SEPARATION ANXIETY

Welcome and Thank You!

I'm so glad you took the Dog Anxiety Pitfall quiz, (Or dog anxiety type quiz?) and congratulations on taking this big step towards understanding and overcoming your dog's anxiety. You're on your way to creating a more harmonious life for them, and I'm so excited to join you on this journey!

Hi, I'm Sarah Lea. I'm a Professional Animal Communicator, the Founder of Heel - a pet wellness brand dedicated to tackling pet anxiety at its core, and the creator of this quiz.

I've spent over 15 years working with animals struggling with severe anxiety, and I've made it my mission to find solutions that truly get to the root of their anxiety and rewire it. 

I believe in going beyond simply numbing the symptoms with medication and truly addressing the behaviors that cause your pet's distress.

Below, you'll find a detailed description of your dog's unique anxiety type, along with solutions tailored specifically for them.

From one committed pet parent to another, thank you for putting your dog's mental and emotional well-being first. It's an honor to be part of your journey with them..

Now, let's dive into your results!

 

Pet anxiety type Map? Or quiz?

 

Based on the information you've shared and the little I know about you, your dog’s anxiety type is

SEPARATION ANXIETY 


What that means…

Separation anxiety describes the overwhelming worry, panic, and fear a dog feels when they're left alone or when they are separated from you

It's similar to the fear a child feels on their first day of daycare or school, missing the safety of their parent's presence, but for dogs, it happens every time you leave.

 

Who Usually Struggles with Separation Anxiety?

 

  • Shelter or rescue dogs that have been abandoned or stayed in a shelter for a long time.
  • Dogs that spend long hours at home alone.
  • Dogs that don't associate being alone with feeling safe or calm.
  • Dogs with past mistreatment or trauma might not trust their current environment.
  • Pandemic puppies who used to have constant company due to owners working from home and now left alone as people return to work. 
  • Puppies who are bought from breeders or pet stores and often taken from their mothers too early.

How It Shows Up

  • Trying to call you back by making a lot of noisr, crying, barking and howling
  • Scratching or digging at doors and floors in an attempt to escape.
  • Taking out their stress on furniture, doors, or windows, destroying toys, cushions, or other household items out of frustration.
  • Walking around nervously, unable to settle down.
  • Peeing or pooping indoors because of stress
  • Excessive licking or chewing of their own paws or fur due to stress.

How It Feels for Your Dog

  • Anxiety

Your dog feels a sense of panic, making them anxious and worried.

  • Fear of Being Left Behind
    Your dog is scared that you might not come back.
  • Loneliness
    Your dog misses you and feels very lonely when you're gone. 
  • Desperation
    They become desperate to find you, resulting in excessive barking or attempts to escape.
  • Insecurity
    They feel unsafe and uncertain when you're not there to comfort them.
  • Confusion
    They don't understand why you left and are confused about where you've gone.
  • Restlessness
    They don't know what to do with themselves when you're not around. 


A lot of pet parents struggle to understand what kind of separation anxiety their dog is experiencing. They might not realize the difference between a dog that fears being left alone and one that fears being away from a specific person. Misunderstanding this difference can mean unintentionally making the anxiety worse.

5 Top Mistakes People Make with Dogs Diagnosed with Separation Anxiety


MISTAKE 1
Scolding or punishing dogs for chewing furniture, barking, or having accidents (peeing or pooping indoors), and trying to correct their behavior without understanding the anxiety behind it.

Result: This makes the dog's fear and stress worse, increasing their anxiety. Ignoring the root cause prevents long-term solutions, leaving the dog to suffer more. 


MISTAKE 2
Giving the dog excessive attention before leaving or immediately upon return.


Result: This reinforces anxiety-related behaviors, making the dog more dependent on your presence.


MISTAKE 3
Not providing a designated area where the dog feels secure when left alone.


Result: The dog feels more anxious and stressed due to the lack of a familiar and comforting environment.

MISTAKE 4
Implementing many lifestyle changes at once to "fix" the anxiety.

 

Result: This overwhelms the dog with too many changes and can lead to more stress.

 

MISTAKE 5
Not seeking guidance from a veterinarian, trainer, or animal communicator. 

