Separation Anxiety
Training Certificate Program
Separation anxiety affects over 15 million dogs and their people in the U.S. alone. As a dog professional, you’re dedicated to helping dogs and humans live better lives together. There’s no way to have a bigger impact than learning to successfully treat SA cases.
Apply To The Program
We will resume accepting applications again in 2024.
Thank you for your interest in the Separation Anxiety Certification Program.
A Program Unlike Any Other
Unlike many available online, our certification program is exclusively offered to only the most experienced dog professionals in the business.
There is no other certification program available that has as high of admission standards, making CSATs the most respected and successful separation anxiety trainers throughout the world.
The CSAT credential is widely recognized as the most respected and long-standing in the field of separation anxiety – we’re even mentioned by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior who state in their newsletter that “CSATs are one of the best resources because they are truly experts in this behavior issue.”
The Details
Each participant studies with us for 3 months. The program is designed to work around work schedules and other obligations, but a commitment of 8 hours per week is required. (Students should generally expect 5 interactive hours plus another 3 hours of assignments.)
You will work from your home office, connected via web seminar, and other online technologies.
The tuition price is $3,950 USD. Payment plans are available; see application form for details.
The Certification Program for Separation Anxiety is designed for experienced professional dog trainers and behavior consultants. So that you can determine if this program might be right for you, we anticipate applicants will have the following experience:
A solid knowledge of learning theory, both operant conditioning and classical conditioning; and commitment to humane, force-free, positive reinforcement techniques.
A minimum of three years of experience working with clients and their dogs, with solid experience coaching and counseling clients through challenging behavior modification issues, such as fear and anxiety, reactivity and/or aggression.
The achievement of one or multiple organization and/or industry designations, such as: CPDT-KA, CPDT-KSA, CBCC-KA, CDBC, ACDBC, VSPDT, VSA, PMCT, PCT-A, PCBC-A, CAAB, ACAAB, DACVB, DCBC, CTC, KPA-CTP.
We are now accepting applications!
SA Certification Application Form
What You Learn
This course includes over 100 hours of intensive, instructor-led learning focusing on:
- in-depth separation anxiety information
- training details
- client support
- business and marketing
- technology reviews
- data collection
- body language reading
- up-to-date research information and discussions on findings.
Training is individualized with two 90-minute live discussion groups and open office hours weekly spanning over 14 weeks with significant attention to student questions and interests.
SA Certification Application Form
The program has the most extensive material in the industry, including case studies, distributed twice weekly in recorded webinars and video format.
Course material ls updated regularly to provide the most up-to-date data and information to ensure our CSATs have the high success rate possible with their cases. During the course, we discuss of the nuances of how and when to incorporate all environmental aspects such as pre-departure cues and other salient triggers. Special attention is paid to adapting successful protocols for special cases and circ*mstances: puppies, seniors, multi-dog households, and various comorbidities including sound sensitivity and confinement anxiety. We also provide detailed instruction in collecting and distilling data to drive behavior decisions.
Additionally, we help our students learn how to partner with vets and VBs (including written and verbal approaches) and provide accessible mechanisms for client communication and data tracking to help ensure you help clients and their dogs get the best results possible.
"I used to dread taking on separation anxiety cases as a trainer because the success rate was so low. Through Malena’s certification program my confidence level has been significantly boosted along with my success rate. Now, I tackle each case with enthusiasm knowing that long-term success in treating this complex behavior challenge is realistic and attainable."
Caryn Charlie Liles
"The CSAT course offered by Malena DeMartini and her fellow instructors was one of thebest investments I’ve ever made in over the 10 years working as a professional trainer.I’d long been averse to working on SA cases, even while aware of the desperate needexperienced by dogs and families affected by SA. In the wake of the course, I now feelvery confident and thoroughly prepared to offer expert professional help. Malena, Maia, and Tiffany are extraordinarily talented and compassionate instructors who invest deeply in the learning and success of each individual student. I am profoundly grateful to have been accepted into the course and would recommend it in the highest possible terms to anyone considering SA training as part of their practice. It was an exceptional learning experience!"
Bob Ryder
"If you are a dog trainer and considering taking separation anxiety clients, this is the program to take. It is an in-depth dive into separation anxiety that gives you the knowledge and tools to confidently work in this specialized field of dog training. Malenaand her team are knowledgeable, friendly and wonderful teachers."
Saundra Clow
"The CSAT program is incredible. I learned more than I expected and feel so much more prepared to successfully help dogs who struggle with absences (and the humans who love them!). Malena, Tiffany and Maia are fantastic instructors and give detailed, positive feedback. The small class size allows for a lot of personal attention and a sense of community. Every bit of the large amount of information provided was important anduseful, and the structure of the class kept that information from becoming too overwhelming. It’s a lot of hard work and all of it is worth it. I went into this course having some experience in separation anxiety (and 13 years as a trainer and behavior consultant) and came out of it knowing so much more and feeling a lot more prepared to truly help these dogs and people. I strongly recommend this course to anyone who wants to work with separation issues!"
