Training Your Dog To Be Alone: How To Use "Play" to Overcome Separation Anxiety

Training Our Dogs to Be Alone ❤️‍🔥 Thank you BARK for sponsoring this episode! Get a FREE EXTRA MONTH of BarkBox: barkbox.com/do... AND Super Chewer box: superchewer.co... when you sign up using my special links!!
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Thank you so much for watching this video! If you have any feedback, requests for future content, or just want to tell us about your dog… We’ll see you in the comments!! 🤗 - Zak and Bree (and Inertia… and Veronica! 🐾)

[@henrycavill3367]

It's insane how much time you have to put in for training a puppy. That's what this channel has taught me. Putting in the work and teaching with positive reinforcement is worth it.

[@Chriztine111]

Your content is awesome! I just wish u’d lose the clickbaity thumbnails.

[@evilsmaster8876]

same

[@Rosebuddy777]

Absolutely the same. The clickbait makes me NOT watch. I think youtube has their creator coaches making all the bigger accounts do this. Really tired of it and it’s not working.

[@ixizn]

I’ve never understood the reasoning behind doing that. Do people not think their content is worthy of being watched for what it is? And if that’s the case, what will a clickbaity thumbnail/title do to help? Like I get that it’s a lot of people’s income, but why not be upfront about what you’re selling, so to speak. Maybe it does help get more people to click on it, but in my experience it’s just annoying to any “core” audience who would’ve happily watched the content for what it is, and a lot of other people who click because they were drawn in by a misleading thumbnail will most likely exit once they realize and maybe won’t even give the creator another chance if they see them again after that. Maybe I’m completely wrong but it just doesn’t seem good for longterm engagement anyway. (Nothing against Zak personally, I love his content too! Just speaking generally here. I’ve stopped watching a handful of people who kept doing this because in the end it’s felt like they were more concerned about the public’s reaction and the numbers, rather than trusting in the quality of what they had to share.)

[@bubbag8895]

He's a good dog trainer, but all the thumbnails, marketing ploys, and fake bs he advocates for makes it hard to respect him.

[@deepdooper3441]

@@ixizn studies have shown that clickbait = more views. People often talk about this kind of stuff openly and have admitted that you just have to play the game since the rules are clear.

[@technicolor965]

This was the funniest barkbox ad you've ever done, I loved it 😂

[@emmafrankie2021]

Veronica is doing super well with her training and bree is doing amazing with her.

[@Sunshine-hv1eu]

Our pup was very upset locked in a crate-not because he was home alone, but because he was trapped in a crate. As soon as we let him be free, he was totally calm and quiet when we went out. So for a couple of months, we worked hard to help him feel confident and learn house manners…and didn’t leave him -then we felt confident he could make good choices that were compatible with our human expectations. 😃❤️ We left him with a huge treat search course, so he would get mentally tired and satisfied…and he would go to his crate afterwards and sleep (spied thru Furbo) He enjoys his two soft crates because he loves a den atmosphere, but we never lock him in them now. He did great locked in a cage at the vet (once for neutering and another for dental cleaning) because he hadn’t associated the crate with loneliness, anxiety, helplessness. We have a neighbor who leaves their dog locked in a crate for several hours-and the dog cries and howls, jumps and rattles the bars non-stop. This has been going on for seven months. 🎃

[@jennybozynski1660]

It took me two years to train my poodle. She is doing great now.

[@Here_This]

That was nice , Inertia didn't try to "steal" the frizbee , when Veronica was learning to catch it .☺

[@claracasabona]

Thanks for all the free content about training dogs and sharing all the challenges of it!. Thanks to your recommandations our puppy is learning so much 😍🐕

[@anonanonymous1970]

Why is there a CA$5 icon next to this post? Is the poster paid?

[@claracasabona]

@@anonanonymous1970 I give 5$ directly for the video to encourage his work. I am a huge fun of his content and wanted to thank him 🤗

[@mjw9995]

They have a patreon too,I believe. I’m going to start trying to contribute monthly. This is a great thing that they’re doing and I hope their training style encourages others to treat their own dogs more kindly.

[@anonanonymous1970]

@@claracasabona Oh, that's great!

