Preventing separation anxiety in dogs is far easier than trying to treat it once panic behaviors have set in. The process should begin the day your new puppy or rescue dog comes home and continue anytime your household routine, environment, or work schedule changes. Many cases arise when dogs adopted during holidays or work-from-home periods get constant attention—only to struggle when suddenly left alone for hours once normal routines resume. By building independence from the start, you can keep your dog calm, confident, and content when home alone.

Five Key Steps to Prevent Separation Anxiety

• Gradual Alone-Time Training: Begin with short absences of 1–5 seconds, then gradually extend the time only when your dog remains relaxed.

• Predictable Goodbye Cues: Use a calm phrase like “back soon” to signal departures and avoid emotional farewells that fuel anxiety.

• High-Value Enrichment: Offer food puzzles, stuffed Kongs, or lick mats reserved just for confinement training to create positive associations with alone time.

• Safe, Comforting Spaces: Set up a crate or gated area with cozy bedding, soothing background noise, and a familiar scent from you.

• Balanced Daily Routine: Combine exercise, play, and mental stimulation through training games and enrichment to ease restlessness.

By consistently practicing these preventive strategies—and adjusting them after vacations, moves, or major changes—you’ll raise a dog that feels secure when left alone and avoid the struggles of separation anxiety later in life.

Dog Training Los Angeles: It’s Your Choice (IYC) is a critical core foundation game because it sets the stage for teaching self-control over all future reinforcers (reinforcers = anything your dog likes or enjoys). It teaches our dogs that all things of value must be earned. The premise of the game is that the “work” is what earns the reward not just the presence of those rewards in the environment.

Dog Trainer Alexandra Bassett demonstrates how to train a dog to walk with a loose leash, meaning that they’ve learned not to pull you in order to get where they want to go,. Leash manners are taught in incremental steps starting by teaching a dog how to respond to leash tension, know as “leash communication,” and where you want them to position themselves while walking on a leash, which can be achieved by playing stationary and moving reinforcement zone games..

Dog & Puppy Training Tips: Dogs are social creatures that benefit from being included in family activities. However, if a dog is afraid of fireworks, Independence Day can be a terrifying experience for them. To ensure the 4th of July doesn't turn into a traumatic experience for both you and your dog, it's important to have a plan for keeping your dog safe and comfortable when the fireworks go off. Here are some tips from a Los Angeles dog trainer on how to get your dog or puppy ready for Independence Day.

Doodle dogs are fast becoming the most popular dog breed in America because of their friendly nature and hypo-allergenic and low-shedding coats. There are many kinds of Doodle dog breeds of various sizes depending on the Poodle variant with which they are mixed, however the most popular are the Goldendoodle, the Labradoodle, and the Double Doodle.

Los Angeles Dog Trainer Aims To Change Public Perception Of Dog Training

PRESS RELEASE (February 26, 2018) - Leash reactive dogs—dogs that bark and lunge aggressively at other dogs or people while on a leash—have become an epidemic in Los Angeles. 

Puppy Training 101 - An essential aspect of puppy training is teaching a puppy not to bite you. The first step a puppy parent must learn is how to respond appropriately when a puppy first sinks its teeth into you. 

Understanding how consequences affect your dog is all you need to know to train your dog like an expert dog trainer. So how do you correct a dog using positive reinforcement dog training methods? Find that out and more on the Dog Savvy Los Angeles dog training blog ...

City walks with a reactive dog can be stressful. Leash reactivity—barking, lunging, or over-arousal—often stems from fear, frustration, or past experiences. Learn what triggers this behavior, why it happens, and expert strategies using positive reinforcement to help your dog stay calm, confident, and focused on walks.