How do I determine my dog’s baseline?
First, what is a baseline? A baseline is a reading of what your dog can currently handle without becoming upset. When we begin Separation Anxiety training, we want dogs to always stay below this tolerance level, even when determining baseline.
I tend to be conservative when determining a dog’s baseline. Here are the measurements I use, and which you can try with your dog:
Step One: Stand up, sit down
Step Two: Walk halfway towards door, return
Step Three: Walk to the door, touch the knob, return
Step Four: Walk to the door, open the door one Inch, close the door, return
Step Five: Walk to the door, open the door, step outside, close the door, immediately return
Each step is repeated 3-5 times, with a 10-15 second rest period between each step.
At all times during the above steps, the dog’s body language is carefully watched for any signs of discomfort. I encourage pet owners to practice to record/film their sessions. It helps to see subtle body language they may have missed during live sessions.
Make it stand out
**IF THE DOG BECOMES STRESSED, ANXIOUS OR TRIGGERED AT ANY STEP…STOP IMMEDIATELY!**
If the dog does well with all the steps, and does not show any signs of discomfort, I start working with duration. I begin with a tiny duration of 3 seconds or less. At no point in this process do I allow the dog to continue if they are showing signs of stress.
The dog’s baseline is the point where they are still comfortable with the departure process. This “baseline” measurement allows us to create a starting point for the dog’s training plan. If there is a particular “trigger” (i.e. touching the door knob), I may begin by concentrating on making that particular stimulus tolerable.
The Golden Rule: Always work at the dog’s pace. By keeping your dog feeling safe and below their fear threshold, they will learn to be comfortable when alone.
PLEASE NOTE: All dogs and all situations are unique. This is a basic outline of how to determine a baseline, but it may look different for your individual situation and dog. There are no “recipes” in good dog training and behavior modification. Please reach out for private coaching if you need help!
