Table of Contents
My name is Alex, and for the last decade, I’ve been a professional dog behavior specialist.
But my journey didn’t start in a classroom or with a certificate.
It started with a shredded couch and a broken heart.
It started with Buster.
Buster was my dog, my companion, and my greatest teacher.
He was also a dog consumed by a terror I couldn’t understand.
I remember the day I came home after just one hour away.
I had followed all the rules—weeks of “desensitization,” a “dog-proofed” room, a special toy filled with his favorite treats.
What I found was a scene of pure panic.
The cushions of my new couch were eviscerated, foam blanketing the floor like a bizarre snowstorm.
But the couch wasn’t what broke my heart.
It was Buster.
He was trembling in a corner, panting so hard his whole body shook, his eyes wide with a fear so profound it felt like I had abandoned him to a monster.
In that moment, I felt like a complete failure.
I was doing everything the experts told me to do, but I wasn’t just failing to fix the problem; I was making it worse.
This is the story of how I threw out the old rulebook and found a new way forward—not in the world of dog training, but in the science of human psychology.
It’s a path that didn’t just teach Buster to be calm when I left; it transformed our entire relationship.
If you’re living with the daily heartbreak of a dog’s separation anxiety, feeling that same guilt and desperation, know this: the problem isn’t your dog, and it isn’t you.
It’s the framework.
And we’re about to build a new one.
In a Nutshell: The Paradigm Shift That Changes Everything
For years, we’ve been taught to view separation anxiety through a narrow lens, leading to a frustrating cycle of failure for countless owners.
Here’s the essential shift in thinking that makes all the difference:
- The Old, Flawed Paradigm: Separation anxiety is an obedience problem. The goal is to manage or suppress the symptoms—the barking, chewing, and house soiling.1 The tools are containment (crates), discipline (punishment or “crying it out”), and distraction (food toys). This approach focuses entirely on stopping the unwanted behavior.
- The New, Effective Paradigm: Separation anxiety is an emotional crisis. It is a genuine phobia of being alone, rooted in a dog’s deep-seated fear of abandonment. The behaviors are not acts of defiance; they are outward expressions of inner panic. The goal, therefore, is not to manage the panic, but to eliminate it by building a foundation of secure attachment. This shifts the focus from behavior modification to bond strengthening. We don’t just want to stop the panic; we want to make our dogs feel so fundamentally safe that the panic never starts.
Part 1: The Vicious Cycle: Why Standard Separation Anxiety Advice Fails
Before we can build a new foundation, we have to understand why the old one is so unstable.
If you’ve tried the conventional methods and failed, it’s because they are fundamentally mismatched to the problem.
They are tactical fixes for what is actually a deep-seated emotional issue.
The Crate as a Cage, Not a Comfort
My first line of defense with Buster was a crate.
I spent weeks making it a “happy place” with treats and praise, just like the books said.
He seemed fine in it as long as I was home.
But the moment I left, that “den” became a prison.
For a dog experiencing a true phobia of being left alone, a crate is not a sanctuary; it is a trap.3
Their panic is not about being in a box; it’s about you being gone.
The crate simply adds a second, more immediate barrier to getting to you, which can dramatically amplify their distress.4
This is why so many dogs with separation anxiety will injure themselves, breaking teeth and claws trying to chew or dig their way out of even the most heavy-duty crates.3
It’s also crucial to distinguish between true separation anxiety and what’s known as confinement anxiety.6
Some dogs are perfectly fine when left alone with free roam of a room but panic only when crated.
For a dog with separation anxiety, however, the fear is of isolation itself, and the crate only makes that isolation more terrifying.
The “Cry It Out” Fallacy and the Neuroscience of Trauma
Perhaps the most damaging piece of advice is to let a dog “cry it O.T.” The logic seems to be that the dog will eventually “get over it.” This could not be further from the truth.
In behavioral science, this method is called “flooding,” and for a phobic individual, it does not build resilience; it induces a state of “learned helplessness,” where the animal essentially gives up because they learn their cries for help will go unanswered.1
The neuroscience is clear: every time your dog panics, their brain is flooded with stress hormones like cortisol, which can take days to return to normal levels.1
Each episode reinforces and strengthens the neural pathway in their brain that screams, “Being alone is dangerous!” As neuroscientists say, “what fires together, wires together”.7
By letting your dog “cry it out,” you are actively cementing their fear, not curing it.
