Saw a comment the other day under a dog training video.

Guy said:

“My dog’s separation anxiety got so bad, I had to quit my job. Every time I left—even just to check the mail—he’d go ballistic. My landlord gave me a warning, then a final warning. Eventually, I had to move back in with my parents just so he wouldn’t get me evicted.”

And honestly? I get it.

Separation anxiety isn’t just annoying—it wrecks lives.

People lose jobs over it.
Get kicked out of apartments.
Dogs destroy furniture, chew through doors, even break their own teeth trying to escape.

And the Worst Part?

Most owners accidentally cause separation anxiety without realizing it.

They give their puppy constant attention.
Never let them be alone.
Then, one day, they have to leave… and the dog loses it.

That’s exactly what happened with Erin and her Golden Retriever, Charlie.

First day alone? Total meltdown.

• Barking, howling, whining.
• Scratching the door.
• Tearing up the couch.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Is Your Dog Too Needy? Signs of Separation Anxiety

Dogs love their humans—it’s part of why we love them back.

But when attachment turns into dependency, it can spiral into full-blown panic.

🚨 Signs your dog might have separation anxiety:

• Follows you from room to room, never letting you out of sight.
• Whines, barks, or scratches the door when you leave—even for a few minutes.
• Destroys furniture, doors, or floors while you’re gone.
• Refuses to eat or drink when left alone.
• Paces or drools excessively before you even leave.

If your dog is doing one or more of these things, they might be struggling with separation stress.

How to Prevent Separation Anxiety from Day One

The good news? You can completely prevent separation anxiety—if you train it the right way from the start.

Inside Good Dog—my complete puppy training blueprint—I cover:

✅ The #1 mistake that teaches your dog to panic when you leave.
✅ Why “big goodbyes” make it worse (and what to do instead).
✅ A simple daily training trick that teaches your dog to be calm, confident, and independent when you’re gone.
✅ The red flag behavior most owners ignore—until it’s too late.

And if your dog already has separation anxiety?

Don’t worry—I’ve been there.

My dog, Moon, used to have even worse SAD—and I had to completely rethink how I trained her.

The fix? Not what you’d expect. But I’ll talk more about that soon.

For now, if you want instant access to my puppy preparation guide + email list, you can grab it here