Many guardians working through separation anxiety training reach a stage where they feel trapped by the process itself. Driving away, truly driving away, can seem impossible unless someone else is there to stay with the dog. At some point, the walls start to feel as though they’re closing in. The freedom to pop out on a whim disappears, replaced by constant monitoring and anxious glances at the video feed. For some, that moment of realisation comes when the idea of watching one more...

This is a coming-out story, but maybe not the kind you’d expect. It’s the story of a dog trainer who couldn’t fix her own dog. There, it’s out. People say hair stylists don’t do their own hair, teachers don’t teach their own children every subject, and dentists don’t fill their own cavities. But when you’re a dog trainer, it feels different. It’s a point of pride that your dogs greet guests politely, perform a few clever tricks, never eat questionable things in the garden, and certainly don’t...

It’s common to talk about dogs who struggle with being left alone, but what about the humans who feel the same way? Many guardians find that leaving their dog, even for a short time, brings up genuine anxiety or guilt. The feeling is more widespread than you might think. Some people describe a mild unease when they’re away from their dog, while others find travelling or being apart almost impossible. The reasons vary. For some, it starts after something goes wrong, perhaps a dog becomes...