That's what I thought, and thought it was helpful information, till I watched another video, and realized that what was really happening, was he is rewarding a dog for bad behavior, instead of being the dog's pack leader, that it needs to feel like everything is ok if he is in view or not. We were doing all the same things, trying to tire out our rescue pug that came with really bad separation anxiety, and giving her treats, affection, toys...and it went from her not being able to be by herself for even an hour, to her not being able to be alone with anyone but our 23 year old son. Couldn't figure out how it got so much worse, especially since our son doesn't pay attention to her like my husband and I. Saw another video and realized it was exactly that reason. She doesn't feel calm with my husband or I, because we reward that neurotic mindset she gets into. Tonight for the first time in a while, our pug lay down and relaxed while my son did the dishes, instead of jumping all over me and barking. I have very little doubt the reason she was a rescue in the first place is because she couldn't be left alone without a full blown melt down and defecating on the floor. We are starting her crate training immediately so we can see a movie as a family, and have an emotionally healthy dog waiting at home.
@@bedriddenbeauty6504 dogs haven’t been wolves for thousands of years. That pack leader stuff is long since disproven, including by the researcher that popularized it.
@@davidc2072 the "Alpha and Beta and Omega" bullshit by that one researcher was done with wild wolves from different litters and packs being shoved into a crate together, those were dogs in prison, not in the wild But real dogs, they don't need a "pack leader" but they need a *parent* someone with superiority, someone to look up to for guidance and protection, in homes where dogs run the house, the dogs often feel they are the owners protecter not the other way around
Just bought my new puppy on Valentine’s Day, and your videos and book have been critical to early success with my new goldendoodle! Thanks for all that you do!
The Guide elaborates on the techniques used on the show. th-cam.com/users/postUgkx5AVCD46OLnYCyGwOxmyhhvJJSZVuz6nN The examples given in the are helpful and some of the techniques suggested very useful. One such technique/tool suggested was the lure stick to encourage a small dog to keep up with the heel command. I have a small dog who lags behind smelling any and everything and find it hard to keep bending over while walking to his level. The lure stick is great also for another dogs focus and sprinting at anything that catches her eye. The stories about different dogs, their different temperaments, have been helpful, especially Lulu's: After reading about Lulu's challenges I felt relief concerning one of my rescues that I have had for 10 years. Over many years I have checked out many training books from the library, watched different shows, DVDS, bought training books, taken lessons and this book is the best by far! Kindness, patience and perseverance works.
This is SUCH a great and important vlog - thanks so much for sharing., Separation anxiety is much more common in dogs than people think! We make music to help pups who suffer with it, but vlogs like this are also important!
The timing of you posting this video couldn't be any better for me! I'm currently dealing with my dog's separation anxiety and I will make sure to try your advice for sure. Thank you!
Zak, I just want to tell you how much I truly enjoy your videos. Your personality is so calming, I love watching you work. I want to say thank you for inspiring me to train my dog and giving me my baby back! You really are awesome.
I am not going to criticize any other video or advice, but this one is important for my situation, because we have a 12 year old rescue pug, that was rehomed to us because of her severe separation anxiety, and we were doing all the things in this video, and making a big mistake. Seemed like it was helpful information, till I watched another video, and realized that what was really happening, was he is rewarding a dog for bad behavior, instead of being the dog's pack leader, that it needs to feel like everything is ok if he is in view or not. We were doing all the same things, trying to tire out, and giving her treats, affection, toys...and it went from her not being able to be by herself for even an hour, to her not being able to be alone with anyone but our 23 year old son. Couldn't figure out how it got so much worse, especially since our son doesn't pay attention to her like my husband and I. Saw another video and realized it was exactly that reason. She doesn't feel calm with my husband or I, because we reward that neurotic mindset she gets into. Tonight for the first time in forever, our pug lay down and relaxed while my son did the dishes, instead of jumping all over me and barking. She couldn't be left alone without a full blown melt down and defecating on the floor, and at her age, and being a pug with breathing issues, her anxiety is dangerous. We are starting her crate training immediately so we can see a movie as a family, and have an emotionally healthy dog waiting at home. It wasn't her that needed to change, it's our behavior that needs changing, so she feels safe. It seems so obvious now not to give her treats until she is in a calm mindset, and to reward when she makes the shift. Following exactly that, we were able to trim her nails after the dishes, and all of them instead of one, because we didn't bribe her, and we stayed calm and corrected her behavior, then kept going, so she knew what was expected of her. After we finished, we praised her, and gave her the treat when she lay down. It was like night and day, the difference. Normally we are lucky to get one trimmed, so we started trimming while she is sleeping, and no way that has helped her feel more secure.
Bedridden Beauty hey, I have a little Pom who tends to whine and cry loads and it will be interesting to learn what you have been doing to better your dogs situation?
Sooo useful! The vet assured me pugs don’t have much separation anxiety...he’s currently laid on my pillow up against me and moves to me if I move even an inch away 😂
tbh, whenever I have to leave my puppy (even though there’s other people in my family that can take care of him), I’m the one getting separation anxiety 😭 thanks for the tutorial as always!!!
Thank you, Zak George, for making these videos and making them available to everyone. I come across many people who have no idea about dogs or teaching them and I refer them to your videos all the time.
Hi Zac, I am a fan from Brazil. I just got s new puppy, it's my third time having a young dog, but I never got a puppy who had so much separation anxiety before. I love that you don't judges us as parents, and that you always recognized in your videos how hard it can be to train our dogs.
Jesus christ. So do you get ANY fresh air? If you're going to put a mask on before you step out the house, there must be something really scary in the air! I feel sorry for your lungs, buddy.
"Laelaps" would be my name for him as it has a beautiful story behind it. The name is from the ancient Greek history and Laelaps was best hunting dog of the land. He always caught the prey he hunted and never missed a catch. The Theumessian fox, in contrary, had been hunted by the best hunters of the land and had never been caught, since. So Laelaps was sent out to hunt the fox down. But as the dog could not miss a catch and the fox could not been caught, they soon were stuck in their own paradox which upsetted Zeus. He turned them both into stone and sent their images up into the stars (canis mayor = Laelaps, canis minor = theumessian fox) What do you think?
