Don’t we need to see the behavior to know how to change it?

Before I decided to specialize exclusively in separation anxiety, I fielded this question a lot. Many of my clients with aggressive dogs in particular strongly believed that I needed to see Fido snapping at visitors to successfully change the behavior. The case can certainly be made (as I did many times) that it isn’t necessary (or ethical) to put dogs and people in danger and risk a bite solely for the purpose of observation. Especially when we can safely and accurately surmise why Fido would do such a thing and what the best course of action would be without pushing a dog past their threshold. 

But what about for separation anxiety dogs? 

As my special guest and mentor Malena DeMartini and I discuss in this episode, we strongly believe in the importance of an initial absence assessment before embarking on a home alone protocol. We take a deep dive in all things initial assessments: what they are, why they are important, and how to conduct them. 

In this episode of the Believe in Your Dog Podcast, you will learn:  

• How we define an initial absence assessment
• Why we believe they are absolutely critical in establishing a baseline and understanding an individual dog’s suite of behaviors
• What specific tools are needed to conduct an initial assessment
• Environmental interventions to consider prior to the assessment
• All things camera set-up and positioning, including my personal favorite camera for separation anxiety training
• How to know when it’s time to stop the assessment
• What to look for and measure during and after the assessment
• What to do and not do when you return home
• And so much more! 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Malena’s website

Malena on Instagram

Malena on Facebook

Malena’s book

Schedule an initial assessment with a CSAT

Learn more about Mission Possible, Malena’s DIY online training course. Use coupon code CSAT50 for $50 off.

Wyze cam

How to watch and record your assessment using Zoom

Body language resources: Doggie Language by Lili Chin and Bravo Dog’s Body Language course

Greeting research

How to Choose a Dog Trainer