A Brief Response to Zak George.

[@anna_L_N]

👌now can we all please agree to stop feeding Zack’s algorithm by engaging.

[@shepherds.pie.youtube]

YES PLEASE He's only doing this because of the extreme engagement it gets. Controversy does WAY too well on this platform.

[@Still316]

If balanced trainers shut up. many people will say zak is right.

[@shepherds.pie.youtube]

@@Still316 and that's the problem. If nobody says anything, he never gets challenged. Yet if we keep commenting on his videos, he reaches more and more people.

[@oceanlover1663]

Never heard of him until he attacked dog daddy last week with his "woke-dog-science". Dog daddy is going up so fast on KZbin and etc and its threatening Zak's number one KZbin position. 😆 🤣 😂 😹

[@kat7011]

Amen!

[@Zhahn-Pam]

I also train dogs and educate people. I am a balanced/common sense trainer. I adjust my techniques in a case-by-case basis because one size does not fit all people or dogs. Thank you for being straight up and honest.

[@IvanBalabanov]

Thank you

[@billclark8241]

As you should.....

[@HandraCorjnaLevstean]

This is smartness. I'm not for neurotic approaches. I'm for trying different things and changing modality if it does not work the previous one. If zack georges one doesn't work with tgat particular dog then i'll try something else tgat will never include shock/prong/choke collars anyway just because i don't think i need to go that far

[@MatoNupai]

Been training dogs since I got my first puppy. Bribery DOESNT WORK WITH ALL DOGS. Sometimes the human must assert his or her role as the alpha dog. Better to cause TEMPORARY discomfort to the dog than allow the dog to get further and further out of control until your only choice is putting a beloved pet Down. Zak George was trained by PetSmart and thinks he has all the answers when he hasn’t collected all of the questions yet

[@_shakawkaw]

Brutally amazing response! Zak is a product of the pet industry where dogs are in second or third plan, not someone to take into account when discussing dog training future and well being of dogs in general. My complete respect to you Mr Ivan, thanks

[@IvanBalabanov]

Thanknyou

[@1Jasmin]

Why is that? What does Zak do wrong?

[@Arewal851]

@@1Jasmin Is that a real question? Are you ZG in disguise trying to learn how to train a dog without luring?

[@1Jasmin]

@@Arewal851 I assume the last name of Zak starts with a G? Also I don't understand your question, I mean how unlikely or low is the chance of him having a "fake profile" to ask these questions? Do you really think he is so desperate or does think he does something wrong so he tries to find out what? Also the slim to non existing chance he would have a second profile for such things, how high do you think is the chance that he gives himself a woman's name and has a pink flower profile picture and the account being already 10+ years old and not a new one he created for this purpose? I wonder why do you even reply to me, if you don't intend to answer my question? Don't reply to me when not answering my questions. Now, to answer your questions. No, I am not Zak and yes, I am serious about my question!

[@Arewal851]

@@1Jasmin Yes it is extremely likely that Zak has many fake profiles and as yours has no content, no playlists etc, it does have all the qualities of a fake profile. A better question would be why wouldn't he be hiding among the commentators on a video about him? Of course he is some of the ones commenting. What I find odd though is that you ask what he did wrong and then ask me if Zaks last name starts with a G. If you don't know who ZG is, then answering your question would take hours.

[@BuddhatheRockstar]

I was reluctant to become a certified dog trainer because of this exact issue. My mentor taught me that all dogs are different and learn differently. Not one size fits all. I have had long time friends suddently shun me because I do not hold the same training philosophy as them. I am grateful to Ivan for speaking up and having a ripple effect on this industry.

[@IvanBalabanov]

Should look into my course www.trainingwithoutconflict.com/certification

[@BuddhatheRockstar]

@Ivan Balabanov It's one of my goals for the year.

[@dragonryderslair]

If long time friends shun you because your training philosophy differs and they have vought into the positive only training 1. THEY were never your friends. 2. They will xo.e to you when they have dogs that are expected to do more than circus tricks or serious behavior problems that the previous POSITIVE TRAINERS ONLY have created.