CourageousSam hi there, the breed of this dog with wonderful zack, the “Vizsla” is known as, “The Hungarian hunter,” also nick named, the Velcro dog because the vizsla will always stick by ones side and they love to cuddle up with one, I work for a family who just got a vizsla puppy, she is a beautiful, bright, and extremely smart, I have trained her to do many things is such little time, she has a cute and comical personality and I enjoy going to work everyday to hang out and train with her. I think a good name for the Vizsla on zacks video could be, “Velcro,” Lol... what do u think?🤪✌️🤗👍
This has been helpful. Just got a 9 month old beagle who came from a broken home. The previous would leave her in a cage for 12 years at a time. Now I am trying to help her separation anxiety. So watching this video has helped. Thank you very much!!!
What about a major life event? Our dog has been home with us as we are sheltering in place due to COVID and we will eventually be returning to work and he is SO accustomed to us being home. I am also due with our second baby (in 2 years) and he is hyperprotective of me.
I’m not pregnant, but my dog was great with me being gone, then covid hit and he backtracked because he was still a puppy 😭 I can’t just keep him in an area because when I tried that, he chewed up my floors. It’s been rough 🤦♀️
I spoke to a dog specialist and they said to establish a routine that reflects normal life. Go for walks without them, put them where you do when you aren’t home for a couple of hours etc
I'm so glad you mentioned not using crates! I had someone make me feel like I was abusive for not using one. But I never wanted to treat my dog like a goldfish and lock him up for my convenience or couches sake, instead of just teaching him! Good video 😊
Crates are good to give them a room, essentially. By teaching them to use a crate, you’re giving them a room. Eventually, you’ll be able to just leave the crate door open entirely without having to lock them in the crate. The crate will just be their place to go when you’re gone or when they want their own space.
I have a Vizsla puppy, and can confirm they are exactly like this. So much energy and so emotional when no one is there. A lot of exercise to tire them out helps.
This is such an incredible and helpful video - thanks SO much. Separation anxiety is much more common in pets than a lot of people might think so videos like these are so important and useful. Thanks for this!
Thank you for this! I just adopted a 1 year old dog yesterday from the SPCA and he follows me into every room all the time. Even had to leave the bathroom door open while I showered. We are definitely going to work on these techniques!
I m dealing with this situation as well. I adopted a 1 year old puppy and today she tried to run away from home while I was away. When I am home,she follows me everywhere like yours .. Did you get any progress?
I set an alarm on my phone to remind me to leave for the school run each morning and afternoon. One of my dogs has significant separation anxiety, however, he learned that when the alarm goes off I will only be gone a short time and then he gets to play and cuddle when I get back. It only took a few weeks for him to accept this and now he hears the alarm and curls up on the sofa to wait for me to return. I had to be very consistent and make sure that his reward came first the moment I arrived home. Patience is rewarded.
So, in your discussion of the studies, you mentioned that you had a theory on it that was not supported by the study. I just wanted to thank you for being honest and open. It's such a rare thing these days. Good on you. Another great video.
I found my dog at the pound. When we first met he was shaking and hiding from me. It took him 20 minutes of me sitting with him for him to stop shaking. Now he’s extremely attached and doesn’t like new people. I’m gonna try these tips. Thanks for the content!
Awesome video Zak! I’ve been watching your videos non stop for my new 8 month old Labradane, Violet. She has very bad separation anxiety and has destroyed her crate, dug out from the backyard, and chewed many things in the house if left out... including your book I just bought. Irony, I know. It’ll probably be a while before I can get another copy of your book, but your videos really help!
Love your videos! We recently adopted a 1 yr old German Shepard mix and I've been binge watching your videos. We just started to train her to "look at me" while getting distracted. I would love to see a video on best ways to play and be silly with your dog. Like what they do and don't like while playing :)
I’m getting a dog soon ! Thanks for the tips I’m a 11 year old and I love dogs and I’m getting one since I’m a only child , I tend to get clone,y and I need a responsibility . Love you Zack !
I feel so bad leavin my new puppy alone for 8 hours. I even cried a few times. I seriously am stressed over what and how to raise my new bestfriend. I have no friends or family near me to help. Just me and puppy. I seriously need help. I'll die before I give him away
@@outoftime417 then you shouldn't have gotten a puppy, what you are doing is purely egocentric and harmful to a defenless creature. You should try to give it to someone who has time to raise a puppy before your dog creates aggression problems as it doesn't get the training, exercise and especially love it deserves. Sorry for my harsh word but you have to absolutely realize what you are doing is exactly animal cruelty to make yourself feel better. If you can't take him with you to work then give him up for adoption before it's too late and gets euthanized due to neglect.
I just got a dog from the shelter 2 weeks ago...thank you so much for these videos, it has made a huge difference in a short amount of time! I have had several dogs over my lifetime, and I've always learned from trainers who taught dominance with the use of pinch and snare collars. I wish I could go back in time and do it again with your methods with the other dogs. One thing I need help with is dealing with aggression, and it is not something that I've found on your page. My shephard-dobie mix is mostly sociable, but as he gets more settled with me he will sometimes get aggressive with other large males (protective of me?). For now I am just keeping him away from other dogs on our walks...I took a big cue from your "reactive dog" video. I also taught him to fetch with your video although he doesn't like it as much as just going for a long run. He needs so much exercise though; I would like to eventually let him run around the dog park so he can really run as fast and as long as he likes without me worrying about him getting into a confrontation. These 3 mile walk/jogs are hard on me sometimes! I would love to see how you use positive training methods to diffuse dominant behavior.
Thank you! I got a Shiba Inu pup that’s only 12 weeks old and whenever I leave the house even if it’s just going over to the neighbours for a chat she’ll cry (I have a dog camera connected to my phone so I can see her 24/7 ) so hopefully I can teach her she’ll be fine and I’ll be back ASAP
Anna Gilligan I have a 16 week Chiweenie puppy that cries whenever we leave. I too have a camera and barely get work done because I’m obsessively watching her. She tires out and eventually goes to sleep but wakes up and cries and the cycle continues. She sometimes plays a bit with a toy or looks outside so there is some improvement. Has your puppy gotten better with time?