You are teaching them that being alone is, in fact, a terrifying and hopeless experience.
The Distraction Delusion: Why a KONG Isn’t a Cure
The most common and seemingly benign advice is to leave your dog with a high-value food puzzle, like a stuffed KONG toy.1
For a dog suffering from simple boredom, this is an excellent strategy.
For a dog in a state of true panic, it is largely useless.
When a dog’s sympathetic nervous system is activated by intense fear—the “fight or flight” response—non-essential systems like digestion shut down.
A dog who is truly panicking is physically incapable of being interested in food, which is why so many owners return home to find that lovingly prepared, frozen KONG sitting untouched on the floor.1
Trying to fix a panic disorder with a snack is like trying to fix a broken leg with a band-aid.
The common thread linking these failures is that they all treat the symptom, not the cause.
They try to manage the fallout of the panic instead of addressing the panic itself.
This is why they fail, and why they leave owners feeling so helpless.
Part 2: The Lightbulb Moment: A Lesson from Human Psychology
At my lowest point with Buster, I stepped away from the dog training world entirely.
In a moment of desperation, I found myself in a university library, digging through texts on human developmental psychology.
It was there I discovered the work of British psychoanalyst John Bowlby and his groundbreaking “attachment theory”.9
And everything changed.
The epiphany came to me as a simple, powerful analogy: I had been trying to train a disobedient soldier, demanding compliance and control.
I needed to be nurturing a scared child, providing safety and security.
This reframed the entire problem.
Separation anxiety wasn’t an act of disobedience to be controlled; it was an emotional cry from a being who felt unsafe.
Bowlby’s theory, developed by observing the profound distress infants experience when separated from their caregivers, gave me a new language to understand Buster’s terror.9
Here are the core principles, translated for those of us who love dogs:
- Attachment is a Biological Need: Bowlby argued that attachment isn’t just about love or affection; it’s a hardwired, evolutionary survival mechanism.10 For a helpless infant—or a puppy—staying close to a caregiver means protection, food, and safety. Being separated means danger. This drive for proximity is instinctual.
- The “Secure Base” and “Safe Haven”: A caregiver serves two critical functions. They are a “Safe Haven” an individual can return to for comfort and reassurance when they are scared or threatened. They are also a “Secure Base” from which that individual feels confident enough to go out and explore the world.9 A dog with separation anxiety has a functional “Safe Haven”—they find comfort in your presence—but they lack the internalized sense of security to see you as a “Secure Base” that remains solid even in your absence.
- The Goal is “Felt Security”: The ultimate aim of a healthy attachment bond is to create a state of “felt security”—an individual’s deep, internal feeling that they are safe, understood, and supported.11 When this feeling is present, the need to constantly seek proximity fades, and the confidence to be independent grows.
Remarkably, researchers have found that the dog-human bond mirrors this dynamic precisely.
Dogs display all four key features of attachment seen in human child-caregiver relationships, including seeking proximity, showing distress on separation, and using the owner as both a “Safe Haven” and “Secure Base”.12
This wasn’t just a fluffy analogy; it was a scientifically supported framework for solving Buster’s problem.
I didn’t need a better training technique; I needed to become a better “Secure Base.”
Part 3: The Secure Attachment Blueprint: Becoming Your Dog’s Safe Harbor
Adopting this new paradigm requires us to unlearn some of the most common myths about our relationships with our dogs.
The path to a calm, independent dog is paved with security, predictability, and trust.
Pillar I: The Myth of the “Velcro Dog” – From Hyper-Attached to Insecurely Attached
One of the most frequent complaints I hear from owners of dogs with separation anxiety is that their dog is “too attached,” a “Velcro dog” that has been spoiled or coddled.
This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the dog’s emotional state.
Research has consistently shown that dogs with separation-related disorders are not “hyper-attached”; they are insecurely attached.13
Think of it this way: a securely attached child playing at a park will run off to explore, but will periodically look back or run back to touch base with their parent.
They have the confidence to be independent because they trust their caregiver is a reliable anchor.
