Alexandra Santos
About us
How long has your life revolved around your dog’s separation anxiety?
Perhaps you go to work with a heavy heart and check your surveillance camera far more often than you’d like…
Maybe you turn down friends’ invitations because your dog can’t stay home without barking, howling, or destroying the house…
Or you rush through errands just to get back quickly…
And if we were having a cup of tea together, you might tell me how worn out you feel from carrying the stress, the guilt, and the constant worry.
You love your dog. You want him to be okay.
But despite everything you’ve tried, nothing seems to truly help or feel right.
Separation anxiety is a real condition — not naughtiness, not “being spoiled,” not “just missing you.”
It can be solved, but it needs a gradual, structured, compassionate process based on solid science.
And just as importantly, you deserve guidance and support along the way.
That’s where I can help.
I don't use punishments, as a dog doesn't need them to learn!
I’m Alexandra — a canine behavior consultant and dog trainer. Here is my background in brief:
- Completed the Diploma of Advanced Canine Psychology (Animal Care College, UK) with honors.
- Completed the Diploma of Advanced Dog Training (Companion Animal Sciences Institute, Canada) with distinction.
- Written and co-written scientific articles published in the Journal of Applied Companion Animal Behavior and for the International Institute for Applied Companion Animal Behavior.
- Author of Cachorros (KNS Ediciones, Spain), O meu cão e eu, and Cão educado, dono feliz (A Esfera dos Livros, Portugal), as well as the guides Puppy Training: How to Housetrain Your Puppy Effectively, and How to Leash Train Your Dog and Enjoy Walking Him (Amazon).
- Guest lecturer in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Universidade Lusófona; regular presenter for the Pet Professional Guild (USA) and Edogtorial (Spain); and instructor of in-person seminars in Portugal.
Sessions are done exclusively online: personalized, structured behavior plans that prioritize science-based techniques and the emotional wellbeing of both dog and human.
Specialties: separation anxiety and generalized anxiety in adopted dogs — approached in an efficient, compassionate, step-by-step way that meets you where you are.
Full diagnostics
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Awarded service
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Frequently Asked Questions
Working with Alexandra means having someone by your side who brings together science, five years of academic training in animal behavior, more than 20 years of hands-on experience, and genuine empathy.
Over the years, I’ve worked with thousands of families and developed a systematic, structured approach that truly works — always adapted to your dog’s pace and individual needs.
You’ll receive specialist, personalized guidance, clear step-by-step instructions, and ongoing support, so you can feel confident and reassured throughout the process 😊
My goal is to work alongside you throughout a gradual, systematic process — always with support, never with criticism or judgement.
I aim to help you feel confident, focused on resolving your dog’s anxiety, and able to move forward even when the journey feels challenging.
I hope to build a real partnership with you:
- with clear, achievable goals;
- with open communication;
- and with a commitment to positive, respectful training.
When we work as a team, progress happens — and the whole process becomes lighter and easier.
I offer two specialized programs: one focused on separation anxiety, and another designed for generalized anxiety in adopted dogs.
These issues require a very specific approach, so each program has its own structure — but the process itself is always personalized.
Although I use scientifically proven techniques consistently, every dog (and every owner) has their own needs and learning pace. That’s why the work is always adapted to you and your dog.
Yes, that’s essential. Dogs need repetition to learn and the repetitions done in a 1 hour-long class once a week aren’t enough. You need to learn the exercises so you can train your dog a bit every day in between classes.
For anxiety issues — whether separation anxiety or generalized anxiety — to be fully resolved and stay resolved, the process needs to be consistent, continuous, and carried through to the end.
Regular sessions are what keep the work on track, prevent setbacks, and allow the plan to be adjusted as your dog progresses.
Because every dog has their own pace — and there’s no fixed timeline for changing an emotional state — it’s essential to respect that rhythm.
For that reason, weekly or bi-weekly sessions are ideal, depending on how your dog is responding to the work we’re doing together.
Anxiety issues are something we take very seriously, and your dog’s emotional and physical well-being is always our top priority. We also want you to feel comfortable and confident with every step of the process.
That’s why we work exclusively with science-based techniques that focus on changing your dog’s emotional state — not on using punitive methods to control behavior.
We never use — or recommend — techniques that could cause stress, fear, or additional anxiety.
The goal is for your dog to learn to feel safe and calm, and for you to feel supported and confident throughout the entire process.
It wouldn’t be ethical or honest to guarantee results, because behavior isn’t an exact science. Success also depends on several factors, including:
- your consistency and commitment to following the program
- practicing with your dog on a daily basis
- your dog not having any medical or neurological condition that affects learning
What we can guarantee is our knowledge and expertise, dedication, and full support at every stage of the process, so your dog’s progress can be long-lasting.
Because this is a personalized professional service that requires time to prepare, schedule, and deliver the sessions, refunds cannot be issued once the program has started or after any sessions have taken place.
Your program requires my time, expertise, preparation, and ongoing support — elements that cannot be “returned” or rescheduled once provided.
If you need to cancel before the program begins, you may request a refund up to 3 days before the first session.
In exceptional circumstances (such as health emergencies), please speak with me — understanding and trust are always part of the process.
Life happens, and unexpected situations come up — I understand that.
If you need to reschedule, you’re always welcome to do so; I only ask for at least 24 hours’ notice, so your time slot can be offered to another dog parent.
Sessions canceled with less than 24 hours’ notice, or in case of a no-show, are considered completed.
This policy exists to respect everyone’s time and to ensure that each family receives a consistent, high-quality, and smooth learning process.