 

Result: Misdiagnosing or mishandling the anxiety can prolong or worsen the dog’s condition.

 

I would add in that another mistake is that they dont implement a positive practice when they leave the home to associate adventure, comfort, calm or distraction, ultimately resulting in better emotions and expectations associated with them leaving, equipping them full for the long term

 

Supporting Your Dog Through Separation Anxiety Without Medication

A lot of pet parents struggle to understand what kind of separation anxiety their dog is experiencing. They might not realize the difference between a dog that fears being left alone and one that fears being away from you or another loved one.

Misunderstanding this difference can mean unintentionally making the anxiety worse. It can often lead to depression, aggression, and in extreme cases, the anxiety can result in physical symptoms. 

 

Here are some practical and achievable steps you can take to avoid these outcomes and create a thriving home environment for your furry friend. 

 

STEP 1

 

EXERCISE! 

The best way to remove pent-up energy in your dog is through physical activity!

Regular exercise helps to reduce anxiety, promote better behavior, and maintain your dog's overall health. Choose the activities that fit your dog's age, breed, and energy level to keep them happy and healthy! PS: 15 minutes of sensory exercise is equivalent to 1 hour of physical, this is a great solution for those on a tight schedule, ESPECIALLY for the dogs with a heightened sense of smell or “working dogs”

STEP 2 


CBD! One of the best and most powerful ways to reduce your dog’s anxiety and panic is through high-quality, pet-formulated and full spectrum CBD. That is why I created “HEEL”, an organic CBD brand designed specifically for dogs.

Our product, Peace of Mind | Emotional Support for Pets, provides the support your furry friend needs to stay calm and relaxed.

Use the code QUIZ15 to get a 15% discount at checkout.

Important Safety Note: Please consult with your veterinarian to ensure that it is safe to use “HEEL” alongside other medical treatments. It’s crucial to align any new supplements with your dog’s current health plan.


Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian, and this information is not intended as medical advice. Always seek guidance from a licensed professional for your pet’s healthcare needs.


STEP 3 

 

Change the way your dog experiences separation. 

Once they've had good exercise and are relaxed with CBD, create a playful, exciting, and rewarding environment to help them enjoy being alone. 

 

Leave their favorite treats or a trail of treats around the house so they associate fun and adventure with being alone instead of feeling lonely or abandoned


Pro Tip: Be Patient and Consistent

This process takes time, but you can rewire how your dog feels about separation. Stick to these steps for at least three months, and stay consistent with your routine. It’s not a quick fix, but with time, your dog will feel more relaxed.

 

Thank You!

I truly appreciate you taking the time to prioritize your pet's mental and physical health and recognizing that our furry friends can feel stress and anxiety, just like we do. 

Having worked with hundreds of clients and their pets, I can tell you there's always light at the end of the tunnel. There's always a path to success if you take the time to understand your pet in their unique ways and address their specific triggers.

Keep going! You're on the right track.

 

What that means...

 

Separation Anxiety means that your dog associates negative feelings,

fear, mistrust, or fearful expectations with the idea of being alone or

separated from you. This is a specific anxiety caused by the fear of

separation and the fear of being alone.



This type of anxiety is often seen in but not limited to the following:

 

  • Shelter or rescue dogs that were abandoned or left in the shelter for a long period of time
  • Dogs left at home for long periods of time
  • Dogs that experienced abuse or trauma in the past and lack trust in their current environment based on what they’ve previously experienced
  • A previous unpredictable routine or volatile environment. They do not know what to expect in their day-to-day life and from people around them.
  • Needing a safe place because they do not associate safety or Peace of mind with being alone or in their current environment
  • Could be a covid dog, raised in an environment where you were

working from home and now going back to work

  • Often exists in dogs that were bought from breeders or pet stores as they are separated from their mothers too early. 