New viewer here and we just adopted a puppy a month ago and she has severe separation anxiety. she won't let me go down the hall or even leave the room even if she can still see me without whining or crying. There can still be someone still int he room with her and it won't matter. she follows me all over the place. We are going to start using these tips to see if this helps. She is 4 months old now so hopefully we will be able to get her settled without having to resort to other more extreme methods like hiring a special trainer or something.
Omg!!! This is my main problem for this week. My puppy is having a major anxiety everytime i leave for work. I'm gonna have to give this tip a try. Hopefully i can get this situation fix.
FINALLY a video with clear instructions. im going to start this training with my pup asap. i came across one video and the guy wanted me to visualize my goals with my dog and he went on about it for half the clip. oof.
Yes! We were following a lot of the advice in the video, and we were making our dog worse by giving her treats when she was in a neurotic mindset. Some of the advice is fine for a puppy, but we have a 12 year old rescue pug, who we actually made worse by rewarding her fear.
@@bedriddenbeauty6504 I'm sorry but no shit sherlock. You need to wait for calm behaviour to reward and you shouldn't even pet when they have an episodes or they will keep doing it. If I give you candy whenever you cry, you will cry to get candy eventually.
Yes! I always give either a chew stick, or a kong with some kibble, say the phrase "Alright, I'm going out, see you later" And then go. And also don't make a big deal about coming back. With my girl she had the beginnings of separation anxiety and i started with 20 minutes alone in my room, and gradually work out, 5 minutes every time i upped the time. She's now a lot calmer
I love your training videos! It's help me so much with my pup. I've been training him with your videos since I got him, and he's such a smart boy!! Also a good name for him would be rusty, so cute😍💕💕💕
Thank you. I am cleaning a huge mess in my back yard/laundry area. Everything was knocked down or broken and full of poop! Because she went #2, stepped in it, and procedeeded to jump on everything! She is with me all the time, but when I leave, OMG! This always happens. If I leave her inside the house, she is ok, but I just can't fully trust her around the cats alone. She is a 10 month old GSD. * as to your hypothesis - we got our dog at 2 weeks old! She was abandoned, so I too, always wonder if this contributed to her anxiety.
Glad I found this, thank you. Very informative. We have two Vizsla littermates and we're definitely going to be practicing with the keys and leaving briefly.
Thanks Zak. We just got a Vizsla who’s only 9 weeks old & he’s already attached to my wife & I at the hip. He very much suffers from separation anxiety.
Dog is probably thinking "what is the matter with my master, he's getting up, down, in and out of room, gets his keys but doesn't go anywhere. I think he is quickly developing some "senior memory" issues. Oh well.... I can't help him so I will just chew on my bone in the meantime."
I just realized that what Zac is doing with his dog, my therapist does with me! Exposure therapy with rewards and a little bit of cognitive behavioral therapy, but in doggy versions! That’s awesome!
We had a foster dog who didn't seem like he'd have separation anxiety issues...until he had knee surgery. Exercise is so vital! We couldn't even take him for walks and suddenly he became the dog from the underworld. He had pretty extreme separation anxiety. He was a rottweiler, so nothing would contain him. He flipped any crate we put him in and ripped the doors off, he ripped our fencing right off our posts, he ripped the door frames off our house...it was so hard to deal with when we had to go to work =( It was especially bad because all of his panicked escape efforts ended up ruining his knee surgery and he had to have a second surgery to correct it. Thankfully our story has a happy ending! Eventually we got him past it with lots of consistent training by desensitizing him to our leaving signals, VERY gradually working his way up to longer times being left alone, and leaving behind the best treats (we froze peanut butter or broth in puzzle bowls...made for a very fun time killer!). When he recovered from the surgery and we finally could exercise him again it was like he never had separation anxiety at all. We were able to find him a forever home and warned them that he has separation anxiety issues but thankfully they never had a problem with it. It took a lot of time (around 3+ months), there were times when he regressed, and his extreme separation anxiety was very trying at times. But persistence, desensitization, great treats, and working our way with baby steps made a world of difference. We talked to local trainers, read books, watched videos, looked on websites, and this video covers everything that we learned. Only thing it didn't cover was using crates as a way to contain an anxious dog for short periods of time (which requires making their crate a safe, comfortable place via crate training before doing...it's not so great for longer term separation). Great video Zak!
Great video. I just want to say (I'm starting to study ethology so I'm not as good as Zak, but think it is important) that some dogs get kind of anxious when they are in a somehow new environment (and environments can be "new" even when the dog has been living there for a week or two). My dog never had separation anxiety until I moved to a place where, when left alone, she could see the neighbour's dog (through a window), which had had an aggressive behaviour towards her when they met, but at the moment they were OK, and played when they were together so I thought she had forgotten the incident. It took me a while to realize that she was just anxious to be "left alone" with that dog (even though he could not reach her), and then I realized that she improved when I left the door open so she could go to the backyard, so she felt less vulnerable, but still she did not stop the destructive behaviour completely. Then, I moved out and I trained her to be left alone in my room, and she has never cried when left alone or broken anything since, she just sleeps until I get back. So, just if this helps anybody: you can also look for clues that bother your dog on the environment, some dogs are really sensitive and can associate a place with something bad that happened weeks ago, and it is so difficult to remove that memory, so in that case I would recommend (again, I'm not a professional just yet) to try to let the dog alone anywhere else and train him/her to be comfortable with it. Even a room change can make the difference, so, don't give up : )
I have a new pup and used Zak's methods constantly. Its worked great and my pup and I have a great bond. Ironically, she now is attched to me excessively and is exhibiting SA symptoms.
I like all of your videos! My Husky Puppy learned all things, like sit etc. I know it has no connection in this video, just because Im very thankful to you! Thansmks Zak!
Start with crate training! Don't give the dog treats until it's completely relaxed. What we think is reassuring affection, the dog can read as protective, and think we are fearful, which will just aggravate the behavior. Best case scenario is for your dog to nap when you are gone. Things like nervous energy walks, toys, and treats, will just amp your dog up instead of relaxing them.
