Is separation anxiety training working? How to measure progress (and get past a plateau)
Owners in the middle of separation-anxiety training ask the same question again and again: is this working? Progress is often measured in seconds and minutes, and without a record it's almost impossible to see.
Here's how to measure it simply, what normal progress looks like, and what to do when it stalls.
Track one number
Minutes until the first sign of distress. That's the point where whining, barking, pacing or panting starts after you leave. Trainers call it the threshold. Write it down every time you film an absence. A notebook works; so does a note on your phone.
Also note the longest absence your dog stayed calm through each day. Over weeks, those two numbers tell the story.
What normal progress looks like
- •Slow and uneven: good days and bad days, with an upward trend over weeks, not days.
- •Small numbers early: going from 30 seconds to 3 minutes is real progress.
- •Faster later: once a dog is comfortable for 20-30 minutes, the steps often get bigger.
- •Bad days happen after big changes: a late night, visitors, a change in routine.
Answer a few questions about what your dog does when you leave. You'll get an instant result and a personal practice plan, with the first 3 days free.
Take the 2-minute checkWhy you can't judge it by feel
Most owners don't film, so they guess from what they hear at the door or what the neighbours say. Guesses swing with your mood. A recording of the first few minutes after you leave, once or twice a week, removes the guessing.
Stuck at a few minutes? Check these first
- •Real absences: is your dog still being left longer than they can handle at other times? This is the most common reason for a plateau.
- •Steps too big: drop back to an easy time for a few days, then grow by smaller steps (10% instead of 15%).
- •Hidden cues: something in your routine (a coat, a specific door, the car) may still be a trigger.
- •Signs you're missing: early stress signs (lip-licking, yawning, staring at the door) come before barking.
- •Too much, too often: one short session a day with a rest day a week is enough.
When to talk to a vet or trainer
If there's no upward trend after three to four weeks of careful practice, it's time to get help. A vet can discuss medication, which helps many dogs who are stuck. A certified separation-anxiety trainer can look at your recordings and adjust the plan.
One lesson every day or two: find the starting point, defuse the keys-and-shoes cues, run your first practice absences, handle bad days, and know when to get help.
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Written by Lin, founder of AnimaSense. I'm not a vet or a trainer; this follows published gradual-absence guidance used by certified separation-anxiety trainers. If your dog is hurting themselves or in danger, contact your vet right away.