About Julie

The separation anxiety expert behind it all

I've spent 15 years helping dogs with separation anxiety — including my own dog Percy, who couldn't be left alone for a minute when I first got him.

Julie with a dog
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Episode 24: How to Fix Separation Anxiety

Sample Exercise Plan

Ever wondered what a separation anxiety training exercise actually looks like? Here’s a sample to give you an idea. Each exercise is a series of short absences building toward a target duration.

This is an example only — every dog’s plan is different. Your trainer or the Be Right Back app will create exercises tailored to your dog.

Assessment duration

1:30

Target duration

1:35

Step Duration
1 0:20
2 0:30
3 0:35
4 0:15
5 0:30
6 0:40
7 1:45

Notice how the durations don’t just go up in a straight line — that’s by design. The Be Right Back app builds these plans automatically for your dog, adjusting based on how each session goes.

Listen to the full episode for more on this topic:

Episode 24: What You Need to Know to Actually Fix Separation Anxiety →
Julie Naismith

Written by Julie Naismith

Dog separation anxiety specialist. 15 years of experience, 100,000+ guardians helped, author of four books, and creator of the Be Right Back program.

About Julie →

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