An insecurely attached child, however, might cling to their parent’s leg, too afraid to venture out because they are uncertain about the stability of that connection.17
Your dog’s “clinginess” is not a sign of a bond that is too strong; it’s a sign of a bond they perceive as fragile.
They follow you from room to room not because they’re spoiled, but because they are terrified of the connection being severed.
Pillar II: The Power of Predictability – Becoming a Human Thermostat
Dogs are creatures of habit who thrive on predictability.
When their world is chaotic and unpredictable, their baseline level of anxiety rises, making them more vulnerable to major stressors like being left alone.18
By establishing consistent, predictable routines for feeding, walks, playtime, and rest, you lower their ambient stress and build a sense of stability.
They learn what to expect and when, which fosters a feeling of safety.
Just as important is your own emotional predictability.
Dogs are masters of social observation and are exquisitely tuned to our emotional state.13
If you are stressed, anxious, or flustered, especially around departures and arrivals, your dog will mirror that anxiety.
The goal is to become a human thermostat for your home’s emotional climate.
By consciously remaining calm, low-key, and emotionally neutral when you leave and come back, you signal to your dog that these events are not a big deal.13
Your calm becomes their calm.
Pillar III: The Confident Explorer – How Security Fosters Independence
Herein lies the beautiful paradox of attachment: the way to foster independence is not by forcing separation, but by building a bond so secure that the dog no longer feels the desperate need to cling.
The very “Secure Base” that allows a dog to feel safe with you is what gives them the confidence to feel safe without you.9
When a dog internalizes the trust that you are a reliable, responsive, and predictable source of safety, that feeling doesn’t vanish when you walk out the door.
It becomes a part of them.
They carry that sense of security with them, allowing them to relax and rest in your absence instead of panicking.
Our goal is to fill their emotional cup so full of security that they have plenty in reserve for when they are alone.
To help you identify where your dog falls on this spectrum, the table below translates the concepts of secure and insecure attachment into concrete, observable behaviors.
| Scenario | Insecurely Attached Dog’s Response | Securely Attached Dog’s Response |
| Owner’s Departure Cues | Exhibits signs of panic such as panting, trembling, excessive drooling, or following the owner and blocking the door.1 | Remains calm. May watch the owner prepare to leave but can settle down quickly without distress.13 |
| Owner’s Return | Engages in a frantic, overly-excited greeting that is prolonged and takes a long time to calm down from.1 | Shows a happy but low-key greeting. Is pleased to see the owner but is able to settle back into a calm state easily.13 |
| Exploring a New Park | Stays glued to the owner’s side, is hesitant to explore new areas, and constantly looks back with a worried expression. | Explores the environment independently but periodically “checks in” by looking back at the owner or returning briefly before venturing out again.13 |
| Reacting to a Loud Noise | Panics, barks uncontrollably, may try to flee or hide. The dog is hypervigilant and reacts without looking to the owner for guidance.13 | Is startled by the noise but immediately looks to the owner for cues (a behavior called “social referencing”). Calms down if the owner is calm.11 |
| Settling at Home | Is unable to settle or relax unless in direct physical contact with the owner. Follows the owner from room to room relentlessly.5 | Can relax comfortably in their own bed or in a different part of the room, showing comfort with physical distance.18 |
Part 4: The Secure Alone Time Protocol: A Step-by-Step Guide to Lasting Calm
This protocol translates the theory of secure attachment into practical, actionable steps.
It is a gradual process built on trust, not timelines.
The golden rule is to always work sub-threshold—meaning at a level that does not trigger your dog’s anxiety.
Phase 1: Fortifying the Foundation (Building Security While You’re Home)
Before you can even think about leaving, you must strengthen the feeling of security at home.
This phase is all about building your dog’s confidence and reinforcing your bond in a zero-pressure environment.