My nephew and his dog just moved in and she has such bad separation anxiety that it gives our two dogs regular anxiety, our dogs are well behaved and they look at her so bewildered lol
Hey, thanks for the video about anxiety! I have this issue with my 9m rescue dog and we’re practicing leaving her alone for short periods of time and now reached 1 hour without barking or destroying. That’s pretty amazing! But still when she’s alone she can’t get busy with any toy, mostly waiting at the door, walking or laying down.. is there any way I can help her get busy with something to enjoy more this time?? Or will it change over time?
Thank you Zak,I rescued an 8 year old staffi who has separation anxiety and it's a tough and exhausting one to crack but it's baby steps. Thank you I will be trying your tips. I have been sensitising with the keys and my shoes but must try giving treats while doing it!! 👍👍
@Majlena me too. We are having trouble getting our puppy to stay in the crate alone. He follow me around all the time and can't stand if I even go into the other room... I am going crazy... :(
Need this I had to quit my job when we first rescued Atticus now 6 months later we are starting the process of leaving him alone. We tackled his general anxiety now its time to get the separation anxiety conquered.
Vizsla is a Hungarian hunting dog breed, so I would go with a Hungarian dog name. Of course most of these names are hard to pronounce for non-hungarians, but there are easier ones like "Pajti" (means buddy). Vizslas are bred to be highly cooperative hunting dogs (not like beagles for example, who were in packs, mostly interact with each other, not the hunter), even in the Middle Ages they could be in the house (mostly castle...) together with the people, there are paintings of big feasts where vizslas are in the room together with the guests, chewing their leftovers. So no question they are prone to separation anxiety. But they are very smart, and with the proper training, they are one of the easiest breeds to handle :) (and no, I don't have a vizsla, I'm not even a vizsla-fan)
I think name him Rufus if it's a boy and Tinker if it's a girl. I like those names for boy and girl Vizsla for some reason lol. I think I will name my beagle puppy Lucy (Once I get her of course lol).
Zak your videos are really helpful my parents see how you explain things and help figure it out and they are thinking of buying me a dog thank you for making these videos
I love your videos they help me cope with my wild child Chicky. I would call him The Red Knight. Red for short. He just reminds me of the knights of old. So elegant and bold.
I got my first puppy two weeks ago and my breeder recommended I leave him consistently for 3 hours daily. I have had such anxiety myself over if I'm being a bad dog mum and if I'm doing more harm than good letting him scream and howl for me. He has a safe place which is a 114cm diameter pen with a donut bed and he gets his yummy kong which occupies him until after I leave. Then the howling begins. He eventually drops off but when he wakes he's sad again. I'm only two weeks in but it's so so so hard.
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
![ละลาย (LALALYE) - DAOU PITTAYA ต้าห์อู๋ พิทยา [OFFICIAL MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wo6r9TgausI/mqdefault.jpg)
I love how he doesn't use already trained dogs with no issues, it gives hope for the future dog i don't have yet
That's what I thought, and thought it was helpful information, till I watched another video, and realized that what was really happening, was he is rewarding a dog for bad behavior, instead of being the dog's pack leader, that it needs to feel like everything is ok if he is in view or not. We were doing all the same things, trying to tire out our rescue pug that came with really bad separation anxiety, and giving her treats, affection, toys...and it went from her not being able to be by herself for even an hour, to her not being able to be alone with anyone but our 23 year old son. Couldn't figure out how it got so much worse, especially since our son doesn't pay attention to her like my husband and I. Saw another video and realized it was exactly that reason. She doesn't feel calm with my husband or I, because we reward that neurotic mindset she gets into. Tonight for the first time in a while, our pug lay down and relaxed while my son did the dishes, instead of jumping all over me and barking. I have very little doubt the reason she was a rescue in the first place is because she couldn't be left alone without a full blown melt down and defecating on the floor. We are starting her crate training immediately so we can see a movie as a family, and have an emotionally healthy dog waiting at home.
lol I thought the same thing , also I love the name for your account if it’s your real name it’s gorgeous I hope you get your puppy!!!😁🤍🐶
@@bedriddenbeauty6504 dogs haven’t been wolves for thousands of years. That pack leader stuff is long since disproven, including by the researcher that popularized it.
@@davidc2072 the "Alpha and Beta and Omega" bullshit by that one researcher was done with wild wolves from different litters and packs being shoved into a crate together, those were dogs in prison, not in the wild
But real dogs, they don't need a "pack leader" but they need a *parent* someone with superiority, someone to look up to for guidance and protection, in homes where dogs run the house, the dogs often feel they are the owners protecter not the other way around
My dog has horrible separation anxiety. It’s so bad that she made me cry of frustration yesterday. 😩😩
OMG did it get better?
❄️
@@beastninja54 bro 💀 can you not
@@beastninja54 haha brutal
Just bought my new puppy on Valentine’s Day, and your videos and book have been critical to early success with my new goldendoodle! Thanks for all that you do!
The Guide elaborates on the techniques used on the show. th-cam.com/users/postUgkx5AVCD46OLnYCyGwOxmyhhvJJSZVuz6nN The examples given in the are helpful and some of the techniques suggested very useful. One such technique/tool suggested was the lure stick to encourage a small dog to keep up with the heel command. I have a small dog who lags behind smelling any and everything and find it hard to keep bending over while walking to his level. The lure stick is great also for another dogs focus and sprinting at anything that catches her eye. The stories about different dogs, their different temperaments, have been helpful, especially Lulu's: After reading about Lulu's challenges I felt relief concerning one of my rescues that I have had for 10 years. Over many years I have checked out many training books from the library, watched different shows, DVDS, bought training books, taken lessons and this book is the best by far! Kindness, patience and perseverance works.
You are the best dog trainer ever! I love that your training methods are easy to use, and they are still kind to our fellow dogs!
This is SUCH a great and important vlog - thanks so much for sharing., Separation anxiety is much more common in dogs than people think! We make music to help pups who suffer with it, but vlogs like this are also important!
The timing of you posting this video couldn't be any better for me! I'm currently dealing with my dog's separation anxiety and I will make sure to try your advice for sure. Thank you!
“Romeo.” He’s SO handsome,,he will steal every girls heart,,with just one look❣️
I like how you read, reply and like all comments most people don't do this. It shows you care. Please post more.
Thanks! It’s tough to get to them all! But my subscribers are super important.