[@kentk9trainingcenter]

I love that you have zero cuts in your video. Straightforward, not made to get views, just pure logic. No BS. Anyone who knows anything about training dogs knows Zak is full of sh*t

[@FullOfRandomness02]

I agree totally! I know people mess up with words and cut/edit.. but Zak’s seemed to be WAY overdone IMO.. especially given the fact Zak stated he wanted to do “”””vlog wars”””” so they’d have time to generate a thoughtful response… didn’t look like Zak had a well thought out video. Meanwhile Ivan’s out here posting videos with no cuts and speaking with confidence (rightfully so)

[@smartcanis]

Zack can't put one sentence together without multiple cuts

[@DA-ib1ii]

@@smartcanis lol true 😂

[@BuddhatheRockstar]

💯 The only thing about Cesar that bothers me is presenting a dog who is fixed in one episode. It is misleading. He more than likely doesn't have complete control of how the content is presented.

[@melody3451]

Thank you Ivan for this video. Zak is really pushing hard to bring down balanced trainers and the tools and I can’t imagine how I can manage my reactive gsd if it wasn’t for the tools and skills I have now. Please continue help raise our voice and educate the public❤

I do not understand why he is doing this. Zak, you are embarrassing yourself and I would say that as a friend. Worry about yourself. Stop harassing people.

[@reflexdogtraining1337]

Again, thanks for the hard work, Ivan. I know Zack "posted and ghosted" in your last video, but I was really hoping (and still do hope) that he'll have a conversation. Don't stop pushing for the betterment of human and dog relationships, Ivan! We'll be doing the same! And to quote Michael Ellis: "Education, education, education!" 👏

[@littleninjai222]

I LOVE that you did this in front of your book shelf of the countless books you've read on dog training (not to mention the academics, dog trainers and subject matter experts you've had thousand of hours of discussions with about dog behavior and dog training). Zak loves to regurgitate all these scientific studies but what he doesn't realize is how sophisticated your scientific background is on the topic (not to mention your practical handling of dogs), almost to the level of genius. If he did watch any of your podcast he'd know that...and how to pronounce your last name.

[@KacieBreider]

Righttttt love it!!

[@EdgarFroes]

Not an ADHD friendly background though hahaha, I had to zoom on his face otherwise I couldn’t pay attention to him.

[@cmlman8598]

@@EdgarFroes needless to say my wishlist got longer.

[@zauberbergk9]

Don't shoot the dog! The bible of aversives that Ivan must have studied? HahahahahaZak should eat Ivan's presentation for breakfast lunch and dinner.....and for a snack in between

[@kevinb8204]

​@@zauberbergk9 LOL - LOL - LOL - LOL - LOL - LOL Zak couldnt eat his way out of overboiled vegetable ravioli.

[@marioortiz8853]

Hello, Ivan. I was having a conversation about why this person won't have a live conversation with you or anyone else and you summed it up pretty nicely. He is afraid of being exposed. I love your work and enjoy your content very much. Keep up the great work 👍👍👍

[@PettyTalksTV]

Thank you for your POV... Very revealing. People should hear this.

[@hockeydad7272]

Not my dog account to protect my name from being shared. But this is what I know. Zak doesn’t save lives with his dogs. And likely Zak hasn’t trained anywhere near the numbers Ivan has. It takes 1000’s of dogs touched to be able to have the knowledge Ivan does. Quite frankly Ivan has changed my career by teaching the likes of Michael Ellis and others who passed knowledge to me. I am without a doubt Saving Lives. Human Lives with The Knowledge that Ivan has passed onto his friends and clients!

[@toni19292]

Love how direct your response was. Very refreshing 👍🏻

[@jdoveyk9422]

Thank god there was no Bark Box promo in this video. When someone sells out to corporate interests then they have pressure to maintain a public image and not rock the boat. Much respect Ivan. 👏🏼💯

[@zauberbergk9]

Hey Ivan, want you to know that I really appreciate you putting forth the effort to deal with clowns. Your content is always very solidly backed by science. Which is what I am into as much as possible. Thanks for all your help with making dog owners/trainers understand the deeper foundation of what they should educate themselves about. I really hope you have the time and energy to continue!