- Positive Reinforcement Training: Dedicate 5-10 minutes a few times a day to fun, positive training sessions. Working on simple cues like “sit,” “down,” or fun tricks builds clear communication, boosts your dog’s confidence, and reinforces your role as a predictable and positive leader.21
- Learn to Speak “Dog”: Become a student of your dog’s body language. Understanding their subtle cues of stress (lip licking, yawning, turning away) allows you to respond more sensitively to their needs, which is a cornerstone of building a secure attachment.19
- Structured Play and Enrichment: Daily interactive play like tug-of-war or fetch strengthens your bond. Crucially, provide daily enrichment that allows your dog to engage in natural behaviors. This includes chewing on appropriate items, sniffing games (scent work), and foraging for food in puzzle toys or snuffle mats. These activities are mentally tiring and act as natural stress-reducers, lowering their overall anxiety.18
Phase 2: Cultivating Confident Independence (Games for Gentle Separation)
The goal of this phase is to teach your dog that being independent and choosing to be separate from you is a safe, and even rewarding, experience.
These games are all played while you are still at home.
- The “Flitting Game”: Start by simply “flitting” between two adjacent rooms for a few minutes, ignoring your dog as you go. Initially, they will follow you. Over several sessions, they will learn it’s tedious and unrewarding to follow you on every trip and may start to stay put. Once this happens, you can occasionally place a very high-value, stationary chew (like a bully stick or frozen KONG) in the “home” room. Now, when you flit to the other room, your dog is rewarded for choosing to stay behind. This gently teaches them that separation can be their choice and can lead to good things.24
- Scent Work and Foraging: Sniffing is an inherently calming activity for dogs that lowers their heart rate.25 Instead of feeding your dog from a bowl, scatter their kibble in the grass or in a “snuffle mat” on the floor. This encourages them to use their powerful nose and naturally move away from you to find their reward, building confidence with every piece they find.23
- The “Relaxation Station” Protocol: Designate a comfy bed or mat in a quiet area as your dog’s official relaxation spot. Use positive reinforcement to reward your dog for simply going to their mat and relaxing. Start by dropping treats on the mat, and gradually build up to them lying down calmly for longer periods. This is not a “stay” command enforced with pressure; it is a place they learn to associate with calm and self-soothing.18
Phase 3: Rewriting the Goodbye Story (Sub-Threshold Departures)
This is where we directly address the fear of being left alone, using a process of systematic desensitization.
The only way this works is by going so slowly that your dog never experiences panic.
You must use a camera (a laptop, old smartphone, or a dedicated pet camera will work) to monitor your dog’s body language for any signs of stress.
- Desensitize Departure Cues: Your dog’s anxiety often starts long before you leave, triggered by cues like putting on shoes, picking up keys, or grabbing a coat. You must break these associations. Several times a day, pick up your keys and then sit down on the couch. Put on your coat and then go make a cup of tea. Repeat these actions until they no longer predict your departure and your dog ceases to react to them.8
- The Sub-Threshold Training Game: Start at the door. Ask your dog to stay while you simply touch the doorknob, then immediately return and reward them. Slowly, over many sessions, build up the steps: turn the knob, open the door an inch, step halfway out, step all the way out with the door open. Each step is an opportunity for success. Finally, you will close the door for just one second before re-entering. If at any point you see stress on the camera, you have gone too far. End the session and go back to the last successful step next time.28 The duration is increased by seconds, not minutes. This process is slow, but it rewires the brain to associate your departure with calm and an immediate, predictable return.
One of the most liberating findings from research is that the success of this protocol is not about perfect, rigid consistency.
A study showed that even when owners applied the desensitization process “haphazardly,” it was still successful as long as the dog was kept below its panic threshold.29
The goal is not to stick to a perfect schedule; the goal is to listen to your dog and ensure they always feel safe.
Part 5: Your Support Toolkit: When and How to Get More Help
This journey can be challenging, and it’s vital to set yourself and your dog up for success with the right support systems.
The Non-Negotiable Rule of Management
During this training process, it is absolutely critical that you manage your dog’s life so they are never left alone for longer than they can comfortably handle. Every time your dog is pushed over their threshold into a state of panic, it undoes your hard work and reinforces their fear.7
This is the most important, and often the most difficult, part of the plan.
It may require arranging for doggy daycare, hiring a pet sitter, or enlisting the help of friends, family, and neighbors.1
Suspending absences is a temporary sacrifice for a lifetime of peace for your dog.
The Human Factor: Your Anxiety Matters
This can be a difficult topic, but it’s an important one.
