Our Separation Anxiety dog training program in Chicago helps your dog minimize or even eliminate the panicked feeling when you leave the home. These everyday departures can be moments of stress and frustration for you and your dog, but we can help your dog build confidence, independence and emotional stability so you no longer feel like a prisoner who can never leave. Through a calm, gradual approach tailored to your dog's specific triggers, we help your dog learn that being alone is safe, predictable, and stress-free, so you can leave your home with peace of mind and return to a calmer, happier dog.
You're Not Alone
Many dogs struggle the moment they are left alone. This may show up as barking, pacing, destruction, attempting to escape, or other forms of visible panic. For owners, it can feel heartbreaking, exhausting, and like they are trapped.
People often blame themselves or assume they did something wrong. In reality, separation anxiety affects dogs of all breeds, ages, and backgrounds, including dogs who have had plenty of training. It is far more common than most owners realize.
If your dog struggles when alone, you are facing a challenge rooted in how your dog experiences separation, not in a lack of effort or care on your part.
Why Separation Anxiety Happens
It occurs when being alone triggers distress and panic, making it difficult for a dog to self-regulate. Changes in routine, early struggles with independence, temperament, and past experiences can all contribute. In addition, many dogs who were adopted during COVID have developed separation anxiety, especially once owners started going back to work.
When anxiety takes over, behaviors like barking, pacing, destruction, or escape attempts are not intentional misbehavior, but signs that the dog feels overwhelmed.
Viewing separation anxiety as an emotional response rather than a discipline problem is an important step toward meaningful progress.
What Progress Can Look Like
As dogs learn how to feel safe when alone, panic responses often decrease or disappear. Dogs may become calmer during departures, settle more quickly after their owner leaves, and remain relaxed for longer periods of time. Panic-based behaviors often lessen as the dog gains confidence and emotional stability.
Owners frequently report that they no longer feel anxious about leaving the house or worried about what they will come home to. Daily routines become easier, and dogs are able to spend time alone without distress dominating the experience. Many people can go back to the office, to the store, or even out for social activities. For many families, this results in a dramatic improvement in quality of life for both dog and owner.
The goal of the program is not short-term management, but lasting emotional change so separation anxiety no longer defines your dog's daily experience.
How the Program Works
- $175 per session. The trainer will identify the recommended number of sessions after the Dog Diagnostic.
- $10 additional per session if we come to your home, plus any parking fees that we incur.
Don't try to go it alone - one of our experienced trainers can help you right away.
FAQs
How much experience do your trainers have in resolving separation anxiety?
We have multiple trainers who have helped many dogs overcome separation anxiety. They are well-prepared, stay updated on the latest industry advice, and are committed to helping you succeed.
Can you fully eliminate my dog's separation anxiety?
We have had great success in helping many dogs minimize or even eliminate their separation anxiety. Having said that, there are no guarantees, since success depends on factors such as you following the exercises assigned each week, in addition to your dog's level of panic, genetic factors, and daily triggers. If you follow the advice in the program, at the least you should see a substantial reduction in the anxiety level.
How long will it take to achieve progress?
The answer to that question depends on your dog. In some cases, we start achieving success within a few weeks. In others, it can take longer. However, once we are starting to make progress, progress tends to occur faster because your dog's brain and stress will be starting to calm down and allow true learning to occur.
Can I combine behaviors from other programs?
It may be possible to combine this program with other behaviors - it all depends on what you are trying to address. Having said that, we try to meet once per week, so the homework load might be too unrealistic depending on the behaviors, and it may be better to address them one at a time. Your trainer can discuss your goals with you and create a plan.
Our Travel Radius
One of our trainers can home to your home if you live within our travel radius. We routinely go all throughout Chicago each day, including to Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Bucktown, Wrigleyville, Gold Coast, River North, downtown, East Loop, West Loop, South Loop, and all neighborhoods in between.
These boundaries go north to Irving Park Road, east to the lake, south to Roosevelt, and west to Western Avenue.
If you live a few streets beyond these boundaries we can likely still come to your home.
Otherwise, you would need to come to our training facility.
Our Trainers Travel All Over Chicago
Positive Reinforcement Methods
Tucker Pup's only uses positive reinforcement methods. We do not use prong collars, choke chains, shock collars, poking, yelling, leash popping, or other aversive methods. Dominance can easily cause your dog to distrust you, and to only comply in order to avoid a negative outcome. This isn't truly learning, and can cause your dog's behaviors to become much worse.
Positive reinforcement is much more effective for creating long-term learning and a stronger relationship with your dog. Dogs love training when this style is being used, are much more responsive to their owners, and are much happier in general. In short, positive reinforcement gives you the best chance of success, and can be the fastest way to get results. If you are hesitant, please trust us on this one and feel free to ask us questions.
Positive reinforcement combines an encouraging tone of voice, clear instruction, relaxed body language, the use of rewards (e.g., treats, favorite toy), patience, and empathy.
If you are concerned about giving treats, keep in mind that they work very well for most dogs, you can phase them out at your discretion, and it is possible to use something else that your dog values, such as a favorite toy.
Customer Reviews
Yelp has listed Tucker Pup's as one of the top 100 local businesses in the country in 2025. We are the only pet business who made the list from Chicago, and the only pet resort / training business who made the list nationally.
See the List
A Happy Training Customer
We worked with Jamie Walker on Behavioral Modification training for our 1YO rescue dog, Goose. Over the course of the 6 weeks, both we and our dog learned sooo much. Goose had a lot of separation anxiety and unpredictable reactivity to random dogs or people. After a year of trying to solve the issues ourselves with really slow progress, we decided to invest in training. Jamie was super knowledgeable and hands-on, giving us so many tips, tricks, and training practices to help with all of his issues. Goose had so many milestones with his separation anxiety, doing well at daycare with other dogs, and overall FAR less reactive and more confident. We also are equipped with more tools to manage. Highly recommend and our dog absolutely loved her.
- Deja and Matthew Howard
Neighborhoods We Serve
Tucker Pup's is located in the West Loop / Fulton Market District neighborhood. People come to us from all over Chicago, especially from Bucktown, Gold Coast, Lake View, Lincoln Park, Old Town, River North, River West, South Loop, Streeterville, Ukrainian Village, University Village, West Town and Wicker Park.
