Healthy Mind Canine - Separation Anxiety Training

20/08/2025

"For decades, the dog training industry has sold us the same story: a “good dog” is an obedient dog. Sit, stay, heel, come. But here’s the hard truth—obedience is arbitrary, superficial, and unnatural. It has very little to do with what dogs actually need to thrive and everything to do with human convenience and control."

Dog separation anxiety & more by a certified dog trainer. We dive deeper beyond surface level behavior & training to help you understand your dog.

05/08/2025

Zena is just starting her home-alone training program and we’re honored to be a part of her progress!

29/07/2025

Dogs see the world so differently than we do! It’s absolutely mind blowing and we are only beginning to understand how they might see our world. They see/smell things that we can’t even perceive. This is why we tell clients to let their dog SNIFF on their walks instead of hurrying them along!

16/07/2025

Behavior modification can change what a dog does.
But only welfare-centered intervention changes how a dog feels.

Teaching a dog to sit instead of lunge may look like success from the outside.

But if the dog is still overwhelmed, anxious, frustrated, or afraid inside, then we have changed nothing of real meaning.

Modifying behavior without addressing underlying welfare needs is like treating smoke without putting out the fire.
True support moves beyond surface-level management and training.

It requires seeing behavior for what it truly is:
🔹 An indication of needs & welfare
🔹 Evidence of emotional states
🔹 A reflection of both biological design and lived experience

The L.E.G.S.® Model reminds us that behavior cannot be separated from the full system of the dog’s reality:
🟧 Learning: Past experiences, positive, negative, or traumatic, shape emotional responses that influence behavior far beyond what training alone can "fix."
🟩 Environment: Chronic stress from inappropriate environments (confinement, overstimulation, social isolation) profoundly shapes emotional regulation and coping capacity.
🟨 Genetics: Behavior is not a blank slate. It is deeply informed by evolutionary history, breed-specific functions, and species-level survival strategies.
🟦 Self: A dog's individual age, health, neurobiology, sexual status, nutrition, sensory sensitivities, developmental stage, and internal emotional life all shape how behavior emerges and adapts.

Supporting dogs isn’t about suppressing behavior or increasingly restricting a dog’s world.

It’s about changing conditions so behavior naturally reflects cohesion between the animal and their world - that they experience the security, comfort, and fulfillment of Total Welfare.

Welfare-first work is deeper, and more durable. And surprisingly, it can even be faster at solving the major problems we experience with our dogs.

It doesn’t just alter actions—it transforms lives.

Let’s move past symptom management.

Let’s meet the real needs beneath the behavior.

Behavior isn’t the problem. Unmet needs are.

16/07/2025

At HMC we will always speak up against training equipment and methods that can seriously harm dogs both physically and mentally.
There are still plenty of trainers out there that recommend these tools without disclosing the dangers of them. They’ll tell you that theres no harm in it. That they’re not painful. It seems they’ll say whatever they have to to convice you that these tools are benign and necessary. Ive heard some pretty wild jusifications over the years from clients who came to me from other trainers looking for a better way. These clients trusted their gut!

It’s good to keep in mind that the training industry is unregulated. There is absolutely no requirement for education, ethics, safety, or credentials. Anyone can call themselves a dog trainer, say, and do whatever they want.
You can protect you and your dog from harm by avoiding trainers who regularly employ these training tools and seeking trainers with credentials that prioritize kindness and wellbeing in their approach.

Is it safe and humane to use a choke collar or prong collar on a dog? Can they make a dog more reactive or cause physical injury? Find out why positive dog trainers recommend other options.

06/06/2025

Keep seeing trainers recommend shock collars for separation anxiety and it honestly breaks my heart. So let's talk about why this is especially damaging for dogs who are already scared.

Those trainers will say "it just sends a message" but let's be real about what that message actually is.

The message is literally "something bad might happen to you." That's intimidation, not training.

Picture this - you're already having panic attacks about being in small spaces. Then someone says "every time you panic in here, we're going to hurt you." Would that help your claustrophobia? Or would you now be scared of small spaces AND scared of being hurt?
That's exactly what's happening to your dog.

Here's where it gets even worse - some trainers will tell you that your dog isn't actually anxious. They'll say your dog is "acting out" or "being manipulative" or "trying to control you." Then they use that as their license to shock your dog.

But here's the truth: dogs don't fake panic attacks. The pacing, drooling, destruction, and crying you see? That's real distress, not manipulation.

Trainers love to say "when used properly they don't hurt" and "we only use it once then put it on the lowest setting." But think about what's actually happening there. If you only shocked the dog once but they're still changing their behavior when the collar is on the lowest setting... that's a threat. The dog is thinking "this thing hurt me before and it might hurt me again."

That's not training - that's intimidation. You're teaching your dog to suppress their behavior out of fear of pain, not because they actually feel better.

Your dog with separation anxiety is already thinking "my person left and I don't know if they're coming back and the world feels dangerous."

Now add a shock collar and they're also thinking:
When will the next shock come?
What triggers it?
Will my feelings literally hurt me now?
Is this thing on my neck going to hurt me again?

You haven't solved the separation anxiety. You've just taught an already panicked dog that their environment is even scarier and that expressing their distress might result in pain.

What dogs with separation anxiety actually need is to learn that being alone is predictable and safe. They need their world to feel more secure, not more threatening.

If someone is telling you to shock your already fearful dog, please know there are trainers out there who understand that you can't intimidate fear away.

