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Module 6: Separation Barking
When the barking happens only when you leave. The hardest type to solve — but possible.
6 min read Intermediate
Course progress0%
Severity check
Mild = barks 5–10 min then settles. Moderate = lasts 30+ min. Severe = panic, destruction, soiling. Severe cases need a vet behaviorist, not a YouTube video.
Desensitization
Practice fake departures: keys → return. Coat → return. Door open → return. Build duration by seconds, not minutes. Hours of work, weeks of progress.
Don't make leaving dramatic
Calm goodbyes, calm hellos. Long emotional farewells make separation harder, not easier.
Key takeaways
- ★Severity dictates approach
- ★Desensitize in seconds
- ★Boring departures + arrivals
Lesson checklist
Action items to put this module into practice.
- Record alone-time behavior
- Rate severity
- Plan fake-departure practice
- Vet referral if severe