Zak George on Dog Training Methods

Zak George is no doubt the most popular and one of the most outspoken dog trainers in social media, as he tells the truth – based on science – regarding dog training methods.

Listen HERE to my conversation with Zak from Steve Dale’s Pet World, WGN Radio.

We talk a great deal about training methods, and about how too many trainers online are are now supporting aversive or punishment-based methods. Then those little videos online demonstrate “results.” How accurate are these videos really?

What does it mean to be “alpha” over a dog?  And it turns out, he says, many of the dog trainers who may be most effective may be about 5 feet and 98 lbs. You don’t need to be male or well over 6 feet and very strong to be an effective dog trainer.

We discuss whether or not dog trainers should be regulated? What should people look for in decided on a dog trainer?

No Shock Collars Please: “Pain Should Not Be a Communications Tool”

Zak is totally no fan of the use of shock collars and takes a deep dive in describing why.

Discussed is a truth as to why some animal shelters will hire a trainer to use whatever methods “necessary” to inhibit a behavior and make a adoption possible, therefore furthering “no kill” numbers for their Board and for the public. But what kind of dogs are they now adopting out?

There’s confusion here, as suppressing behavior is not truly the same as training or truly teaching a dog and changing a dog’s demeanor in the process.

So, why do people use aversive and equipment that causes pain when over and over shock collars, prong collars and using choke collars have been proven to do more harm than good?

There’s typically an explanation for this behavior called aggression.

Rather than to make an animal do something, the trick the is make the animal want to do something. He says, it’s kind of that simple.

Dogs Sensing Stress

It turns out dogs can even discern if a stranger is stressed, according to a new study.