[@SysterYster]

When we trained our dog to be alone, we had to start with 10 minutes. Previous owner said it was fine to leave him at home for 2-3 hours. We did, and he barked nonstop for 3 hours, only with a 10 min pause. I'm glad we recorded that so we learned that that was not ok. we trained every day for two months, and after that he could go for 1,5 hours without barking or anything. He was ready for work. lol. At work, he's learned to be alone for up to 3 hours. It goes really well. :)

[@jessicaroberts8250]

When you started with the 10 minutes did you leave a kong or anything?

[@SysterYster]

@@jessicaroberts8250 We did at first, but he plain ignores anything edible when we leave, and he still does. So we just give him water, and reward with a lickimat with bacon cheese when we get back. :) We did however make sure he only had one room to be in. Because then he doesn't need to get stressed about running around and keeping watch on all the rooms. That helped. We leave him in his favourite room, with blankets (on the couch) and water. We also make sure he is relaxed and calm before we leave. If we leave when he is anxious or realizes we're about to go, he gets wound up and then he barks way more. Though now, when he's used to it, he stops barking pretty soon, but in the beginning, if he was stressed when we left, he'd continue barking. We also trained just opening and closing the door multiple times without actually leaving to make him accustomed to it.

[@longboardluv2]

I'm really looking forward to the videos on how to train them to be happy at home alone! We just got a 5-month-old golden retriever who is so adorable and loving but we're still afraid of The Next Step I'm leaving him home alone. He does love his crate at night though

[@RavenRose88]

Our cctv camera from Yi helped with being able to leave mine. All i had to do was tell her to "lie down and settle down" and she would!

[@courtneybreaud806]

I’m excited I’m getting my puppy early December a mini Aussiedoodle

[@SysterYster]

I'm glad you said "It takes two years to train a dog". Cause we've had ours for 6 months, and I feel sometimes like nothing's happening. XD Other times it feels like it's going great, but the setbacks are many and happen often. lol. It's an adopted dog, so he's 3 years old now. Maybe we have to accept that he won't be wonder-dog until he's five. XD

[@RailcarRosieart]

This is really helpful to hear because I'm training my dog right now but I've traveled with him ever since he was a puppy and it's really difficult to decipher what he needs trained on because he was good in some ways on the road but now in a house he has a lot of problems I didn't see and on top of that he has a problem I did know he had.

[@chloechartier2707]

So happy you guys made it to Alaska! Getting our dog to be happy and calm when we leave him alone is a big challenge for us, so I'm looking forward to seeing how Veronica does and all your tips and tricks :D

[@folkgirrl]

When you have a house in the middle of nowhere this is possible, but like me, many people live in an apartment or have neighbors. You can't just leave your pup alone to yelp it out for hours. I would get a letter from the housing company to either leave, or get rid of the dog..

[@larissasparks8741]

Love your videos - always entertaining and informative. Love seeing a little bit of your life with Bree and the pups ❤

[@CreativeDiamondDogs]

Future video, Inertia vs Veronica frisbee contest!

[@youngchuchu08]

❤yes take years to train since we did so with our GS girl

[@lisadehart1]

Great video. I always learn something new. Soon I'll be inheriting my son's 2 year old dog. So I may have to go back to the basics 😬 Thru your vids I've been able to train my 2 year old dog amazing well. Hope I can do the same with my son's dog🤞

[@TheLifeofKiara]

This made me miss Alaska . I lived out there for 3 years and omg I love the whole frisbee training . Where did y’all get Veronica’s crate from ? (If you don’t mind me asking) ~new viewer . Glad I found your channel

[@Jul202]

Since I'm from a tiny country compared to the U.S. I can't imagine how long your trip must've taken. Is that a trip that takes several weeks? 🤔 and it's really amazing to see that progress! Inertia is just an angel like always and Veronica will figure it out eventually 😅🥰

[@carmenjoydoucette8488]

My guess would be roughly 6000 km. I did a quick google search, and it auto-inputted Chicago, Illenois for me. That is slightly north and east, while still remaining central. The result was 5753 km or 3575 miles. I suspect they live further south, as it seems a more mild climate, so the results would not be accurate. In essence, they traverse most of the North American continent, going THROUGH Canada, which is the second-largest country. (The US is 5th, I believe). It is a considerable distance.

[@trinacogitating4532]

I got curious, and looked this trip up online. It's approx 4354 miles, an estimated 70-hour drive, not including stops. This was a pleasure trip for them, so maybe 2 to 3 weeks, in total. It' an impressive trip. The trip was from New Orleans to near Anchorage, Alaska.

[@jeno264]

Inertia and Veronica are so awesome!! Love these videos!