[@welcometogilead]

Science from the 1960’ to the 90’s. Welcome to the 21st-century.

[@briangregory5327]

I'm just here to read all the book titles in the background!

[@IvanBalabanov]

😂

[@SusanneBrehl]

Thank YOU Sir, greetings from Germany❤️🐕

[@ricardocarneiro7797]

Thank you for all you do for us and for dogs, Ivan. You are a true source of knowledge for us who truly want the best for our dogs. You have my utmost respect.

[@lighthousebob187]

A true dog man right there. Thanks so much for all you do. For fighting the good fight for our dogs and us dog owners. So grateful.

[@broadbrook108]

Zak stopped being a trainer and became a KZbin influencer long ago. I don't begrudge anyone making a living but fairytale message he pushes does more harm than good. Thank you for calling him out.

[@welcometogilead]

That would totally be accurate unless you read the comments of his million plus subscribers, who have been transformed by his training methods. It is difficult to be on the wrong side of science.

[@uponeric36]

@@welcometogilead Rather, it's easy to train the majority of dogs with force free methods which includes millions of people and dogs. That doesn't mean people who don't use force free methods universally are on "the wrong side of science" Do you know what science is? Science doesn't have sides, it's not a team or meal; it's the process by which you arrive at unfalsifiable facts.

[@welcometogilead]

@@uponeric36 yep. I believe the science that has been referred to by positive reinforcement trainers meets that criteria.

[@uponeric36]

​@@welcometogilead That means nothing without quoting a specific study, and a study alone isn't science. It's part of the scientific process, but it is not unfalsifiable evidence in itself. Nobody can know what you mean by "the science that has been referred to by positive reinforcement trainers" either since it's a nonsensical statement. Science is a process to determine currently unfalsifiable facts; with no absolute conclusions outside of completely deterministic systems like basic math. "The science" is never settled, it has no opinion, especially because dogs aren't deterministic systems and new information always has a chance to falsify old models and conclusions. That's why you can't refer to "the science" and get away with it if you're an honest person. To quote some vague "the science" as all that's needed to be against non-positive reinforcement methods in the face of all the variables of dog life is naïve at best and dangerous at worst.

[@Dogdaddy5560]

@@uponeric36 kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJjIpZafn6xlrcU

[@WillReynolds88]

Thanks for the video Ivan. I'm looking forward to the future podcasts. I have learned so much from them and always find them fascinating. Keep doing what you do.

[@iqdog]

The answer Ivan gave was concise and to the point and I am glad he is bringing awareness to this topic. I look forward to his debates in the future or getting the scientific community to do deeper dive and answer deep questions about the facts. Transparent studies would be more helpful next time in the future

[@alright..alright]

Love the background, it speak for itself. 🤓 As we see on his podcast, despite his deep knowledge, Ivan really wants to learn more and be challenged with ideas. He doesn't care if they came from one side or the other, he only care if it works and allow the relashionship bettew man and dog to grow. For me as spectator, and first time dog owner, trying to learn the most to do the best I can for my dog, I'm really sorry that the possitive only side does not enter in a trully debate and exchange of ideas so we can all grow.

[@ashley9325]

Well said Ivan! Zak’s responses and behavior would be comical if it were not so damaging

[@gcwilson1]

Well handled Ivan! Appreciate you taking the time to respond. He has a lot of followers who are being mislead. When I first got my puppy I was one of them😢 but that was a while ago. Thank you for information presented clearly.

[@juliapriest4268]

I am so blessed to have started my journey of training dogs for sport with you so many years ago. From the beginning, the one outstanding feature of your training and presentation has been your core passion for The Dog. Not theory. Not publicity. Not adoration or controversy. The essence of The Dog. Thank you for your steadfast dedication to the coie of why we do this,.