Your dog isn't being stubborn or manipulative. They're scared. And scared beings need safety, not more reasons to be afraid 💙

What can you do if a trainer recommends a cruel and outdated method? Look up one of my certified SA Pros or my Separartion Anxiety heroes memebship. Kind, gentle, modens mehtods - guaranteed.

05/06/2025

21/04/2025

When your dog is nose-down in the grass, tracking the scent of a critter or investigating a hidden snack, they’re not just “playing”—they’re engaging in a deeply satisfying neurobiological experience

The Science Behind the Sniff

In 2005, neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp identified a core emotional system in mammals called the SEEKING system—an ancient, dopamine-fueled pathway responsible for exploration, investigation, and goal-directed behavior.

What’s especially fascinating is that dopamine peaks during the seeking itself, not just at the moment of reward.

In other words, it’s the search that lights up the brain—not just the find.
So when you give your dog the opportunity to forage—whether that’s adventuring off-leash in nature, sniffing out squirrels at the park, or discovering hidden food in the yard—you’re meeting a core biological need. You’re literally activating the part of their brain that drives motivation, curiosity, and engagement with their world (& meeting their welfare needs as a result).

Reference: Panksepp, J. (2005). Affective neuroscience: The foundations of human and animal emotions. Oxford University Press.

💡 The L.E.G.S.® Perspective:

Learning: Curating experiences to meet your dog’s natural foraging propensities provides opportunities to develop motor, cognitive, & even emotional regulation skills.

Environment: An indoor, sterile environment offers few opportunities for our dogs to readily “seek” like the unique animals they are - get them outside or bring other discoverable goods in to improve welfare.

Genetics: From terriers to scent hounds, many dogs were bred to find things—vermin, birds, game. Foraging lets them do what they were born to do, giving dogs a taste of the good life.

Self: Some dogs are highly motivated by sniffing, others by searching or manipulating objects. Tailor your foraging games to their unique preferences.

04/03/2025

A few weeks ago we welcomed a new dog! Here's some things we are doing to ease the transition and prevent the development of maladaptive behavior problems.

1. Understanding that this transition is stressful and scary for pretty much any dog can help us modify our expectations in the first few weeks/months. Your new dog has basically been kidnapped by strangers and put into a brand new environment. This stress can present as either hyperactivity OR being shut down. For Topo, he leaned into the hyperactivity. The first week was really tough when it came to keeping everyone in the house happy. We're ALL going through a transition here and no matter how much we want it to be "sunshine & rainbows", it usually isn't. For Topo, we also needed to take into account that he is still an adolescent, which naturally comes with teenage challenges such as lack of impulse control, big feelings, risk-taking behavior, & slower learning.

2. Keeping routines consistent so your new dog can get the hang of them is huge in helping them calm down and settle in! This is a big one for Topo! He calmed down significantly once he started understanding how we do things.

3. Consider that your dog, especially if they are young, has likely not had much training or experience with enrichment activities. Your dog still needs to learn HOW to learn! When we dive into these things head first at an intensity that is too hard for them it can create more stress & frustration. We start with really easy food puzzles/enrichment activities & just rewarding voluntary behavior that we like throughout the day so he can "win" as much as possible. This helps them gain confidence! Topo has already learned to stay on his "spot" during dinner. Not because I formally trained it in a formal training session, but because I kept rewarding him for being there on his own. We can put it on cue later! We have 15 years ahead of us 😉

4. We need to let our dog know that we are listening to them and making sure their needs are met. They need to know that they can rely on us after likely being failed and not listened to by other humans before you. This means backing off when your dog is saying they are uncomfortable, observing them for signs that they need something like a potty break, play, or a calming activity to do.

5. This is a big one! Treat everything like a "first" because it IS a first with us and in this new environment. This means easing into things like vacuuming, brushing, putting gear on, picking them up, meeting new people, going to new places, and having new experiences that they have not had with us yet. Easing into things and not just assuming they'll be okay is probably one of the biggest things you can do to prevent issues. Example: When I vacuumed for the first time, I pulled out the vacuum and just let it sit there turned off so Topo could check it out. Once he seemed pretty comfy with that, I turned it on but left it stationary. Then I put myself between him and the vacuum and moved the vacuum away from him instead of at him checking in with him every couple of seconds and telling him what a good boy he is! I think he likely would have gotten very scared if I had moved towards him instead, and that single experience can set the stage for how your dog copes with the vacuum.

07/02/2025

Fact or crap? 👀

06/02/2025

Imagine if everyone who suffered from depression, loneliness, etc. during the COVID lockdown were told that their expression of those feelings and needs was a "behavior problem" that needed "fixing." Imagine if we tried to reward or punish them out of it, rather than provide opportunities for safe social connection?

I hope that sounds ridiculous.

Unfortunately, this is how the industry has taught us to handle our dogs' emotional behaviors. Instead of social/emotional support to help the overexcited, aggressive, anxious, or stressed dog, we're told to focus on consequences to increase or decrease the behavior, as if the change in outward expression will magically fix the inner turmoil.

The industry has been telling us that relationships are transactional: "If you do this, I'll do that." But this isn't how social species, like humans and dogs, naturally relate, connect, or communicate. It's not how we heal and become healthier, happier, and behaviorally sound individuals.

It's ok to be your dog's friend, to respond with care when they are happy, sad, or angry. It's also ok to have boundaries, and to communicate them in a healthy and respectful way.

Our dogs need connection, and they need someone to listen to what they actually need from us, not what we think they need. When they feel heard and emotionally safe, behavior problems naturally disappear, because they weren't problems in the first place: they were communication.