[@teddydunn3513]

Bungee leashes don't allow you to communicate with your dog because there's no clear point at which you've indicated to them they've gone too far or too fast.

[@joycolli2023]

Hi! I love your videos and I’m getting a new baby in December!! Cannot wait🙌🙌🎉🎉❤️❤️❤️

[@jacobwelsh7735]

I love your videos

[@misscrankypantss]

Omggg I loveee that werewolf toy it's ingenius.

[@FishFlowFN]

Greg Solomon is back

[@beth8401]

Loving all the Veronica videos!

[@kimreese8434]

Always enjoy your training. I miss your traditional content without the silliness, but that's just me. Still hanging in to try to learn. Take good care always.

[@zakgeorge]

But traditionally I’ve always been pretty silly!

[@evilsmaster8876]

@@zakgeorge in a different, better way

[@ashapuri3114]

What if the dog is not keen on frisbee and balls?

[@patriciafletcher4885]

Perfect for Halloween 🎃

[@jessicaroberts8250]

Please do a video detailing how you are getting Veronica comfortable being home alone in her crate!!! (But not just get a Furbo lol🙃😅) Thank youuuuuu

[@Cindy-ef2vn]

Thanks!

[@Random.Planet]

The barkbox toys are so cute 😂🎃

[@nimrodnachmias1262]

Hey Zak, what frisbee brand would you recommend for small dogs? I have a type of spitz which seems to be crazy for the disc !

[@kelleedavis1229]

Hello when you make a fire use your fuel of your choice once that’s lit make tpee style logs

[@wholeshebang1]

"Log cabin" placement works well, too. I've never used fuel or starter cubes - just kindling (brush, twigs) and paper, in between a small "log cabin" of wood, then once lit, add more "logs" to the "cabin."

[@annikaaasav9365]

I have no troubles walking my dogs on flexi leashes, but I know only one other person who pays enough attention to dogs on walk not to end up with trouble with this type of leash

[@jillchenok110]

My 8-yr-old dog (a rescue) has been sleeping on her own downstairs in our house for the 5 years we’ve had her. Suddenly, she doesn’t want to sleep there anymore. She falls asleep next to me while I watch tv, but when I get up to go to bed, she will wake up and start barking. I try to settle her numerous times, in a positive way, but she will get up and bark each time. Finally I just let her come in my room so I can get some sleep. Why this change? We sleep better with the dog downstairs so want to go back to the way it was. Please advise!

[@AniFam]

Sooo cute and funny~👍 Thank you for sharing this video~🤗

[@daitonhemstalk3341]

I just got a new puppy he’s a 2 month old beagle mix and he’s very energetic but I’m slowly training him and teaching him to calm down, the one huge problem I have is potty training him in -20 weather anyone have tips for me

[@juliecee6145]

Surely...you are not leaving your lovely inertia in alaska. Are you doing a delivery? Love your videos...

[@coneil72]

When does the portion on separation anxiety begin??? Anyone have a timestamp?

[@tatjanastrunkevica1131]

That's exactly what I'm going through with my puppy. He's just constantly crying when left alone. I haven't slept in my bed for 3 weeks now. Even thought he's exercised before bed, he is crying to be with either me or my fiancé. Should we just let him cry it out for a few nights? That's what our vet said.. Our bedroom is not puppy proofed but the kitchen downstairs is. Not sure what to do and my back is killing me from sleeping on the couch all the time.. Do you have any advice Zak?

[@aleksandrailieva7238]

What crate are you using? It looks great and I’d like to get it for my puppy.

[@jefftinney3131]

Beckman's asked you to come on his channel to discuss training. Are you going to do it?

[@zarahofshiloh7537]

You should be carrying a 45 in Alaska, because of the size predators.

[@hannahgodel9211]

Do you think leaving Inertia out makes Veronica jealous? I've tried crate training my husky puppy but I think one of the issues we had was she would see her brother out and about and get upset. Any advice?

[@kimmackinnon5419]

How long do you train with them?

[@Calistake047]

Hey Zak, so how come you were using a retractable leash instead of a regular long lead? I know Inertia is trained, but still, what does a flexi have over a long line?

[@ingeborg-anne]

POODLY! Your friend got the best breed around (I'm not biased because I'm getting a poodly girl, nu uh)! Hey, could you cut the video when it goes black and quiet at 12:59?