[@notesfromleisa-land]

There's facts; there's opinions; and there's opinions masquerading as fact. In my job (not a dog trainer), I frequently have to challenge the opinions of others that are expressed (emphatically) as facts. I have found that two questions work quite well in evaluating the conflicts over ideas about "stuff": Is it credible?; AND Is it defensible? There are many "credible" arguments that cannot be defended based on fact. Conversely, there are also "factual" arguments that don't exist within a context makes any sense (or a robust working model) to make them credible. In tandem, they work quite well--and if we employ them both it can inform our own thinking. You did a very nice job in your rebuttal!

[@IvanBalabanov]

Your feedback and time to write are very much appreciated 🥂

[@bidlad132]

50 years of Dog training here. I’m SO GRATEFUL for you,Ivan.

[@meganaltman916]

Dogs and trainers everywhere want true balance and structure - just like what Ivan brings to the table. Such a great response

[@hugoanzures7619]

Ivan is seriously on a whole different level. Zack is Barney compared to this man. No offense to Zack he has done incredible things teaching the average dog owner however Ivan has both amazing on field and book knowledge. Thank you Ivan.

[@Arewal851]

Zak has done incredible things? That is so funny! Was it the part where he teaches them to lure or the part where he teaches them which treats to buy from his sponsors to lure them with? 😆😆😆😆

[@earthrooster1969]

When i keep a very open mind, i support all dog trainers who intend to do the right thing. Social media can does blow things out of proportion. I see value in all dog training methods and also feel some methods work better for certain breeds and certain situations. The new Insta generation often wants quick fixes and who may 'want to support' feel good methods. Many people browse social media for fluffy happy stories to get their daily 'awwww' fix! I do too when i am SO stressed! The social media while spreading a lot of information has also caused a lot of divide! And at some point, one needs to just work with dogs/owners and take great satisfaction as it's not an easy job by any means!!!

[@atyourservicedog]

Using positive methods is a great way to work with pets who don’t have serious problems. If you don’t mind waiting for the possible results, and if you’re okay with not being able to achieve bomb proof commands. The majority of my training with my Rottweiler is positive, but he has to know he has boundaries and that I will follow through every time. People have to stop treating dogs like they are children made of glass. They become confident when they have clear expectations, and have a handler they can trust who will make the important decisions.

[@gehausecabinet5073]

When a so called dog trainer is earning more on social media channels and product endorsements rather than training dogs says a lot bout how rubbish his methods are.

[@synergycane9]

Outstanding 👏🏽 Dogs need educated leaders willing to do whatever it is to help the dog. Dogs don’t need sell outs and weak minded, ignorant individuals.

[@arizanel9199]

I am a but late, but I want to thank you, Ivan, for your work and for making things a bit easier to understand, but no less accurate!

[@IvanBalabanov]

Not late all. We are just warming up

[@jamiecharlett5740]

Hey Ivan, as much as I enjoy a bit of conflict and I would have loved to see you go head to head with ZG I see that would have been counter productive to the dog community at large. This is probably the best way to respond. My respect for you has only grown and I look forward to you being a leader in the dog community.

[@Erin_29]

I agree!🙌💯

[@kiefferorszulak8443]

Outside of science, results speak volumes.

[@joannelucas6760]

Now there's a REAL MAN ! NO diahrrea of the mouth, sitting behind a computer, like others we've seen ! ❤

[@antoniosantonios913]

When a man says to another man, professional to professional let's have a live chat, on all these topics unprepared and someone from the other party declines. The question has already been answered.

[@dinazaphiris1257]

you're the best... bravo to you & what you're doing... keep making a difference! Thank you, Ivan!!

