time for training.  That, or the dog will be in an environment beyond their current level of training.  I don't prefer the ones with narrow bands, like Gentle Leader and Halti, due to the numerous scars left on dogs who pull on them for extended periods.  I like the one you can order on Amazon by Dogs My Love.  These are collars that are based on negative reinforcement, so there should NEVER be constant pressure on the device.  Give and take.

Now I wanted to get into the tools that I have used before, and don't recommend:

1. Slip or choke collar.  This collar, when used correctly, is based on negative reinforcement.  The tighter the collar becomes, the more aware the dog becomes, and so the dog yields to the pressure.  The looser the collar is, the more rewarding to the dog, so the dog learns not to pull.  However, it is very easy to misuse this collar, leading to tracheal damage, cutting off the airway, and in extreme cases, choking and suffocation until unconscious.
2. Prong or pinch collar.  This collar was designed to create even pressure points all around the neck, and avoids tracheal damage from slip, martingale, and buckle collars.  It looks like a medieval torture device, but isn't when used correctly.  I don't recommend using it to inhibit reactivity.  The fallout of doing it incorrectly is highly likely.  I have seen it used successfully on leash pulling and loss of focus.  However, it is very easy to over-correct, and leaving it on too long or having it poorly fitted can lead to collar sores.  The dogs become collar wise, and are no longer as well-trained when the prong collar is off.
3. Electronic (e), shock, or stim collar.  Sends various intensities of electric stimulation to the skin.  Also has beeping and vibration functions.  I've seen the vibration function used successfully with some deaf dogs.  I have seen plenty of seemingly comfortable dogs with e-collars.  However, I've seen the beeps make dogs paranoid about microwave timers, smoke alarms, and cell phone notifications.  I've seen dogs yelp from a stim turned up too high.  I've seen burn marks from a cheap shock collar.  I've seen dogs become wise to the collar, and fail to respond when not wearing it.  In desperation, I was convinced to try this collar on a dog of mine.  With proper guidance, I would say it did help where nothing else did as far as her ability to focus around high distractions.  However, it was not the cure-all that was promised.  I've since learned techniques that would allow me to never need it again on a physically healthy dog.  I do believe they may have their place for some deaf dogs.

In short, all tools are bandaids, and don't replace proper training.  Focus on doing the work, not on what tool is used.  Watch the behavior of the dog:  is the dog happy, eager to work with this person, and performing well?  Is the owner pleased with the dog's wellbeing and training?  Then I have no complaints.  However, I feel it is my duty to introduce methods and tools that are less aversive, and still accomplish the training goals for the dog efficiently and effectively.