Contented separation – the door is a bore
For the protocol to be successful, it is vital that your dog is never left longer than they are happy with so they should never be left alone other than as part of this protocol.
Every time that you depart, just calmly leave and then re-enter without fuss. Use your puppy camera to check that your pup is happy throughout the time that you are away. If they become stressed when you are away (pacing, barking, chewing, whining) then go back to them and the next day, go back a day in the protocol and repeat this day for 3 days (e.g. if you were on Day 15, go back to the Day 14 plan and repeat the Day 14 plan for 3 days) before continuing with the protocol.
Departure desensitisation:
Day 1 – 4 x alone periods: 1 minute each time (if 1 minute is too hard for your dog, start at the time that they are happy to be left , even if this is only 1 second, and do lots of repeats, adding a second each time, to gradually work up to 1 minute, before continuing with the protocol).
Day 2 – 4 x alone periods: 2 minutes each time
Day 3 – 4 x alone periods: 3 minutes each time
Day 4 – 4 x alone periods: 4 minutes each time
Day 5 – 4 x alone periods: 5 minutes each time (start to also drive away at this point to mimic you really leaving)
Day 6 – 4 x alone periods: 2 minutes, 6 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes
Day 7 – 4 x alone periods: 5 minutes, 7 minutes, 3 minutes, 6 minutes
Day 8 – 4 x alone periods: 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 8 minutes, 2 minutes
Day 9 – 4 x alone periods: 2 minutes, 7 minutes, 5 minutes, 9 minutes
Day 10 – 4 x alone periods: 6 minutes, 10 minutes, 3 minutes, 5 minutes
Day 11 – 3 x alone periods: 3 minutes, 7 minutes, 12.5 minutes
Day 12 – 3 x alone periods: 10 minutes, 4 minutes, 15 minutes
Day 13 – 3 x alone periods: 15 minutes, 8 minutes, 17.5 minutes
Day 14 – 3 x alone periods: 20 minutes, 8 minutes, 3 minutes
Day 15 – 3 x alone periods: 10 minutes, 22.5 minutes, 6 minutes
Day 16 – 3 x alone periods: 25 minutes, 4 minutes, 10 minutes
Day 17 – 3 x alone periods: 7 minutes, 30 minutes, 12 minutes
Day 18 – 3 x alone periods: 2 minutes, 9 minutes, 35 minutes
Day 19 – 3 x alone periods: 40 minutes, 9 minutes, 2 minutes
Day 20 – 2 x alone periods: 8 minutes, 45 minutes
Day 21 – 2 x alone periods: 50 minutes, 4 minutes
Day 22 – 2 x alone periods: 55 minutes, 8 minutes
Day 23 – 2 x alone periods: 3 minutes, 60 minutes
Day 24 – 20 minutes
Day 25 – 1 hour
Day 26 – 30 minutes
Day 27 – 1.5 hours
Day 28 – 40 minutes
Day 29 – 1 hour
Day 30 – 2 hours