Bea & Swara
Jess and the Underdog Collective changed my and my pup, Bea's, lives. When I first rescued Bea, it became very clear that she did not have a healthy relationship with being alone. Regardless of what well-meaning dog owners advised us, Bea simply could not "cry it out." She would pant, cry, whine and howl for as many hours as it would take for me to return home. It was completely heart-breaking, and as others in similar positions can attest, completely overwhelming and frustrating. Since crying it out was (obviously) not an option, Bea and I started working on a gradual desensitization program with another trainer in the Fall of 2021, and later tried to do it ourselves. After months, we had developed a pretty solid foundation, but we simply could not crack the code and develop meaningful progress.
And then came Jess (and her trusty sidekick, Lu). Jess is an incredible trainer because she is an expert in what she's doing. She has the right tools and has first hand experience to help navigate separation anxiety. And Jess was able to use those tools and experience to meet Bea and I at our level, and take what we could manage. That meant solo training on three days a week (at most) instead of the usual five. It also meant thoroughly tracking almost a dozen variables on Jess's amazing spreadsheets until we could figure out what was getting Bea stuck. And it also meant taking a break when Bea's needs did not allow us to pursue training, or when my work or personal schedule did not allow me to focus on it.
But here's what really really makes Jess a *remarkable* trainer. Unlike so many trainers, Jess advocated for both Bea's needs and my needs as her well-intentioned but burned out human. I started focusing more on identifying and meeting Bea's unique needs, which for us meant (safe) off-leash time or time spent in nature. Jess tailored our gradual desensitization program so that I was also meeting my needs. That meant helping me create a support system so that I could leave Bea without compromising her progress and safety. To do that, Jess found resources to help me manage Bea's separation anxiety where I live -- she helped me find sitters, a daycare, and an AMAZING behavioral vet. Jess's approach made this grueling process so much more sustainable and fundamentally changed my relationship with Bea for the better.
Bea graduated from separation training this past January. She can consistently be left home alone in the evenings for over 6 hours without issue. It honestly feels like I have my life back. And it is really all thanks to Jess.