Listen Dog Training: The Walk & Talk

Separation Training for Dogs: What We’ve Been Getting Wrong About Alone Time


Listen Later

Separation anxiety and alone-time struggles are some of the most distressing challenges dog owners face, and yet the advice we’re often given can feel rushed, outdated, or even harmful.

In this episode of The Walk & Talk, we take a deep, science-led look at separation training for dogs, moving beyond quick fixes and ‘just leave them’ advice to explore what dogs actually need in order to feel safe when they’re alone.

Drawing on attachment theory, nervous system science, and over a decade of hands-on behaviour work, I unpack why independence doesn’t come from forced separation, but from secure attachment, emotional regulation, and thoughtful, gradual, intentional training.

Whether you’re raising a puppy, supporting a dog who panics when left alone, or navigating hyper-attachment to one specific person, this episode will help you understand what’s really going on beneath the behaviour, and how to train in a way that builds confidence rather than survival.

If you’ve ever worried that you’re ‘doing it wrong,’ or been told you’re just spoiling your dog too much, this episode is for you.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
  • Why forcing dogs to ‘get used to’ being alone often backfires - and what it teaches the nervous system instead
  • How attachment science (John Bowlby & Mary Ainsworth) helps us understand separation anxiety and independence in dogs
  • Why secure attachment is the foundation of confident independence, not the enemy of it
  • The difference between dogs who fear being alone and dogs who are hyper-attached to their owner - and why this matters for training
  • How to introduce separation in ways your dog chooses, using distance-based enrichment and emotional safety
  • How desensitisation and counter-conditioning actually work for separation struggles
  • How to prevent separation issues from puppyhood by prioritising regulation, safety, and connection
  • 💻 Want to dive deeper into transforming your dog’s behaviour with science-backed strategies that actually work? Check out my digital training products, freebies and online courses at www.listendogtraining.com

    You can use code PODCAST10 for 10% off all my digital dog training packages, guides & courses!

    📱 Let’s connect! Follow me on Instagram and TikTok@listendogtraining

    🎧 If you found this episode helpful, I’d be so grateful if you left a review 🌟 or shared it with a fellow dog lover - it helps the podcast grow and helps more people train with confidence, clarity, and joy!

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    Listen Dog Training: The Walk & TalkBy Lisa | Listen Dog Training

    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7

    4.7

    12 ratings


    More shows like Listen Dog Training: The Walk & Talk

    View all
    The School of Greatness by Lewis Howes

    The School of Greatness

    21,257 Listeners

    Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness by Sony Music Entertainment / Jonathan Van Ness

    Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness

    19,073 Listeners

    No Bad Dogs Podcast by Tom Davis

    No Bad Dogs Podcast

    1,195 Listeners

    On Purpose with Jay Shetty by iHeartPodcasts

    On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    27,862 Listeners

    The Happiness Lab: Getting Unstuck by Pushkin Industries

    The Happiness Lab: Getting Unstuck

    14,417 Listeners

    Shaped by Dog with Susan Garrett by Susan Garrett

    Shaped by Dog with Susan Garrett

    681 Listeners

    How I quit alcohol by Danni Carr

    How I quit alcohol

    193 Listeners

    Mayim Bialik's Breakdown by Mayim Bialik

    Mayim Bialik's Breakdown

    5,389 Listeners

    Alan Carr's 'Life's a Beach' by Keep It Light Media / Travesty Media

    Alan Carr's 'Life's a Beach'

    519 Listeners

    We Can Do Hard Things by Treat Media and Glennon Doyle

    We Can Do Hard Things

    41,579 Listeners

    The Mel Robbins Podcast by Mel Robbins

    The Mel Robbins Podcast

    21,379 Listeners

    What Now? with Trevor Noah by Trevor Noah

    What Now? with Trevor Noah

    4,350 Listeners

    Wild Card with Rachel Martin by NPR

    Wild Card with Rachel Martin

    1,014 Listeners

    The Jefferson Fisher Podcast by Civility Media

    The Jefferson Fisher Podcast

    8,476 Listeners

    The Oprah Podcast by Harpo

    The Oprah Podcast

    1,760 Listeners