A growing body of research is finding a correlation between an owner’s own attachment style and their dog’s likelihood of developing separation-related issues.16
Owners who themselves tend toward anxious attachment may inadvertently reward clingy behaviors, while owners with more avoidant styles may be less sensitive or responsive to their dog’s needs, leading to insecurity.16
This is not about blame.
It is about awareness.
Recognizing our own patterns can empower us to be more conscious in our interactions and become the calm, steady leader our dog needs.
Adjunctive Therapies: A Bridge, Not a Cure
Certain products can help lower your dog’s baseline anxiety, making them more receptive to training.
These are not standalone solutions but can serve as a helpful bridge.
They include:
- Pheromones: Products like Adaptil® release a synthetic version of the dog-appeasing pheromone that a mother dog emits to calm her puppies.32
- Calming Supplements: Over-the-counter supplements containing ingredients like L-theanine or tryptophan can help promote relaxation.32
- Prescription Medication: In moderate to severe cases, a veterinarian may prescribe anti-anxiety medications like fluoxetine or trazodone. These medications can lower a dog’s panic response enough for the behavior modification protocol to be effective.2
Calling in the Pros: Your Expert Team
You do not have to do this alone.
If you are struggling or your dog’s anxiety is severe, seeking professional help is a sign of strength.
- Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT): These trainers are specialists who have undergone extensive training specifically in treating separation anxiety, typically using the remote, video-based methods described here.33
- Veterinary Behaviorist (DACVB): A board-certified veterinary behaviorist is a veterinarian who has specialized in animal behavior. They are the best resource for complex cases, especially when medication may be part of the treatment plan.1
Conclusion: The Quiet House and the Peaceful Heart
I’ll never forget the first time I came home and checked the camera footage to see Buster—not pacing, not whining, but curled up on his bed, fast asleep.
He lifted his head when I came in, gave a lazy tail wag, and then rested his head back down.
There was no frantic greeting, no desperate need for reassurance.
Just peace.
He was secure.
That quiet moment was the culmination of our journey.
It wasn’t a victory of training in the traditional sense; it was a triumph of trust.
By shifting my perspective from one of control to one of connection, I was able to give him the one thing he truly needed: the unwavering belief that he was safe.
This process is about more than just getting your dog to stop destroying your furniture.
It is a profound opportunity to deepen your understanding of the animal you share your life with, to learn their language, and to build an unbreakable bond of security.
The reward is not just a quiet house when you leave, but the immense, soul-deep peace that comes from knowing your beloved companion feels safe, cherished, and whole—even when they are on their own.
Works cited
- Separation Anxiety in Dogs | RSPCA – RSPCA – rspca.org.uk, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/behaviour/separationrelatedbehaviour
- Calm a dog with separation anxiety symptoms – Humane World for Animals, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/calm-dog-separation-anxiety-symptoms
- A Dog Crate for Separation Anxiety May Not Be a Good Idea, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.khriserickson.com/post/dog-crate-for-separation-anxiety
- Why Using a Crate for Dogs with Separation Anxiety is Often Counterproductive, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.homealonecanine.com/post/understanding-the-dilemma-why-using-a-crate-for-dogs-with-separation-anxiety-is-counterproductive
- Separation Anxiety versus Crate Training: How to Prevent Separation Anxiety – Beyond the Dog Training, accessed August 11, 2025, https://beyondthedogtraining.com/houston-puppy-training/separation-anxiety-versus-crate-training-how-to-prevent-separation-anxiety/
- Separation Anxiety, Confinement Anxiety Or Incomplete Crate Training? – A Canine Affinity, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.acanineaffinity.com/blog/wzsyt3unxybz217q6foad9dpddbx14
- Why Your Separation Anxiety (Desensitization) Training Isn’t Working (and How to Fix It!), accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.mywoofwisdom.com/post/why-your-separation-anxiety-desensitization-training-isn-t-working-and-how-to-fix-it
- Separation Anxiety in Dogs – Animal Welfare League NSW, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.awlnsw.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Separation-Anxiety-in-Dogs.pdf