[@Colv]

Thanks for this series, I've been binging all your content as I'm finally ready to get my life time friend. I do have a question for you, i live in tenement that has a large fenced communal garden, (uk/Sco) as I wont be able to take the puppy directly outside to pee as i do not know all the neighbours so have no clue if there dogs are vaccinated, i will be using puppy pads , but how would you make the switch from puppy pads to outside ? without confusing them

[@CheDeco15]

I’m loving watching your adventures and daily life along with your training and we love our SuperChewer Box! We got that glow-in-the-dark ghost toy in our Halloween Box! I’ll admit that I’ve used a bungee leash with my dog before for similar reasons to the ones Bree mentioned (though my dog is much bigger.) But it’s definitely contextual and I mostly use a regular 6 foot leash. Is there any reason why Inertia doesn’t wear a harness? I’m only asking because Veronica wears one so I’m curious about the thought process. Keep up the great work! 💜

[@michaelc3110]

I'm curious.. How come you keep Inertia on a lead in the forest? Is she not reliable on recall when squirrels are close?

[@wholeshebang1]

Bears, elk, bison... I think Zak mentioned why in this or a recent video, as they live and travel in areas with apex predators or herds of large beasts - in case she reacts protectively.

[@UnbenutzerKanalname]

why the clickbait titles though..

[@carolynvines2027]

My first reaction to the subject line: "WTF?!?!?!?" Then, I calmed down and thought, maybe they're leaving them with family because they can't them on some trip they're about to take. Oh, good, it was click bait. It's okay, though, I would've watched it no matter the subject line. It just made me get to it a little quicker.

[@Lazytea]

Did we ever get dna results on Veronica? If she has Italian Greyhound in there you may be in for a steep hike to get past the stressing when you are gone.

[@wholeshebang1]

They did, in a video titled "The Future of our Channel and the Results of Our Dog's DNA Test," posted 4 weeks ago. There's no Italian greyhound, but a few surprises in the mix.

[@CaitOpoly]

I love the content. The title completely breaks my heart every time I see it, please change it. I’m a long time fan of your channel and I’ve bought and read your books. As a pup lover I can’t deal with this title

[@wholeshebang1]

Same. It's a half-lie/exaggeration, as they only went out for dinner, so it's the kind of clickbait that stops me from watching.

[@AmbiCahira]

Have you done a DNA test on Veronica? If you did I missed it. She is just so cute and interesting looking!

[@rebeccadennen7063]

That bear is freaking huge

[@VoidScreams]

can you help train a puppy not to chase a cat?

[@Heyjot]

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@Sophie-kn3gh]

😂👍

[@amanda25x3]

Come to OHIO!!! Help train my dog and I will provide free (a whole side of a house- neat/ clean/ nice!) free! I’ll feed you guys too!!! Go visit the pro football hall of fame, etc!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 I have a 14 week old havapoo! Would love to have you guys train her. Dead serious! 🙏🏻

[@EpicFortniteGamer691]

yo

[@MrHalukbilgin]

Why ?

[@BaconHer0]

The title is so click baity lol

[@lyaboy]

collar or harness? im at a crossroad here lol

[@kavitadeva]

My vote is a harness. There are all kinds. plus you can always keep a collar on. Just my 2 cents as a trainer. Good luck!

[@Doihavetochoosemynam]

@@kavitadeva yep, and you can even get a harness with a handle on, which is very handy for softening jumps (out of the car etc.) and catching your dog. When im lazy (short walks I put on a collar and my puppy actually walks worse on leash probably because it is used to being guided by the harness.. If your dog pulls, figure out why and train it by counter conditioning (sit, down, come, heel etc. instead of chasing the cat xD)

[@kavitadeva]

@@Doihavetochoosemynam great reply. Thanks so much J.

[@ankitatasin1647]

Why does it seem like Bree likes Veronica better than Inersia?

[@MentallyInsaneNIllInTheBrain]

yall live like i want to live... have a van in alaska, eventualy buy a house, have some dogs...

