Mel & Stryker (Toronto, Canada)

Our rescue dog Stryker had severe separation anxiety. She would throw herself against our bedroom door, howl, cry, and pee on the carpet when we left her. I initially reached out to Jackie unsure of what to do and she pointed me to some amazing resources. We got fairly far on our own, but felt we were plateau-in so we reached out again for a training session.

Jackie made us feel so much more confident, and gave us a plan on how to overcome hurdles, but also how to monitor and ensure our dog Stryker was actually doing well while left alone (it can be so hard to tell sometimes). Stryker can now do several hours alone! She also doesn’t panic while seeing us get ready to leave, which makes it easier on us as well.

Jackie gave us access to tracking templates that have made a huge difference in knowing how much training our dog needs to succeed, and when to give her breaks. Jackie also dispels many myths around Separation Anxiety, and takes a holistic approach (considering how much exercise, and stress your dog might exp in other aspects of its life).

As someone who didn’t realize their dog had SA until she had hurt herself, I would really recommend anyone who is experiencing this problem reach out to a certified specialist in this behaviour, like Jackie Johnston (who is VERY educated on the subject).