Sarah Bond
"In more than two decades in the dog training field this was, by far, the best continuing education money I ever spent (and I’ve spent a lot). Buckle in. This course clears up applied behaviorism in ways you might not expect. And it will raise the bar on your understanding of thresholds, systematic desensitization, and client coaching to name just a few. Do you count yourself as a dog behavior expert already?Good. Step right up. It’s time to take your learning chops to the next level."
Michael Baugh
"I cannot recommend this course highly enough. I have been training professionally for nearly 10 years and have never taken separation anxiety cases until this course. I am so happy with my decision to never have taken SA in the past, my decision to take this course, and the move to finally start taking SA cases now. This course has given me every single detail I needed to feel 100% confident taking on SA cases and helping clients through this heart wrenching issue. I had no idea this course would be as phenomenal as it was, and I recommend it to all dog trainers interested in helping their clients work to resolve their dogs’ SA. This course will give you the skills, understanding, and confidence. It has literally been the best professional dog training course I have ever taken. I am so grateful for the privilege to have learned from the best of the best in successful SA resolution."
Victoria Thibodeaux
"I understood the concept of systematic desensitization but I didn’t really know where to start with applying it to separation anxiety. After taking this course, I felt very confident and I’m so happy to have been able to help hundreds of dogs and their families because of what I learned from Malena and her great team."
Tim Steele
"This was one of the best programs I’ve been through! I’m forever grateful for your mentorship. Because of my SA specialty, I am living my career dreams of full time SA and group class work."
Allison Lamminen
"This course was amazing and completely changed my career. Not to mention I used what I learned to help two of my dogs through their separation anxiety. I now work exclusively with separation anxiety clients."
Jane Wolff
"Separation Anxiety is something almost spoken in hushed tones in the dog trainingworld. I was nervous taking on this course, because I had a hard time believing I couldbe ready to truly help SepAnx dogs after only a few months of online training. I am soglad I went ahead with it because I feel so ready now after finishing the program. Not only did we receive the information we needed, but the instructors, the master splitters that they are, broke it down into small pieces for us to practice in such a way that I never felt lost or afraid to jump right in. They prepared us every step of the way and gave us the tools and confidence to move this mountain."
Rhea Northcut
"This course is a must for any trainer interested in helping dogs that suffer from separation anxiety! The knowledge and expertise that all the instructors have is remarkable. Well worth the time and money. Highly recommended."
Michael Schaier
"For many years I have wanted to take this course with Malena. Helping dogs withSeparation Anxiety has always been very close to my heart. Separation Anxiety ishard on the dog and the people that love them. As I learned in this course,Separation Anxiety is the number 1 researched topic about dogs. I have gone fromwishing that I could help these dogs and their families, and now realizing that Itruly can. I not only have the empathy, but I also have the knowledge, the ability,and the solution to change the life of this dog that suffers with Separation Anxiety.I can’t thank Malena enough for her commitment to these dogs and for sharing allher expertise with me. I also am grateful for instructors Tiffany and Maia for theirability to reach me when I struggled with a concept. Their hearts are so committedto helping their students."
Lynn Breary
As a practicing veterinarian, Malena's intensive, evidence-based CSAT program has empowered me to confidently approach cases of canine separation distress. Thanks to Malena, I am more confident in establishing my diagnosis and I also now have the tools to develop individualized desensitization protocols that work towards these dogs being more comfortable when left alone. I highly recommend Malena’s program to fellow veterinarians, particularly those who wish to assist clients and their dogs with separation anxiety.
Leonie McColl, DVM
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Personalized Instruction
We believe personalization of instruction is key to ensuring our graduates are set up to succeed. Small class sizes ensure student/teacher interaction is maximized and inter-student relationships can thrive. Your instruction is delivered by the foremost separation anxiety expert, Malena DeMartini, in addition to co-teaching provided by highly respected specialists.
Course material covered includes written materials, webinars, example dog videos, verbal instructions, and interactive discussions. You’ll learn the perspective of the leading experts in the SA field. Twice weekly carefully conceived assignments received with individualized feedback designed to increase each student’s competence and confidence in SA cases.
SA Certification Application Form
Exclusive Graduate Benefits
Once you have successfully completed your certification, you’ll continue to receive access to all course materials on our easy-to-use proprietary platform for reviewing all modules. Graduates become part of an exclusive community of expert trainers who regularly network and collaborate with one another to assist on cases and celebrate wins together. You’ll also gain access to a private Facebook group where ideas and the latest information is shared.
To further ensure your success we provide additional support and guidance via a mentorship program when working through your very first cases as well as access to powerful, proprietary, CSAT-exclusive software to support clients.
As a graduate, you’ll have future opportunities for continuing education, access to handouts and other materials to support clients, as well the latest research studies surrounding separation anxiety.
This certification process provides everything you need to effectively help dogs impacted
by separation anxiety, as well as the tools to successfully work with and manage client relationships.
SA Certification Application Form
