I quit my job because my dog would whine every time I left the house – here’s how I cured his separation anxiety: ‘I had to do something’
- Asha Dillon, a nutritionist, quit her job because her dog had separation anxiety
- The Sydney woman started her own brand of pet vitamins Leadr Pet
- Her Cocker Spaniel is now much calmer after going on supplements
Asha Dillon was so distressed about her puppy whining and crying every time she left the house she quit her job to help him with his separation anxiety.
The qualified nutritionist and product developer spent most of her spare time with her Cocker Spaniel, Romeo, but it still wasn’t enough.
Romeo would howl, tear up Asha’s furniture, follow her into every room in the house and even insisted on being in the bathroom when she showered.
He also exhibited various other signs of behavioural issues such as gnawing at Asha’s Bottega shoes, clinging to her, and cowering behind furniture in the wake of a storm.
‘I felt responsible for Romeo’s destructive behaviour, and I just had to do everything in my power to help him,’ Asha, from Sydney, told FEMAIL.
Asha Dillon was so distressed to see her puppy whine and cry every time she left the house that she quit her job to help the dog with its separation anxiety
Asha had five dogs growing up, and most of them had been anxious – but none as bad as Romeo.
‘I’ve honestly had so many pets with issues, I decided I had to do something to fix it,’ she said.
Romeo exhibited various other signs of behavioural issues like gnawing at Asha’s Bottega shoes [pictured]
The 30-year old soon quit her product development job at Bod Australia and started working on a solution that would help Romeo adjust better to being alone for long periods of time.
Asha previously worked at various ASX-listed companies and developed more than 75 human supplements during her decade in the wellness industry.
She first conceptualised her own brand, Leadr Pet, when she realised that pets suffer from many of the same problems as humans.
‘All my friends and family started telling me about how dogs have issues just like we do – they have sensitive tummies, diarrhoea, IBS, joint problems, stress, anxiety.
‘We’re millennials – our dogs are like our children and we want them to be as happy and comfortable as possible. A lot of the pets who were adopted during the pandemic – including Romeo – have developed intense bouts of separation anxiety.
‘It’s especially hard because you spent so much of your time at home during lockdown – and then you’re just gone and your pet doesn’t know how to live without you.’
The qualified nutritionist and product developer spent most of her spare time with her Cocker Spaniel, Romeo, but all the hours she could afford on her busy schedule weren’t enough
What are the signs of separation anxiety in dogs?
Common signs of separation anxiety:
Destructive behaviour
Howling, barking whining
Following you around
Going to the toilet indoors
Excessive excitement upon return
Cowering at loud noises
Easy-to-miss signs you should look out for:
Trembling, panting
Excessive salivation
Vomiting
Self-injury (tail biting or paw licking)
Repetitive acts (circling, pacing)
Not eating meals when you’re out
Source: RSPCA
Asha originally looked into the world of pet supplements because her friends kept asking her what they could give their dogs – but she soon realised a lot of products were ‘completely unsuitable’ for pets
Asha had five dogs growing up, and most of them had been anxious – but none as bad as Romeo who had a hard time functioning without Asha present
Asha originally looked into the world of pet supplements because her friends kept asking her what they could give their dogs – but she soon realised that many products were ‘completely unsuitable’ for pets.
Her problems with the products included a lack of clarity in regard to dosage of active ingredients and the physical form of the supplements.
‘A lot of pet supplements come in pills, powders, and capsules,’ she said. ‘Which is just unfeasible – dogs just spit it out and refuse to eat it.’
Despite her anxiety about failing and using her own savings to fund a start up, Asha quit her job and began developing pet supplements to tackle everyday issues that household dogs and cats experience.
Her brand’s supplements are sold in the form of chew toy treats – which make pets excited to take their vitamins.
Despite her anxiety about failing and using her own savings to fund a start up, Asha quit her job and began developing pet supplements to tackle everyday issues that household dogs and cats experience
Asha’s own dog, Romeo, started showing a difference just days after going on Settle , Leadr Pet’s anxiety supplement
‘What I reminded myself of is that the products I developed for Leadr work, they’re needed and there’s nothing like them on the market,’ she said.
The secret to Asha’s success is using the vitamins and herbal extracts she relies on for her own stress and anxiety in Leadr’s supplements.
Romeo started showing a difference just days after going on Settle, Leadr Pet’s anxiety supplement.
‘A lot of our customers see a difference in their dog’s anxiety within just days of starting on Settle,’ Asha said.
‘For Romeo, it was probably four days where I really saw his separation anxiety start to decrease and I was able to leave him home by himself for longer periods of time.
‘He also stopped seeking things to chew, like expensive shoes – which is a sign he wasn’t suffering as much.’
One of the bets aspects of running her own business is the flexibility, and Asha can now spend more time at home with her pet
Asha said one of the best aspects of running her own business was the flexibility; she can now spend more time at home with her pet.
‘I love spending time with Romeo and try to do so as much as possible, but my days are full of meetings. So while I am around him more, my engagement with him is less than I would like,’ she said.
Asha walks Romeo twice a day and engages in an hour of play time to ensure he’s mentally stimulated and gets his exercise.
‘When I do have to leave him for long periods, I’m never concerned – Settle has really done wonders and he is so calm and relaxed.’
All of Asha’s pet products are made from natural ingredients and include several components present in human supplements.
In the five months since its launch, Leadr has sold more than 30,000 chews to pet owners all over Australia.
‘Customers have called me crying and saying that they’ve tried everything under the sun to fix their pet’s separation anxiety but nothing had worked – until now,’ Asha said.
‘They were honestly shocked by how quickly Settle was able to calm their furry friends and provide them with inner peace.
‘A lot of our customers are repeat purchasers and I’ve seen them buy more bags of supplement treats every month.’
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