[@IvanBalabanov]

Thank you means a lot

[@Tarnished5Leaf]

I tried training my American bully to zaks methods , got me through my dogs prepubescent stage. Once his nuts dropped I struggled for a week till I found guys that actually know what they are talking about and aren’t against discipline (I’m not talking about hitting the puppet obviously) ever since I can’t look at Zak the same way (considering the fact that 2 years deep he couldn’t control inertia or that he gave up on his Pit because he couldn’t teach it a single thing)

[@kathleen7825]

Thank you very much, Ivan, for your voice and sharing this clip 🙏 God Bless you 🙏🐕

[@thankmelater1254]

Zak's "data" had inclusion of data, for example, from study of punishments on lambs, punishments inescapable by behavior changes, to show how "learned helplessness" can be achieved in farm animals. Also the bad effects of hanging a German Shepherd by the neck until dead. Zak doesn't have a clue about science, he's moronic to talk about "The Science"; there is no "The Science" - there is only "science". His representation of that stuff he listed as "The Science" is a baseless claim to puff himself up, but he looks like a jackass for using stuff that isn't even suitable for what he he claims it supports. HE OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T EVEN READ what he claims as supporting scientific evidence because after I challenged him repeatedly on livestream on this subjects of it being NOT EVIDENCE FOR HIS CLAIMS , he gave up on that angle and switched to professing that "Learning Theory" supported his nonsense. He provided no evidence from Learning Theory to support his claims, either. He just said "Learning Theory", over and over.

[@FluffyDog303]

Zak can’t have a two way discussion with anyone knowledgeable in training because it would be so easy to counter his arguments with the studies he posts about. If he can not comprehend that Correlation is not Cause (as his own studies state) then he does not understand “The Svience”

[@islandgypsy1096]

I don't have anything against Zak or his training methods. If can get people out training their dogs to be well behaved. Great! 👍 I have issues with the ASVAB published study. That Zak quotes as gospel. It's ambiguous and flawed at best. The term "adverse" is never defined, as to how it is used in the study. Is it tools being used, if so how are they being used? What are the dog age? How long did the study last? What is the genetic temperament of the dogs, was it taken in to consideration? Were the dogs kept in a crate, and only let out for potty and training? Did the dogs that received the "adverse" only training have any positive fun interactions with the humans? Way too many variables not discussed. I am not able to form an educated opinion. I will stick to balanced training . Thank you Ivan, for taking the time to truly educate and help us.

[@CamilleGG451]

Exactly- way too many unanswered questions!

[@positivehotdogs]

Zack is lying to his audience about dogs. On top of that, he's probably one of the worst at positive reinforcement. It is the blind leading the blind.

[@DA-ib1ii]

I appreciate how you expose his cowardice regarding his refusal to engage in an intellectual conversation man to man and trainer to trainer. Unfortunately it seems he doesn’t know how to be either. Tell it like it is👏👏👏

[@Degee5585]

Well... You can add this short video to the list of reasons why I admire and respect you !

[@K9observer]

The biggest Thank You to Ivan. You tried, but you can not fix stupid!

[@DESCENDINGDR]

Stand tall tall Ivan! You might be the best representative, or one of them, to speak for common sense balanced dog training. Opposing views that I've heard haven't had much weight or substance...

[@HandraCorjnaLevstean]

If it works i don't mind purely positive, if it doesn't then it's time tp change the strategy, it's a matter of adaptment

[@amandawoodward5596]

My favorite thing out Force Free is that it challenges us to train in a new way and it's fun to make mistakes and learn. But I value balanced training because I feel dogs need clear communication and consequences for their actions. The beauty is that no mater the training, your dog will love you more with clear direction and leadership. I hate the force free mindset of letting the dog just figure it out. They need direction. You need to tell your dog what is inappropriate, not reward them troubleshooting. Balance training is not abuse unless you make it abuse.

[@parkerbrown-nesbit1747]

Dogs really seem to work best with structure. Balanced training, in my opinion, gives them that structure.

[@amandawoodward5596]

@Parker Brown-Nesbit absolutely. I trained my blue heeler with force free methods but her obedience was lacking. After trying balanced training, she is excelling. Many preach about the fallout that MIGHT happen, but surprisingly, my dog is far more eager to listen, is far more affectionate, and is far happier. Those pushing to abolish balanced training are nuts and I fear we may see more dogs in shelters as a result.

[@tomc3216]

zack is awesome at teaching a dog how to catch a frisbee, that's about it.