 

This can exist in any dog regardless of their background, whether they

were rescued or adopted. They often have a fear of abandonment or fear of being alone, they associate negative emotions with being by

themselves, caused by BUT NOT LIMITED TO the reasons stated above

 

Signs of this anxiety Type

 

  • Crying, barking, and panicking only when you leave the home, leave the room or turn your attention to something else.
  • Often follow you around the home
  • Can't leave your side
  • Destructing furniture
  • Potty in home when left alone
  • Excessive howling
  • Often caused by boredom and loneliness, perhaps associated with a
  • previous negative experience while left alone.
  • Constant Self-soothing
  • If there is a new baby, person or pet in the home, their



Mistakes people make


When Pet Parents Diagnose their anxiety as Separation Anxiety, they

often miss WHAT TYPE of separation they are referring to, often keeping them stuck in a vicious cycle.

 

Let me explain…

 

You see, there are multiple forms of separation anxiety and when

parents target the wrong form of separation, they can often solidify the pre-existing condition and make matters worse… Do they fear being separated from someone or do they fear being alone?

 

If we don’t understand the trigger and we leave it unchecked, we solidify the fear of being alone or being separated from you which ultimately takes away from having more anxiety-free experiences in the future.

 

We must understand the core before anything else

 

Solutions

 

If your dog was not rescued, there are also a few specific reasons they are struggling with this anxiety type… including routine change, a shift in their home dynamic and more.

 

This untreated behavior can often lead to depression, aggression and in extreme cases, this anxiety can manifest itself physically…

 

Thankfully there are some practical and achievable steps you can take to avoid these outcomes and create a thriving home environment for your fur child.

 

Here’s what you can do almost immediately to start delivering more

anxiety-free experience for your dog at home and in all environments.

 

  1. EXERCISE! The best way to remove pent-up energy is through

physical release!

  1. CBD! One of the best ways to reduce anxiety and panic is to give them a trusted, Pet formulated CBD, 30 minutes before you leaving. I recommend Heel.
  2. Change up the way they experience separation. Now that they are tired from exercise and relaxed with CBD, create a playful, exciting and rewarding environment for them to ENJOY being alone. Leave them with their favorite treats or a trail of treats around the house, so they start to associate fun and adventure with being alone rather than loneliness.

 

Pro Tip: The Key to rewiring the way they perceive separation is

through using the above-mentioned tools over at least 3 months, with a solid routine and consistency. There is no magic pill to fix this overnight.

 

Choose the 6-month subscription on the Creature Comfort or Peace of

mind and get 20% off every month to help you on this journey to success

 

YOUR NEXT STEPS

 

Now you might be wondering,

“My dog can’t talk to me in words so how exactly am I meant to know what they are experiencing? And how to do I fix this anxiety without going crazy and without it taking over your entire life?

Well, this is what I do all day, every day… I help pet parents, both new and experienced, find the source of their animals discomfort and create the Full Spectrum Plan that targets the core and returns them AND the family, to a more harmonious and balanced experience.

And I just so happen to have a step-by-step Method to achieve this

desired, anxiety free outcome,

And because you’ve taken the time to take this quiz and tell me a little about

you and your situation, I’d love to hook you up with a FREE access pass to

watch my training on how to have an anxiety free dog instantly without

having to spend thousands on vet bills!

 

In this training, I cover how to Implement a Full Spectrum plan to get to the

root of the issue and rewire it, now that you know what your pets anxiety type

is

I will go in depth on how to discover what the unique cause of their anxiety is,

where it is coming from, why and how to target and rewire it successfully,

And the crazy part is… I'm giving it to you, totally free

Now, the only catch is this:

This webinar will not remain free to you forever, so go ahead and claim your

free access now!

Simply click the button below to claim your free access pass and get instant

access to the training.

 

THANK YOU!

I would like to say thank you for taking the time to prioritize your

pets mental and physical health and for recognizing the animals

ability to experience stress and anxiety.

As someone who has worked with hundreds of clients I can tell you

that there is light at the end of the tunnel, there is a perfect recipe

for success as long as you take the necessary steps to firstly

understand your pet in all of their uniqueness and target their

specific triggers accordingly.

 

This is why I created this webinar and granted you free access!

I created Tools to serve people like you in the most useful way

possible and if you choose to apply these tools and these tips to

your daily lives, you open yourselves up to living a much more

harmonious and stress free life!

Have questions about the webinar, My Pet anxiety Brand or My

Animal Communication sessions?

Feel free to contact me at any time

With Love

Sarah Lea