You're the best dog trainer on TH-cam.
Meccarox I love Zach but that's just not true. Check out Kikopup
i like Zach too, but I also have big respect for Robert Cabral
You’re forgetting about Victoria Stilwell 🤣
He's an amateur compared to Larry Krohn
spaghetti spaghetti wrong
I have an adoptive dog and she has a lot of anxiety, nothing has helped more than your videos. Thank you 🙏 🧚🏻♂️!!!!!!!!!!!
Zak, I just want to tell you how much I truly enjoy your videos. Your personality is so calming, I love watching you work. I want to say thank you for inspiring me to train my dog and giving me my baby back!
You really are awesome.
I needed to see this! My dog has separation anxiety bad! I have taught him so much from watching your videos! Thank you! ❤️
Kristian did this ever work?
Update?
I am not going to criticize any other video or advice, but this one is important for my situation, because we have a 12 year old rescue pug, that was rehomed to us because of her severe separation anxiety, and we were doing all the things in this video, and making a big mistake. Seemed like it was helpful information, till I watched another video, and realized that what was really happening, was he is rewarding a dog for bad behavior, instead of being the dog's pack leader, that it needs to feel like everything is ok if he is in view or not. We were doing all the same things, trying to tire out, and giving her treats, affection, toys...and it went from her not being able to be by herself for even an hour, to her not being able to be alone with anyone but our 23 year old son. Couldn't figure out how it got so much worse, especially since our son doesn't pay attention to her like my husband and I. Saw another video and realized it was exactly that reason. She doesn't feel calm with my husband or I, because we reward that neurotic mindset she gets into. Tonight for the first time in forever, our pug lay down and relaxed while my son did the dishes, instead of jumping all over me and barking. She couldn't be left alone without a full blown melt down and defecating on the floor, and at her age, and being a pug with breathing issues, her anxiety is dangerous. We are starting her crate training immediately so we can see a movie as a family, and have an emotionally healthy dog waiting at home. It wasn't her that needed to change, it's our behavior that needs changing, so she feels safe. It seems so obvious now not to give her treats until she is in a calm mindset, and to reward when she makes the shift. Following exactly that, we were able to trim her nails after the dishes, and all of them instead of one, because we didn't bribe her, and we stayed calm and corrected her behavior, then kept going, so she knew what was expected of her. After we finished, we praised her, and gave her the treat when she lay down. It was like night and day, the difference. Normally we are lucky to get one trimmed, so we started trimming while she is sleeping, and no way that has helped her feel more secure.
Bedridden Beauty hey, I have a little Pom who tends to whine and cry loads and it will be interesting to learn what you have been doing to better your dogs situation?
Thanks os much for this. We're not sure many people understand that separation anxiety is very common in dogs! Thanks for this!
Sooo useful! The vet assured me pugs don’t have much separation anxiety...he’s currently laid on my pillow up against me and moves to me if I move even an inch away 😂
My Shihpoo has Seperation Anixety
Same here!
BRO IM ON THIS VIDEO CAUSE OF MY PUG
I’m here because of my pug!
My pug is my shadow… I have no privacy 😂
When I get my dog I’m going to binge watch your videos 👌🏽 (again)
That’s what I’m doing right now! I used to be a snake owner and I underestimated how much attention dogs need. But I’ve been able to make do.
I plan on getting a puppy once I move out... In four years I have my life planed as much as I can...
tbh, whenever I have to leave my puppy (even though there’s other people in my family that can take care of him), I’m the one getting separation anxiety 😭 thanks for the tutorial as always!!!
Thank you, Zak George, for making these videos and making them available to everyone. I come across many people who have no idea about dogs or teaching them and I refer them to your videos all the time.
Hi Zac, I am a fan from Brazil. I just got s new puppy, it's my third time having a young dog, but I never got a puppy who had so much separation anxiety before. I love that you don't judges us as parents, and that you always recognized in your videos how hard it can be to train our dogs.
More brilliance from your favorite dog trainer's favorite dog trainer. Zak your a life saver and that dog is adorable!
Nowadays, my dog knows I'm about to leave when I put my mask on. 😂
For months I only go out to walk my dog, now whenever I put the mask on to go somewhere else, he comes to door waiting for me put his collar lol
Same haha
HAHA yeah
Jesus christ. So do you get ANY fresh air? If you're going to put a mask on before you step out the house, there must be something really scary in the air! I feel sorry for your lungs, buddy.
Same!
"Laelaps" would be my name for him as it has a beautiful story behind it.
The name is from the ancient Greek history and Laelaps was best hunting dog of the land. He always caught the prey he hunted and never missed a catch. The Theumessian fox, in contrary, had been hunted by the best hunters of the land and had never been caught, since. So Laelaps was sent out to hunt the fox down. But as the dog could not miss a catch and the fox could not been caught, they soon were stuck in their own paradox which upsetted Zeus. He turned them both into stone and sent their images up into the stars (canis mayor = Laelaps, canis minor = theumessian fox)
What do you think?
CourageousSam WOW! This was such a cool read! Damn, now I have to get another dog. 😂
CourageousSam hi there, the breed of this dog with wonderful zack, the “Vizsla” is known as, “The Hungarian hunter,” also nick named, the Velcro dog because the vizsla will always stick by ones side and they love to cuddle up with one, I work for a family who just got a vizsla puppy, she is a beautiful, bright, and extremely smart, I have trained her to do many things is such little time, she has a cute and comical personality and I enjoy going to work everyday to hang out and train with her. I think a good name for the Vizsla on zacks video could be, “Velcro,” Lol... what do u think?🤪✌️🤗👍
???????
Nice. It's great!
CourageousSam good name but a bit of a mouthful. I would maybe shorten it to lapsy. Doesnt sound attractive.
This has been helpful. Just got a 9 month old beagle who came from a broken home. The previous would leave her in a cage for 12 years at a time. Now I am trying to help her separation anxiety. So watching this video has helped. Thank you very much!!!
What about a major life event? Our dog has been home with us as we are sheltering in place due to COVID and we will eventually be returning to work and he is SO accustomed to us being home. I am also due with our second baby (in 2 years) and he is hyperprotective of me.