[@goymedhundDogtrainingBehavior]

I would not put my puppy in a crate an drive off like that.. Not for such a long time - espec. when she was so upst.. A Puppy pen might fix it ;)

[@bathcheba]

Please, please, PLEEEEZE, stop with the clickbait video titles!! YOU are enough! YOUR TALENT, your insight, your experience, YOUR HEART for animals, your teaching abilities, YOUR INTEGRITY, your transparency ARE ENOUGH!!! You don't need that cheap "trick". I recommend you (and only you) to every dog owner I know, and even to petstores dog trainers BECAUSE YOU'RE THE BEST! HOWEVER, I stopped watching 3 entire Series because I couldn't stand the new "process" (titles & even video editing trying to create drama)... I just gave you an other try, but yet another drama-inducing title...... "Leaving your dog alone in an unknown environment" would have been much better. You're all about creating a peaceful environment for dogs and their owners, de-escalating stressful situations, and avoiding drama... YOU of all people shouldn't use FAKE DRAMA to get more clicks! (...do you, really, get more clicks that way?)

[@zakgeorge]

I love the title of this video. Plus it’s 100% honest.

[@bathcheba]

@@zakgeorge If you chose this title because you sincerely like it, and not for clickbait as I thought, then I take back that part of my comment. I still maintain that you are really UNIQUELY GOOD at what you do, though.

[@wholeshebang1]

@@zakgeorge - It's a half-lie/exaggeration and you know it: you _briefly_ left Inertia and Veronica *at your home* to go to dinner. That's not what the title *implies* and what most viewers would *interpret* it as - that you both left *Alaska* without your dog and puppy, for some reason (whether a family emergency or business, etc). It's *disingenuous,* misleading and used as despised clickbait.

[@Here_This]

😄 YOU LEFT YOUR DOGS BEHIND IN ALASKA ????? HOW COULD YOU ?????😅 Most likely You were even at least a few yards away from them ??!! 😂😂💖( just kiddin')

[@NoOffensePies]

"provocative"

[@auricgoldfinger8478]

I was initially a big proponent of your positive reinforcement training exclusively. However, After 6 months of working humane societies and fostering, I’ve come to respect a more balanced approach with some corrections ( verbal and leash) and avoiding top pulling harnesses at all costs. Slip leashes , rarely prong collars, and eventually a front martingale type of harness ( easy walk) are the way to go with all training challenges. In my humble opinion

[@VetMedCorner]

Unfortunately, the plethora of research on behaviour modification conclusively tells us that your views are not correct and why using punishment is not acceptable. Here's a summary of that research for you kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6OUqauQmdmAj6M

[@auricgoldfinger8478]

@@VetMedCorner I’m VERY aware of the paper’s position and research. My real world experience drifts to a more balanced approach- what Will Atherton would call “ loving corrections “ - a universe away from punishment.

[@nandinisehar]

Can you stop with the clickbait please

[@kitt12300]

Have a Golden Retriever (Halley) can you make a video how to crawl

[@Bojambo]

He must have a video out there about "crawl" because my dog can do it, and I mostly watch Zac George videos lol

[@evilsmaster8876]

i think he does you just have to look a little

[@marya6445]

I read comments About click-bate first and am not going to watch. Sorry Zak. I don’t like being tricked... I used to watch just because it was Zak... Too over commercialized now.

[@zakgeorge]

I think the title is 100% accurate. Not misleading in the slightest.

[@wholeshebang1]

@@zakgeorge It *is* misleading, and you know it is - that's why you used it and others click-bait titles. I've drifted over to other dog trainers' channels this year due to your hyped-up, "Oh no! A disaster's occurred!" titles.

[@valadezjose47]

This video taught nothing. It was more about your life in Alaska rather than being educational

[@kaylevine741]

More lying political ads

[@TrollingHistory]

Hi Zak I've been using a negative based training method. Some call it cynical based. I like to call it Karen's way. So I'm just super negative on my pup varying between a disgruntled look mayb a growl at him to going full on pinning him down and biting his nape or ear. But rewarding treats sometimes for exemplary behavior I didn't even ask for. If I have to ask don't expect a reward deal. But I'm torn between Pee on the floor do I roll him over squeeze his balls or make him eat it up off my floor he put it there so he can clean it up thing. The problem is I think he likes it. Both. A good ball bag smack or giving him his waste back. He gets so excited starts spinning around in absolute joy. Especially after having his nuts clamped. Do you know why? As I feel like it's interfering with my whole negative based Karen's cheat book training guide. He's not supposed to like it. It clearly says in section 7 part b the dog can only enjoy himself after performing a significant act by his own common sense. So if he's enjoying his balls being shocked he's just gonna keep 💩 💩 💩 💩 on my floor keen to see what new way I will clacker his knackers.

[@wholeshebang1]

@Zak and Bree - Please delete this *troll's* idea of _crass_ humour (that's humourless).