Free Separation Anxiety Webinar

We’re delighted to welcome Zaira Battaglia, one of Scotland’s top separation anxiety specialists, to Esk Valley Dog Training.

Zaira holds the specialist qualifications CSAP-BC (Certified Separation Anxiety Pro Behaviour Consultant) and VSA-CDT, reflecting her professional training and expertise in helping dogs experiencing separation-related difficulties.

Her approach is built around understanding each dog’s emotional experience, recognising the subtle signs of anxiety and developing carefully structured training programmes that progress at a pace the individual dog can comfortably manage.

Rather than offering generic advice or expecting owners to work through complicated training plans independently, Zaira provides ongoing personal guidance, regularly reviews training videos and adjusts exercises according to each dog’s responses.

You’ll be working directly with Zaira throughout your programme, with specialist support extending well beyond your scheduled consultations.

And because separation anxiety training is delivered remotely, we can support dogs and their families throughout Edinburgh, Midlothian, the Lothians and across Scotland, as well as further afield.

🐾 Helping Your Dog Feel Safe When Home Alone

Perhaps your dog barks, howls, paces, scratches at doors or becomes visibly distressed the moment they realise you’re leaving. 

Maybe they follow you from room to room, become anxious when you pick up your keys or struggle to cope even when you’re only gone for a few minutes.

But separation anxiety doesn’t just affect your dog.

It can gradually take over your entire life.

A quick trip to the shops becomes something you have to organise around your dog. Going out for dinner means finding someone to stay with them, and spontaneous plans become a thing of the past. Perhaps you’ve stopped accepting invitations altogether because arranging care is simply too difficult.

And when you do manage to leave, are you really enjoying yourself? Or are you checking the camera, worrying about whether your dog is barking, upsetting the neighbours or becoming increasingly distressed?

It’s exhausting, and the guilt can be relentless. You love your dog, you want them to be happy, but sometimes it feels as though your entire life revolves around making sure they’re never left alone.

And perhaps the most frustrating part is that you’ve already tried everything you can think of.

You’ve left the television on, bought enrichment toys, tried making departures less of a big deal or followed advice to leave your dog for gradually increasing periods. You might even have been told to let them cry it out because they’ll eventually get used to being alone.

But what if some of those approaches are actually making things worse?

For a dog experiencing genuine separation anxiety, being left alone isn’t simply something they dislike. It can be genuinely frightening, and repeatedly exposing them to that fear can reinforce their distress rather than help them overcome it.

Your dog doesn’t need to learn to tolerate panic. They need help learning to feel safe.

At Esk Valley Dog Training, our specialist separation anxiety programmes focus on understanding your dog’s individual emotional responses and helping them gradually develop confidence with being alone.

With Zaira’s expertise, carefully structured training and ongoing individual support, you won’t be left wondering whether you’re doing the right thing or trying to work through setbacks by yourself.

You’ll have an experienced specialist guiding you, reviewing your dog’s progress and helping you make informed decisions throughout the training process.

And while every dog progresses differently, the goal is something that can feel almost unimaginable when you’re living with separation anxiety: a dog who feels more comfortable being alone, and an owner who can begin to enjoy greater freedom without the constant worry.

Separation anxiety training isn’t about forcing a dog to get used to being alone. It’s about helping them gradually feel safe and confident when separated from their owners, using a carefully structured approach that avoids deliberately exposing them to overwhelming distress.

Your journey begins with a 60-minute online consultation with Zaira, during which she’ll explore your dog’s history, behaviour, daily routine and experiences of being left alone. This helps her understand your dog’s individual circumstances and recommend the most appropriate next steps.

If ongoing training is appropriate, Zaira will recommend one of our specialist separation anxiety programmes. Your dog’s training exercises will be carefully designed around their individual needs and adjusted as their confidence develops.

This is where our approach really stands apart.

Rather than attending an occasional appointment and being left to manage everything yourself, you’ll receive ongoing specialist guidance throughout your programme.

Using SA Pro, our dedicated separation anxiety training platform, you’ll follow your personalised exercises, submit training videos and receive individual feedback from Zaira. She’ll regularly review your dog’s responses, identify subtle signs of anxiety and adapt your training accordingly.

You’re not simply buying training sessions. You’re receiving a supported, individualised training programme with an experienced specialist guiding you throughout.

Every dog is different, and some families benefit from a longer period of specialist guidance than others. We offer three programmes, allowing Zaira to recommend the most appropriate level of support following your consultation.

Our most comprehensive separation anxiety programme, providing twelve weeks of dedicated specialist support.