I have the exact same scenario. Been on lockdown with the dog and im 30 weeks pregnant, he's obsessed with me.
Ditto man!! I m so worried now.
I’m not pregnant, but my dog was great with me being gone, then covid hit and he backtracked because he was still a puppy 😭 I can’t just keep him in an area because when I tried that, he chewed up my floors. It’s been rough 🤦♀️
I spoke to a dog specialist and they said to establish a routine that reflects normal life. Go for walks without them, put them where you do when you aren’t home for a couple of hours etc
How can u be due with a baby in two years? Was it a typo?
Zak is the best dog trainer I have ever seen.
I'm so glad you mentioned not using crates! I had someone make me feel like I was abusive for not using one. But I never wanted to treat my dog like a goldfish and lock him up for my convenience or couches sake, instead of just teaching him! Good video 😊
Crates are good to give them a room, essentially. By teaching them to use a crate, you’re giving them a room. Eventually, you’ll be able to just leave the crate door open entirely without having to lock them in the crate. The crate will just be their place to go when you’re gone or when they want their own space.
Crate is good for their safety. Unless you have a perf dog already who don’t potty inside or eat and destroy everything they see lol
It is not just that. I know someone whose dog got hurt jumping through a window.
@@katiekate51yes it’s not just about the destruction it’s about them eating something related that can get them into trouble.
I have a Vizsla puppy, and can confirm they are exactly like this. So much energy and so emotional when no one is there. A lot of exercise to tire them out helps.
I never thought of these tips Zak! Buddy always crys and yawns when I put my coat on to go to work. I'll be trying these tips out Asap!!
Did it work?
This is such an incredible and helpful video - thanks SO much. Separation anxiety is much more common in pets than a lot of people might think so videos like these are so important and useful. Thanks for this!
Thank you for this! I just adopted a 1 year old dog yesterday from the SPCA and he follows me into every room all the time. Even had to leave the bathroom door open while I showered. We are definitely going to work on these techniques!
I m dealing with this situation as well. I adopted a 1 year old puppy and today she tried to run away from home while I was away. When I am home,she follows me everywhere like yours ..
Did you get any progress?
The k9 training video is way more helpful
I set an alarm on my phone to remind me to leave for the school run each morning and afternoon. One of my dogs has significant separation anxiety, however, he learned that when the alarm goes off I will only be gone a short time and then he gets to play and cuddle when I get back. It only took a few weeks for him to accept this and now he hears the alarm and curls up on the sofa to wait for me to return. I had to be very consistent and make sure that his reward came first the moment I arrived home. Patience is rewarded.
You have such good training! Love you better than others, you explaining really well and don’t leave me confuse lol
So, in your discussion of the studies, you mentioned that you had a theory on it that was not supported by the study. I just wanted to thank you for being honest and open. It's such a rare thing these days. Good on you. Another great video.
Name him Rover!
The Ocenia waves Hello
Just reminds me of planet 51 which is a great film
The Ocenia waves Hello that's what I said
I just commented exactly what you said, EXACT same...
Humper "that's why they call him humper"
I was gonna say the same thinggg
I found my dog at the pound. When we first met he was shaking and hiding from me. It took him 20 minutes of me sitting with him for him to stop shaking. Now he’s extremely attached and doesn’t like new people. I’m gonna try these tips. Thanks for the content!
Awesome video Zak! I’ve been watching your videos non stop for my new 8 month old Labradane, Violet. She has very bad separation anxiety and has destroyed her crate, dug out from the backyard, and chewed many things in the house if left out... including your book I just bought. Irony, I know. It’ll probably be a while before I can get another copy of your book, but your videos really help!
I used to watch your videos just because they were entertaining to me. I got a New dog past week and it has helped us a lot!! Thanks!
Love your videos! We recently adopted a 1 yr old German Shepard mix and I've been binge watching your videos. We just started to train her to "look at me" while getting distracted. I would love to see a video on best ways to play and be silly with your dog. Like what they do and don't like while playing :)
I’m getting a dog soon ! Thanks for the tips I’m a 11 year old and I love dogs and I’m getting one since I’m a only child , I tend to get clone,y and I need a responsibility . Love you Zack !
I always watch zak when i am sad.😊i am always sad so i watch his videos always haha.
Well I hope you feel cheered up!
apple pen pine apple pen lol same here
So do i 😊
I feel so bad leavin my new puppy alone for 8 hours. I even cried a few times. I seriously am stressed over what and how to raise my new bestfriend. I have no friends or family near me to help. Just me and puppy. I seriously need help. I'll die before I give him away
@@outoftime417 then you shouldn't have gotten a puppy, what you are doing is purely egocentric and harmful to a defenless creature. You should try to give it to someone who has time to raise a puppy before your dog creates aggression problems as it doesn't get the training, exercise and especially love it deserves. Sorry for my harsh word but you have to absolutely realize what you are doing is exactly animal cruelty to make yourself feel better. If you can't take him with you to work then give him up for adoption before it's too late and gets euthanized due to neglect.
I just got a dog from the shelter 2 weeks ago...thank you so much for these videos, it has made a huge difference in a short amount of time! I have had several dogs over my lifetime, and I've always learned from trainers who taught dominance with the use of pinch and snare collars. I wish I could go back in time and do it again with your methods with the other dogs. One thing I need help with is dealing with aggression, and it is not something that I've found on your page. My shephard-dobie mix is mostly sociable, but as he gets more settled with me he will sometimes get aggressive with other large males (protective of me?). For now I am just keeping him away from other dogs on our walks...I took a big cue from your "reactive dog" video. I also taught him to fetch with your video although he doesn't like it as much as just going for a long run. He needs so much exercise though; I would like to eventually let him run around the dog park so he can really run as fast and as long as he likes without me worrying about him getting into a confrontation. These 3 mile walk/jogs are hard on me sometimes! I would love to see how you use positive training methods to diffuse dominant behavior.
Thank you! I got a Shiba Inu pup that’s only 12 weeks old and whenever I leave the house even if it’s just going over to the neighbours for a chat she’ll cry (I have a dog camera connected to my phone so I can see her 24/7 ) so hopefully I can teach her she’ll be fine and I’ll be back ASAP
Anna Gilligan I have a 16 week Chiweenie puppy that cries whenever we leave. I too have a camera and barely get work done because I’m obsessively watching her. She tires out and eventually goes to sleep but wakes up and cries and the cycle continues. She sometimes plays a bit with a toy or looks outside so there is some improvement. Has your puppy gotten better with time?