- Attachment theory – Wikipedia, accessed August 11, 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_theory
- Attachment Theory: Bowlby and Ainsworth’s Theory Explained – Verywell Mind, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-attachment-theory-2795337
- Attachment Theory In Psychology Explained – Simply Psychology, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.simplypsychology.org/attachment.html
- Current perspectives on attachment and bonding in the dog–human dyad – PMC, accessed August 11, 2025, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4348122/
- How attachment theory can help us better understand our dogs with Beverly Lassiter, accessed August 11, 2025, https://thepawpost.co.uk/health/attachment-theory-dogs-beverly-lassiter/
- Relationship between attachment to owners and separation anxiety in pet dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) – Inner Circle, accessed August 11, 2025, https://swinnercircle.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Research-article-Relationship-between-attachment-to-owners-and-separation-anxiety-in-pet-dogs-Parthasarathy-2006-copy.pdf
- ATTACHMENT STYLE AND SOCIAL FEAR IN DOGS FROM COMMERCIAL BREEDING KENNELS – Purdue University Graduate School, accessed August 11, 2025, https://hammer.purdue.edu/ndownloader/files/41684319
- Influence of Owners’ Attachment Style and Personality on Their Dogs’ (Canis familiaris) Separation-Related Disorder – Semantic Scholar, accessed August 11, 2025, https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3d12/51b6d2f8bd009bd0fce61d3696bf1dcd41ba.pdf
- Secure Vs. Insecure Attachment – Naomi Community, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.naomicommunity.org/blog/secure-vs-insecure-attachment
- Separation Anxiety in Dogs | VCA Animal Hospitals, accessed August 11, 2025, https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/separation-anxiety-in-dogs
- How to make your dog genuinely love you and be willing to do anything for you. – Reddit, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/reactivedogs/comments/1921dkc/how_to_make_your_dog_genuinely_love_you_and_be/
- Understanding and Overcoming Attachment Nervousness in Dogs: A Guide for Pet Parents, accessed August 11, 2025, https://dogsconnect.net.au/understanding-and-overcoming-attachment-nervousness-in-dogs-a-guide-for-pet-parents/
- fearfreepets.com, accessed August 11, 2025, https://fearfreepets.com/helping-dogs-with-separation-anxiety/#:~:text=Positive%20reinforcement%20and%20clicker%20training,signs%20of%20stress%20and%20anxiety.
- Separation Anxiety Dog Training: Teaching Independence & Confidence – Holistapet, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.holistapet.com/blogs/dog-care/separation-anxiety-dog-training
- Enrichment Activities For The Anxious Dog | Hanging with Hounds, accessed August 11, 2025, https://hangingwithhounds.ca/enrichment-activities-for-the-anxious-dog/
- Help Prevent Separation Anxiety Related Problems with The Flitting Game – Pet Professional Guild, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/pet-owners/pets-and-their-people/pets-and-their-people-blog/help-prevent-separation-anxiety-related-problems-with-the-flitting-game/
- What are the best games to play with my anxious dog? – Petcademy, accessed August 11, 2025, https://petcademy.org/blog/dog-training/anxiety/best-games-for-anxious-dogs/
- Enrichment Activities for Dogs with Separation Anxiety – Pet Harmony, accessed August 11, 2025, https://petharmonytraining.com/enrichment-activities-for-dogs-with-separation-anxiety/
- Separation Anxiety – HSHV, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.hshv.org/separation-anxiety/
- Alone Time Training Game – San Francisco SPCA, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.sfspca.org/resource/alone-time-training-game/
- (PDF) The efficacy of systematic desensitization for treating the separation-related problem behaviour of domestic dogs – ResearchGate, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/49940539_The_efficacy_of_systematic_desensitization_for_treating_the_separation-related_problem_behaviour_of_domestic_dogs
- Links between an Owner’s Adult Attachment Style and the Support-Seeking Behavior of Their Dog – PMC, accessed August 11, 2025, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5715226/
- Influence of Owners’ Attachment Style and Personality on Their Dogs’ (Canis familiaris) Separation-Related Disorder, accessed August 11, 2025, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4338184/
- Separation Anxiety in Dogs – PetMD, accessed August 11, 2025, https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/behavioral/separation-anxiety-dogs
- Separation Anxiety Training Programs – Malena DeMartini, accessed August 11, 2025, https://malenademartini.com/for-owners/separation-anxiety-training-programs/