[@BaebeasDogTrainingPortland]

Umm, only if the dog already has a natural inclination for that behavior.😊 Otherwise, he’s not even good at that.

[@lindamcmanus5807]

I would not even go that far.

[@patrickcannon2851]

Thanks Ivan for showing people the lunacy of the force free movement. Zac can't let his border collie off leash when there is distractions and competing motivators, he has been training it over three years its such a shame their dogs miss out on so much fun and freedom.

[@vikingdogmanship]

This is the best comment i have seen yet. So true! I would say he he is an insecure leader, but good at teaching tricks. Not hating on anyone, but that's my observation.

[@patrickcannon2851]

@@vikingdogmanship Teaching tricks to a dog is easy a monkey can train a dog too do tricks. Unwanted behaviours are a completely different ball game which has been proved by looking at his dogs they have no manners, he is feeding them at the table which is teaching them to counter surf, he is promoting shitty toys and saying bones are bad they might hurt your dog. He was letting the dog bark at a horse pulling a carriage. Have a look at his vid bear proofing his dog its complete bs, he uses science this and science that to push the fluffy agenda. I have four high drive working line border collies i can take anywhere off leash even the middle of a city they are trained on whistle and voice commands and sheep, All of them were out of control when i got them. They call themselves force free but their dogs are forced to be on a leash or long line for years while mine can run free after a few weeks of balanced training.

[@kevinb8204]

@@patrickcannon2851 Perfect! And again I ask, who is causing more dogs more harm; trainers like yourself who put their dogs through a few weeks or months of intermittent adversives, or the FF/Pos-only trainers who put theirs through a lifetime of low to moderate stress and anxiety induced by conditions such as those you describe?

[@patrickcannon2851]

@@kevinb8204 What zak can not compute is that he is puting his dogs through stress every time they are lead reactive for years, i just watched one of his vids and his wife is rewarding the dog for jumping up and they are both oblivious they are rewarding the dog.

[@1Jasmin]

​@@patrickcannon2851What does "balanced training" mean?

[@ilyska1977]

You're the man Ivan! I loved your presentation and really appreciated your thorough research into the topics, and your clear delivery of the arguments from both sides.

[@jeffreymastropetre5148]

Out of all the trainers I have ever learned from, no one comes close to Ivan’s mastery, and his sincere dedicated respect and love for dogs.

[@-teamsukiandcorny-]

Zaks own dog isn’t trained to behave. She still is reactive, and he has to always have treats. I don’t get why he calls him self a dog trainer when he can’t get his own dog to fully listen.

[@parkerbrown-nesbit1747]

Thanks for pointing that out! I've watched a few of his videos, and was shocked by them. (I bred, raised, and trained Border Collies with my grandfather, starting from the age of 4. I was given my first solo dog to train when I was 9. When I showed off my pup's skill at everything from obedience to herding, and my grandfather said 'That'll do', I was over the moon, as that was his highest praise)

[@k9-1]

Zak George's audience mostly consists of teenyboppers who just got new puppies. In the real world, *maybe* he might be sufficient for teaching puppy classes at PetSmart. I watched an interview where he couldn't even explain what basic operant conditioning is. So, he will never do a live and continue to confuse young minds in the virtual world. Thank you for demonstrating that these propaganda slingers are in no way qualified to be involved in making important decisions in the professional dog training industry or even capable of having a fact-based conversation. Much respect to Ivan.

[@thankmelater1254]

Zak is very good for demonstrating how to rouse interest from a normal dog for playing frisbee. Gotta give him that. "Cracking the code" with a psychologically hurting dog is different, though. Zak is a fake, fully dishonest when he disputes about force-free vs other.

[@angelbarbie7914]

Funny you mentioned PetSmart. It’s one of the companies that pays for these propaganda “science studies” that are not worth the paper they’re printed on. All with the intent to sell their products & BS training to increase profits.

[@adamm5054]

I love your channel! I have watched a lot of your content. The one with Victoria Stillwell needing assistance from a balanced trainer is my favorite!