New viewer here and we just adopted a puppy a month ago and she has severe separation anxiety. she won't let me go down the hall or even leave the room even if she can still see me without whining or crying. There can still be someone still int he room with her and it won't matter. she follows me all over the place. We are going to start using these tips to see if this helps. She is 4 months old now so hopefully we will be able to get her settled without having to resort to other more extreme methods like hiring a special trainer or something.
Omg!!! This is my main problem for this week. My puppy is having a major anxiety everytime i leave for work. I'm gonna have to give this tip a try. Hopefully i can get this situation fix.
How long did it take you to fix this? And did you have someone at home with your puppy?
I'd name him Oliver! Thanks for the great and educational video!
I left my puppy in the "dog proofed" kitchen, and she ripped up the floor.
My dog chews through the walls
lauryn you may have a wolf.. double check
Left my 8 week old Vizsla puppy in "dog proofed" kitchen and he just climbed the 32 inch gate and got out.
Your dog probably was trying to renovate it
Literally just came home to this shit. I did the same thing.
You might just help me keep a roof over my head with this information. I greatly appreciate it.
Such a cute pup. How about Mak or Max or Risky.
But i like the sound of Zak & Mak!
FINALLY a video with clear instructions. im going to start this training with my pup asap.
i came across one video and the guy wanted me to visualize my goals with my dog and he went on about it for half the clip. oof.
Don't make a big deal when you go out. It does help.
Yes! We were following a lot of the advice in the video, and we were making our dog worse by giving her treats when she was in a neurotic mindset. Some of the advice is fine for a puppy, but we have a 12 year old rescue pug, who we actually made worse by rewarding her fear.
@@bedriddenbeauty6504 I'm sorry but no shit sherlock. You need to wait for calm behaviour to reward and you shouldn't even pet when they have an episodes or they will keep doing it. If I give you candy whenever you cry, you will cry to get candy eventually.
Yes! I always give either a chew stick, or a kong with some kibble, say the phrase "Alright, I'm going out, see you later" And then go. And also don't make a big deal about coming back. With my girl she had the beginnings of separation anxiety and i started with 20 minutes alone in my room, and gradually work out, 5 minutes every time i upped the time. She's now a lot calmer
@@khirsah666 Gee-- how incredibly kind and helpful you are. People are here to learn. Pipe down.
I love your training videos! It's help me so much with my pup. I've been training him with your videos since I got him, and he's such a smart boy!!
Also a good name for him would be rusty, so cute😍💕💕💕
Wow! What a cute pup he is! He'll grow into a handsome young vizsla for sure!
This is super helpful! I wouldn't even know where to start without this video. I already started today!
Hi Zak I love watching your videos they are very helpful.
Tysm Zak your helping me train my own Service Dog becuz we don't have money for one 😊 ty!
What advice would you give a Great Dane owner who suffers from separation anxiety when separated from her dog for too long? 😢
Nikki D I relate to this too much lol...
Thank you. I am cleaning a huge mess in my back yard/laundry area. Everything was knocked down or broken and full of poop! Because she went #2, stepped in it, and procedeeded to jump on everything!
She is with me all the time, but when I leave, OMG! This always happens. If I leave her inside the house, she is ok, but I just can't fully trust her around the cats alone. She is a 10 month old GSD.
* as to your hypothesis - we got our dog at 2 weeks old! She was abandoned, so I too, always wonder if this contributed to her anxiety.
Blu ...his eyes are so gorgeous!
your the best dog trainer on youtube
My dog self harms when I leave, so I started taking her everywhere I could. I feel guilty, and monstrous when I have to go somewhere she can't go.
Glad I found this, thank you. Very informative. We have two Vizsla littermates and we're definitely going to be practicing with the keys and leaving briefly.
I would name him Duke oh and thanks so much for this
Thanks Zak. We just got a Vizsla who’s only 9 weeks old & he’s already attached to my wife & I at the hip. He very much suffers from separation anxiety.
Dog is probably thinking "what is the matter with my master, he's getting up, down, in and out of room, gets his keys but doesn't go anywhere. I think he is quickly developing some "senior memory" issues. Oh well.... I can't help him so I will just chew on my bone in the meantime."
I just realized that what Zac is doing with his dog, my therapist does with me! Exposure therapy with rewards and a little bit of cognitive behavioral therapy, but in doggy versions!
That’s awesome!
Oh that's so good ❤ exposure therapy, thank you for that perspective!
We had a foster dog who didn't seem like he'd have separation anxiety issues...until he had knee surgery. Exercise is so vital! We couldn't even take him for walks and suddenly he became the dog from the underworld. He had pretty extreme separation anxiety. He was a rottweiler, so nothing would contain him. He flipped any crate we put him in and ripped the doors off, he ripped our fencing right off our posts, he ripped the door frames off our house...it was so hard to deal with when we had to go to work =( It was especially bad because all of his panicked escape efforts ended up ruining his knee surgery and he had to have a second surgery to correct it. Thankfully our story has a happy ending!
Eventually we got him past it with lots of consistent training by desensitizing him to our leaving signals, VERY gradually working his way up to longer times being left alone, and leaving behind the best treats (we froze peanut butter or broth in puzzle bowls...made for a very fun time killer!). When he recovered from the surgery and we finally could exercise him again it was like he never had separation anxiety at all. We were able to find him a forever home and warned them that he has separation anxiety issues but thankfully they never had a problem with it. It took a lot of time (around 3+ months), there were times when he regressed, and his extreme separation anxiety was very trying at times. But persistence, desensitization, great treats, and working our way with baby steps made a world of difference.
We talked to local trainers, read books, watched videos, looked on websites, and this video covers everything that we learned. Only thing it didn't cover was using crates as a way to contain an anxious dog for short periods of time (which requires making their crate a safe, comfortable place via crate training before doing...it's not so great for longer term separation). Great video Zak!
