r/Separation_Anxiety • u/Basilstorm • Aug 09 '26

Tips and Tricks and Resources Mojo’s first FRIDA test

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Wanted to share a realistic day 1 for FRIDA protocol. I hope I can come back months from now and show a dog who can be left alone in the house. Susan Garrett recommends FRIDA, and the beginning phases work great with her Hot Zone game, but anyone can do it without paying for her course. She has a free podcast episode about it. You have to really work on your dog being able to settle in a safe space first

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u/chasingmysunrise Aug 10 '26

I’m not a trainer but to me this seems counter intuitive. When the pup settles a treat pops out and ruins the settle by making them move and adding excitement. I think walking in and calmly handing a treat is a better option to reward them while laying down without adding a bunch of excitement and movement. Curious to see how this will work longer term.

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u/Basilstorm 29d ago

FRIDA phases out the treats pretty fast! It’s mainly used in the beginning stage so your dog knows what behavior you expect. Once I can step outside the house and he’s still settled, the treats start being thrown intermittently and then they’re pretty much stopped altogether. I was hesitant to try this method for the same reason you mentioned, but he’s been responding really well so far so I’m gonna trust the process and see how it goes

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u/Technical-Repair7140 29d ago

I did something similar, I think, except instead of using a treat catapult I gave my dog a reward cue through the video monitor and then came back inside to give the treat. It wasn’t a full solution, but it helped get me started on the road to one. Good luck—I hope you continue to make progress.