Diamond is designed for owners who want the greatest level of ongoing professional guidance throughout their dog’s training journey. Over twelve weeks, Zaira will work closely with you, developing individualised exercises, regularly reviewing training videos and providing personalised feedback through SA Pro.

With five additional 45-minute consultations, Diamond offers extensive opportunities to discuss challenges, review progress and adjust your dog’s training as their confidence develops.

Your Diamond Programme Includes:

✅ Twelve weeks of personalised separation anxiety training and ongoing specialist support.

✅ Individualised exercises, regularly reviewed and adapted to your dog’s needs and progress.

✅ Regular video analysis, detailed feedback and direct guidance through SA Pro.

✅ Five 45-minute online consultations with Zaira for individual guidance and problem-solving.

✅ One 60-minute final review to assess progress and develop a longer-term training plan.

💜 Diamond offers our highest level of ongoing specialist support, providing the time, guidance and individual attention to help you and your dog make meaningful, sustainable progress.

Eight weeks of extended specialist support, providing additional time and guidance as your dog develops confidence with being alone.

Platinum combines individualised separation anxiety training with regular video reviews, ongoing feedback and direct support from Zaira through SA Pro.

The extended programme provides additional opportunities to work through challenges, build on progress and develop your understanding of your dog’s emotional responses, with two dedicated 45-minute consultations alongside the ongoing support.

Your Platinum Programme Includes:

✅ Eight weeks of personalised separation anxiety training and ongoing specialist support.

✅ Individualised exercises, regularly reviewed and adjusted as your dog progresses.

✅ Regular video reviews, personalised feedback and direct guidance through SA Pro.

✅ Two 45-minute online consultations with Zaira to discuss progress and challenges.

✅ One 60-minute final review to assess progress and plan the next steps.

💙 Platinum provides an extended period of professional guidance, helping you build confidence in your training while giving your dog time to develop at their own pace.

Four weeks of dedicated specialist support, providing a structured introduction to individualised separation anxiety training.

Gold combines a personalised training programme with regular video reviews, ongoing feedback and individual guidance from Zaira through SA Pro.

Throughout the four weeks, Zaira will monitor your dog’s progress, adapt exercises as needed and help you develop the understanding and skills required to continue training.

Your Gold Programme Includes:

✅ Four weeks of personalised separation anxiety training and specialist support.

✅ Individualised exercises, carefully designed around your dog’s needs.

✅ Regular video reviews, personalised feedback and ongoing guidance through SA Pro.

✅ One 30-minute online consultation with Zaira to discuss progress and challenges.

✅ One 60-minute final review to assess progress and plan your dog’s continued training.

💚 Gold provides a professionally supported starting point, helping you establish the foundations for a calmer, more confident future with your dog.

All three programmes provide the same personalised, welfare-focused approach. The difference is the duration of support and the amount of additional consultation time available.

“My 1-year-old Cavapoo, Marlo, had really bad anxiety the minute I even tried to get to the door, or if he lost sight of me for a second.

Working with Zaira was definitely the best decision for me and Marlo. Her calm and positive attitude has completely changed his view on being alone. The tailored training plan worked so well, and now he feels safe being on his own. We still have work to do, but now we know how to train.

I would absolutely recommend Zaira to anyone with a dog suffering from separation anxiety. The difference in Marlo is huge. He hasn’t only changed in being left alone — he’s also more confident in general, his recall has improved, and his behaviour overall is better.

During the 8 weeks, both Marlo and I learned so much. Mummy and Marlo are very grateful for all you did for us.”

“Kind, knowledgeable and professional is how I would describe Zaira (Being Dog). She explained things clearly and guided us step by step through the training. At the end of our sessions we understood the subtle signs that our dog displays when she is unsure. Throughout the training there were never extreme moments of panic, unlike before we started, and we now feel able to set our own durations and continue training independently.

We are based in Southern Spain, but with online meetings and cameras in our home, we were able to do the training remotely with no problem.

I love good customer service and this lady exceeded our expectations on every count. I thoroughly recommend getting in touch with her. I only wish we’d done it sooner. Thank you, Zaira.”

“We booked Zaira for her 4-week course to help with our dog’s separation anxiety, and she went way beyond our expectations. Throughout the course she remained calm, professional, and extremely supportive, even when training was difficult.

We’ve learnt an enormous amount about our dog and his personality, as well as about dog behaviour in general. We now feel armed with the knowledge to keep building on this training. We would not hesitate to recommend Zaira to anyone looking for help with our dog’s separation anxiety”