A day-by-day schedule that actually works for separation anxiety

Before you start: setting up for success

This schedule assumes your dog has some level of separation anxiety — distress when left alone that shows up as barking, whining, pacing, destruction, or house soiling. Before starting, do three things.

• See your vet. Rule out medical causes for the behavior and discuss whether anti-anxiety medication could support the training. Medication is not a crutch — it lowers baseline stress so learning can happen.
• Set up a camera. You need to see what your dog does when you leave. A cheap Wi-Fi camera or an old phone running a pet cam app is enough. You’ll use this to time your absences and track progress.
• Pick a safe space. This could be a room, a crate (only if your dog is already comfortable in one), or an area with a baby gate. This is where your dog will practice being alone. Stock it with a comfortable bed and water.
• Avoid cold-turkey departures during training. If possible, use dog daycare, a pet sitter, or a friend’s help on days you need to leave for longer than your dog can handle. Setting back progress with a full meltdown undoes days of work.

Week 1: Foundation — desensitizing departure cues

The goal this week is not to leave your dog alone for meaningful stretches. It’s to break the connection between your pre-departure routine and panic. Right now, your dog starts stressing when you pick up your keys, put on shoes, or grab your bag. This week, you’ll make those cues boring.

• Day 1: Pick up your keys 10 times throughout the day, then set them down. Put on your shoes and sit on the couch. Touch the door handle and walk away. Do not leave. Reward calm behavior with gentle praise or a small treat. 3 sessions of 5 minutes each.
• Day 2: Repeat Day 1 with more variety. Add grabbing your bag, putting on a jacket, jingling keys while walking around the house. 3 sessions of 5 minutes. Your dog may already look less concerned.
• Day 3: Open the front door, stand in the doorway for 2 seconds, then close it and sit down. Repeat 5 times per session. 3 sessions. Also continue key/shoe desensitization between sessions.
• Day 4: Step outside the door, close it, count to 3, and come back in. No fanfare on return — calmly walk in and ignore your dog for 30 seconds. Repeat 5 times per session. 3 sessions.
• Day 5: Increase to 10 seconds outside the closed door. 5 reps per session, 3 sessions. Check camera — is your dog staying calm for the full 10 seconds? If yes, proceed. If they’re panicking at 10, drop back to 5.
• Day 6: Alternate between 5-second and 15-second absences in the same session. Randomizing keeps your dog from predicting exactly when you’ll return. 5 reps, 3 sessions.
• Day 7: Rest day. No formal training. Do normal cue desensitization (keys, shoes) casually but no door exercises. Let your dog’s nervous system recover.

Signs of progress: Your dog stops reacting to keys/shoes. They watch you go to the door without following. They stay in their spot for 10–15 seconds without visible stress.

Week 2: Building short absences (30 seconds to 5 minutes)

This is where real alone-time training begins. You’ll leave the house — actually leave, get in the car or walk down the hall — for gradually increasing periods. Use your camera to watch your dog in real time.

• Day 8: Leave for 30 seconds. Return calmly. Wait 2 minutes, then leave for 30 seconds again. 5 reps, 2 sessions. If your dog is calm for all reps, move on.
• Day 9: Leave for 1 minute. Same protocol: 5 reps, 2 sessions. Return calmly. If your dog starts barking or pacing at 45 seconds, drop back to 30.
• Day 10: Alternate between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. Mix short and longer absences so your dog can’t predict the pattern. 5 reps, 2 sessions.
• Day 11: Leave for 3 minutes. At this point your dog should be settling within 15–20 seconds of your departure. If they’re settling quickly, continue. If they’re still pacing at the door after 30 seconds, repeat Day 10.
• Day 12: Alternate between 1 minute and 5 minutes. 4 reps, 2 sessions. This is a big jump — watch your camera closely.
• Day 13: Leave for 5 minutes, 3 times. Focus on calm departures: no long goodbyes, no excited returns. Leave a stuffed Kong or lick mat as a positive departure association.
• Day 14: Rest day. Casual cue work only. Review your camera footage from the week and note improvements.

Signs of progress: Your dog settles within 30 seconds of departure. No barking after the first minute. They may lie down or go to their bed. Some dogs start ignoring your departure entirely.

Week 3: The critical jump (5 minutes to 30 minutes)

Weeks 1–2 lay the foundation. Week 3 is where most people give up because progress can feel slow. The jump from 5 minutes to 30 minutes is the hardest part of separation anxiety training. Go slow and trust the process.

• Day 15: Leave for 8 minutes, twice. Then leave for 5 minutes once. Three total departures spaced at least 30 minutes apart.
• Day 16: Leave for 10 minutes, twice. Return calmly. If your dog is settled on camera the entire time, celebrate quietly — this is a major milestone.
• Day 17: Leave for 5 minutes, then 15 minutes, then 5 minutes. The short absences mixed in prevent your dog from always expecting long ones.
• Day 18: Leave for 20 minutes, once. This is a test session. Watch the full duration on camera. If your dog panics after 12 minutes, your next ceiling is 12 minutes and you’ll work up from there.
• Day 19: Based on Day 18, do 2 departures at your dog’s comfortable ceiling minus 2 minutes. Then one departure at ceiling. For most dogs doing well, this means 18 + 18 + 20 minutes.
• Day 20: Leave for 25 minutes once, and 15 minutes once. Give enrichment (frozen Kong, snuffle mat) before departing.
• Day 21: Rest day. Light cue desensitization only. Review the week’s footage.

Signs of progress: Your dog goes to their bed or a comfortable spot within a minute of departure. They sleep or chew calmly. Barking, if it happens, stops within the first 2 minutes.

Week 4: Reaching real-world durations (30 minutes to 2 hours)

By now your dog has a foundation of trust: you leave, and you come back. Week 4 builds toward durations that let you run errands, go to appointments, or just take a break. The increments are larger because your dog’s confidence is growing exponentially.

• Day 22: Leave for 30 minutes, once. Then 15 minutes later that day. Total: 2 departures.
• Day 23: Leave for 45 minutes. One departure. Continue to use enrichment and camera monitoring.
• Day 24: Leave for 30 minutes, then 45 minutes. Two departures. If both go well, you’re ready for the hour threshold.
• Day 25: Leave for 1 hour. One departure. This is a milestone day. Most dogs who can handle 45 minutes can handle 60 — the hard part was the first 15 minutes, and your dog has been nailing those.
• Day 26: Leave for 45 minutes, then 1.5 hours. The second departure can be a real errand — go to the store. Check camera periodically.
• Day 27: Leave for 2 hours. One departure. If your dog sleeps through most of it, you’re in excellent shape.
• Day 28: Celebration day. Leave for 1 hour, doing something enjoyable. When you return, your dog should greet you calmly. This is the new normal.

After Week 4: Continue building duration gradually. Most dogs who can handle 2 hours can handle 4–6 hours within another 2–3 weeks. The hard work is behind you.

When to adjust the schedule

No plan survives contact with a real dog. Here’s how to adjust without losing progress.

• If your dog panics during a session, go back to the last duration they handled comfortably. Stay there for 2 days before trying to advance.
• If your dog has a bad day but was fine the day before, it’s usually not a regression — it’s a bad day. Repeat the session tomorrow before dropping back.
• If you had to leave your dog longer than they can handle (emergency, schedule conflict), do 2–3 easy sessions the next day to rebuild confidence.
• Illness, thunderstorms, fireworks, or visitors can temporarily set things back. Pause advancement and hold at the current level until stress returns to baseline.
• If you’re stuck at the same duration for more than a week, consult a veterinary behaviorist. Medication adjustment or a modified protocol might be needed.