[@LauraHopkinsCDL]

I put your share link under one of Zak's videos as all he seems to be interested in is selling Bark box etc. You are right also to say he plays the algorithm . Your presentation was excellent.

[@elisabethwhetstone4420]

What a fabulous way to explain to Zak that he truly is the twat waffle we've seen him to be for years. Facts vs Bluster. Thanks, Ivan. I look forward to seeing the upcoming conversations.

[@clairesilvey]

Twat waffle is my favorite😂

[@kevbot4331]

Oh my word 😳 if he didn’t understand the presentation, THAT should do the trick! Well done Ivan 👏

[@CamilleGG451]

Can you refer me to the presentation he's talking about? I love Ivan and want to see what he's referring to!

[@KerrieDavis-x1d]

I was wondering what presentation you were referring to in this video? I just discovered your channel and your podcast. I love that you're having conversations with people on both "sides" in the dog world. I hate the extreme polarisation lately. Many people have lost the ability to respectfully disagree today and it's tiring and damaging.

[@Kovidkillermalinois]

Ivan, You are awesome. You, your wife, staff, and dogs are amazing 👏 Bravo Sir!

[@Macdonald869]

Good on you Ivan

[@delaneyreyes8995]

I Watch Zaks videos on puppy raising and basic obedience. But if I was dealing with more complex behavioral issues I would not turn to Zak. A lot of dogs respond to positive reinforcement but there are others that do not. We do things a certain way in my pack. When I bring in a new puppy I train certain things and others are learned by the older dogs.

[@kirkbrooks9447]

I watched 2 of Zak George's videos and both all he was doing was using a super high value reward (Packaged, processed lunch meat) to lure the dogs to do the basics. I'm not a professional trainer by any means but I'm pretty sure I can get the average dog to do all that stuff too if I just stuffed food down their faces. Slowly people here in the USA are recognizing that these trainers who won't use e collars or some other type negative reinforcement are simply saying that death before discomfort is preferable for your dog. Where I live in Colorado you can take your dog hiking and easily encounter anything from rattle snakes to mountain lions to bears. You need to get your dog back to you and safe with 100% consistency or they're liable to end up dead. The rattle snakes seem to be a real problem here, that's a horrible death for your dog. Your message is well stated.

[@Zionsol777]

in a "debate" I had with zak he tried to convince me that a wolf pack leader utilizes positive enforcement to gain control of the pack and to teach it right and wrong. He is completely close minded to any opinions differing his. You are right to speak your peace and move on brother.

[@IvanBalabanov]

He knows that he doesn’t know. That’s for sure

[@mariahmoosymoose470]

Finally! Someone and Robert to talk about the truth

[@thecawckiestking]

Shots fired 😂 He really should've just taken the invitation to debate on a podcast if he really wanted to share his views so badly, but he won't because as you said, he doesn't like his views challenged, and all he wants to do is promote himself and plug his agenda, not have an open and honest conversation. Its a shame because I've been listening to a lot of your podcasts recently working my way up from the earliest ones and they are not only good but you get some very great and credible speakers on your channel, people who're heavily in the science side of animals and neuroscience and things with actual backbone to them, not just Joe Down The Street Who Thinks He Can Train Dogs, and a lot of the people you have on don't even completely agree with you on some things but you still manage to always have an insightful and respectful conversation regardless of different ideas and learn from each other. I think what you're doing with your podcasts is great and exactly what the dog training industry needs, not whatever this stupid divisive publicity stunt Zak is stirring up is. Keep doing what you're doing! I've been seeing your subscriber count go up every time I click on a new podcast to listen to so your message is getting where it needs to go 👌

[@skibumsunited]

I have so much respect for you Ivan, you really show your class and experience in all your content. This was a perfect response and really highlights the difference in quality between a KZbin highly edited pet trainer, vs a international award winning dog trainer who’s priority is helping dogs and not getting KZbin likes. Well done!

[@charlenelynch6505]

Yo! Solid!! So glad I got your channel on my youtube feed. Love your sound logic.

