
084 Sophie the Romanian Rescue—Helping a Dog Who's Scared of the World with Simon Wooler
Be Right Back! The Separation Anxiety PodcastShow Notes
In this episode, we're not talking about separation anxiety. Instead we're looking at how to help a dog with different fears. Tune in to hear my interview with Simon Wooler. Simon has been working with Sophie the Romanian Rescue and her family, Rory Cellan-Jones and Diane Coyle. It's a wonderful, heartwarming story. Not only will you love Sophie and her humans, you'll love Simon's adivce for anyone working with a fearful dog.
*** About Simon Wooler Simon is a qualified trainer, certified by the Academy for Dog Trainers, one of the most rigorous dog behaviour and training programmes in the world. He has been training dogs for the past twelve years, specialising in fear and aggression. He has worked as a volunteer trainer for Black Retriever Cross Rescue in Wiltshire. His goal is always to help owners feel confident, in control and enjoy training their dogs because when it comes to success, having fun through the process is part of delivering a great result. Simon came to dog training after 20 years as a sound engineer so loud barking hardly registers on his personal decibel scale. His own troubled dog, Thomson, was the motivator for seeking out effective, evidence-based training methods. If you would like Si's help with your fearful dog, his website is sociabledog.com. You can also find Simon on Twitter, where he's shared updates on Sophie. And of course you can follow Sophie's adventures on Rory Cellan-Jones' Twitter account.
Meanwhile, back to separation anxiety. :) If you have a dog with separation anxiety you can download my free guide here.
More from Be Right Back! The Separation Anxiety Podcast
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Imagine being able to send a letter to your past self, filled with wisdom and advice about the challenging road ahead with a dog who has separation anxiety. Today, I'm doing just that. I'll share the 10 key lessons that I wish I knew 13 years ago, from the emotional ups and downs to the importance of ignoring opinions and seeking expert advice. For information on how I can help you, visit my website: julienaismith.com
In this episode, we're diving into a topic that many of you may have considered: can we ever really cure separation anxiety? Is it possible to fully and finally get dogs over this condition such that they have a normal response to being left alone—a permanent change that we might describe as a cure? Well, join me as I look at what we really mean by separation anxiety recovery. I'll explain why I think talk of curing or fixing is unhelpful. And I'll explore the reality of recovery and ongoing management. I'll also discuss why the return of old fears doesn't mean recovery is unattainable. Whether you're dealing with a panicky dog or a FOMO-dog who fears missing out, this episode is packed with insights and strategies to help both you and your pup. So grab a seat, tune in, and let's delve in what it really means to get a dog over separation anxiety. For more information on how I can help you get a dog you can leave, visit julienaismith.com.
If you've ever put off separation anxiety training, you are definitely not alone. Procrastination in training is such a common issue. Human brains are naturally inclined to seek immediate rewards, and a session of separation training definitely doesn't deliver that. It's all about long-term pay back. No wonder then, that it can be easy to put training off. But there's a nifty hack I want to share with you, that will help you bust procrastination. It's called the Two Minute Rule. And no, it's in no way related to how long food is safe on the floor after being dropped. This rule is all about setting a 2-minute limit for a task. It might seem weird, but doing this surprisingly motivates us to continue beyond that short time limit. And in this episode, we delve into the science behind procrastination, how the Two Minute Rule generates a sense of accomplishment, and how it can help you get started when you'd rather do anything else but separation anxiety training. Remember, separation anxiety training isn't about instant gratification. It's a long-term investment for your dog's wellbeing (and your wellbeing too!). Which is why I love the Two Minute Rule: it helps us manage our motivation for training sessions and conquer feelings of procrastination. So, if you've been putting off training, tune in and discover the power of the Two Minute Rule to overcome your training hurdles. For more information on how separation anxiety training works, grab my free cheat sheet by clicking here.