00:05 is the same reaction i have with my little guy. 😂😂
Great video. I just want to say (I'm starting to study ethology so I'm not as good as Zak, but think it is important) that some dogs get kind of anxious when they are in a somehow new environment (and environments can be "new" even when the dog has been living there for a week or two). My dog never had separation anxiety until I moved to a place where, when left alone, she could see the neighbour's dog (through a window), which had had an aggressive behaviour towards her when they met, but at the moment they were OK, and played when they were together so I thought she had forgotten the incident. It took me a while to realize that she was just anxious to be "left alone" with that dog (even though he could not reach her), and then I realized that she improved when I left the door open so she could go to the backyard, so she felt less vulnerable, but still she did not stop the destructive behaviour completely. Then, I moved out and I trained her to be left alone in my room, and she has never cried when left alone or broken anything since, she just sleeps until I get back.
So, just if this helps anybody: you can also look for clues that bother your dog on the environment, some dogs are really sensitive and can associate a place with something bad that happened weeks ago, and it is so difficult to remove that memory, so in that case I would recommend (again, I'm not a professional just yet) to try to let the dog alone anywhere else and train him/her to be comfortable with it. Even a room change can make the difference, so, don't give up : )
He looks like a Buddy ;)
Buddy The Borador, my dog’s name is buddy!
I have a new pup and used Zak's methods constantly. Its worked great and my pup and I have a great bond. Ironically, she now is attched to me excessively and is exhibiting SA symptoms.
What about ruff... Get it?
Thepikachu176 haha😄 I get it!😅
I’m definitely trying these! Thank you!
my favorite breed is Hungarian vizsla. I'm Hungarian too and named my vizsla Tisza after a river I'm Hungary.
I like all of your videos! My Husky Puppy learned all things, like sit etc. I know it has no connection in this video, just because Im very thankful to you! Thansmks Zak!
How do I practice this if I live in an apartment and my doors don’t have glass to be able to see dog’s reaction?
Start with crate training! Don't give the dog treats until it's completely relaxed. What we think is reassuring affection, the dog can read as protective, and think we are fearful, which will just aggravate the behavior. Best case scenario is for your dog to nap when you are gone. Things like nervous energy walks, toys, and treats, will just amp your dog up instead of relaxing them.
I just got a new puppy and I love these video's so helpful.
Oow i like the iris scott. Thats one of my favorite peaces.
Fantastic as always! So helpful. Thank you!
I would name him Coco
60 Second Covers that's my dog's name.
I’m watching this video to train my baby coco
My dogs name is Coco too!!
were planning to have one. this is a big help. thank you !
06:15 😭😭 he knees him 😂
My nephew and his dog just moved in and she has such bad separation anxiety that it gives our two dogs regular anxiety, our dogs are well behaved and they look at her so bewildered lol
Love rover! I’m a dog sitter on Rover (:
Lauren Flute I love the fact that you watch Zak and are a dog sitter!
Definitely gonna try this tomorrow asap... My dog has serious separation anxiety and I can't even take a bath sometimes 😁
Hey, thanks for the video about anxiety!
I have this issue with my 9m rescue dog and we’re practicing leaving her alone for short periods of time and now reached 1 hour without barking or destroying. That’s pretty amazing! But still when she’s alone she can’t get busy with any toy, mostly waiting at the door, walking or laying down.. is there any way I can help her get busy with something to enjoy more this time?? Or will it change over time?
Thank you Zak,I rescued an 8 year old staffi who has separation anxiety and it's a tough and exhausting one to crack but it's baby steps. Thank you I will be trying your tips. I have been sensitising with the keys and my shoes but must try giving treats while doing it!! 👍👍
My puppy has the worst case of separation anxiety! 😩😩 i feel so bad
@Majlena me too. We are having trouble getting our puppy to stay in the crate alone. He follow me around all the time and can't stand if I even go into the other room... I am going crazy... :(
Need this I had to quit my job when we first rescued Atticus now 6 months later we are starting the process of leaving him alone. We tackled his general anxiety now its time to get the separation anxiety conquered.
Miranda B how is your baby doing?? I’m struggling with the same issue. He can’t be home alone
I think I have a vizsla pit mix and he’s so anxious when I leave
Vizsla is a Hungarian hunting dog breed, so I would go with a Hungarian dog name. Of course most of these names are hard to pronounce for non-hungarians, but there are easier ones like "Pajti" (means buddy).
Vizslas are bred to be highly cooperative hunting dogs (not like beagles for example, who were in packs, mostly interact with each other, not the hunter), even in the Middle Ages they could be in the house (mostly castle...) together with the people, there are paintings of big feasts where vizslas are in the room together with the guests, chewing their leftovers. So no question they are prone to separation anxiety.
But they are very smart, and with the proper training, they are one of the easiest breeds to handle :) (and no, I don't have a vizsla, I'm not even a vizsla-fan)
Great Video Zak! Do you have any input on how to train a 6 month old puppy who has severe anxiety with leaving the home/going outside?
Looks like a Cashew! Our pup is now 7 months and is very anxious when I leave, even when he is with my hubby. I will be trying these tips!
I think name him Rufus if it's a boy and Tinker if it's a girl. I like those names for boy and girl Vizsla for some reason lol. I think I will name my beagle puppy Lucy (Once I get her of course lol).
Thank you so much for all this great info you are a great teacher
Name him Hoover b/c he’s sucking all my energy just watching him! Lol ❤️
Thanks Zak for these amazing tips
Zak your videos are really helpful my parents see how you explain things and help figure it out and they are thinking of buying me a dog thank you for making these videos
You are You ,be happy that's awesome to hear!
Buddy The Borador thank you
I love your videos they help me cope with my wild child Chicky. I would call him The Red Knight. Red for short. He just reminds me of the knights of old. So elegant and bold.
Ozzie or barney. I loved the video it helped
I got my first puppy two weeks ago and my breeder recommended I leave him consistently for 3 hours daily. I have had such anxiety myself over if I'm being a bad dog mum and if I'm doing more harm than good letting him scream and howl for me. He has a safe place which is a 114cm diameter pen with a donut bed and he gets his yummy kong which occupies him until after I leave. Then the howling begins. He eventually drops off but when he wakes he's sad again. I'm only two weeks in but it's so so so hard.