[@serahlefler]

I appreciate both sides. Clearly you both have differing views and aren't going to convince the other to swap sides. So long as you both continue to learn and put your best efforts into understanding dog behavior and training in a way that will make the dogs and humans lives better, that's what matters. I love Zaks passion for only wanting positive training and he's helped me with training my dog at home, but so has balanced trainers so I really appreciate the dog training community as a whole.

[@yishihara55527]

You are blind and unqualified to say anything. For example, if we were dealing with the subject of calculus, Ivan would be like one of the best university-based calculus professors in the world while Zak would be a "calculus tutor" with down syndrome who thinks he's helping people. That is literally the difference that you are dealing with but you cannot see it because you don't know what you don't know. But some of us have been around for a while and DO know!

[@serahlefler]

@@yishihara55527 and you are entitled to your opinion. Given you do not know my qualifications or experiences, it is a very bold and blind statement to say that I am 'unqualified to say anything'. I just hope next time you'll be more respectful and eloquent with the way you respond to opinions you do not agree with. I will not respond further as I do not wish to entertain hurtful conversations. I hope you have a lovely day and your training goes well.

[@yishihara55527]

@@serahlefler Your "qualifications" are irrelevant. Your statement tells me all I need to know. Others that have been in this game for a while know what I said is spot on. I bet Ivan had a good laugh too. 😂

[@1Jasmin]

What is on "positive training" and then what is negative training if their is positive training?

[@MT-if1jr]

Ivan works working dogs and you MUST be the leader with a Belgian Malinois. All Dogs need structure and correction or they will do what they want and. Oh look at the owner as their leader. . All positive gets no where with high drive dogs. Zack’s techniques could not halt a Mal in a full run heading for a Decoy with his all positive no correction training. I have a high drive Mal and I used ecollar corrections to train him. I don’t have to use it much anymore, BUT every so often when we do PSA competition training he will at like a jerk and I will zap him back to -mamma is in charge! My dog would walk all over me with all positive .

[@jenniferRainwater]

Hahaha!! Great response!!! You told him!!! ( Intelligent and professionally said, of course. With real class, and I'm sincere with my response) you've just earned my respect and I subbed, good Sir!

[@TheForgottenMusketeer]

One of my goals is to study Ivan’s training, I feel I’m not experienced enough to fully understand it yet but I will.

[@WR4SSE]

Thankyou Sir. We need the veterans using their undeniable experience as a sword to fight this bullshit lie being peddled. Thankyou Ivan. Novice trainer from Australia.

[@raniyuna2930]

I am first time dog owner of german shepherador. My dog was abused and neglected. I started with Zak George videos, but I ended and I love BALANCED TRAINING. Because it was biggest thing which shifted my dog in trust for people and environment. My dog was so fearful. If I wrote comments to Zak how I was teaching my dog to be normal and happy animal again, so he and his fans called me abuser and denied our success with words, that I am violating my dog. But if I used training methods from balanced trainers, there was always big shift in my dog behavior. I use positive reinforcement as well. But no like a fanatic and no for everything. Because it definitely can't solve everything and I know that just positive for dog is very much wrong. My dog on positive reinforcement with such background reached limit where was no progress in his fears and behavior and he became later more spoiled. So I added choke collar training for leash walk. Punishments like a not allowing dog to be on sofa etc. And Ceasar Milan Tsch method... etc. My dog is now great and my parents finally can caress him.❤

[@skylinepenguin]

Find it hilarious he mentioned ChatGPT won’t help Zak.

[@workerdroid290]

I do nt want to pile on Zak. He trains his way and has a kind heart. And this is what drives so many dog owners to convince themselves that they can appeal to their pets with treats and praise only. It is from a desire to become friends with their companion dog, and it overlooks the problems this creates. Waiting for a “good” behaviour and then rewarding is illogical and confusing to the dog. It is extremely time consuming and sometimes pointless. It also relies heavily on the dog being able to understand the reward process for its own actions, rather than a common desire to just give a dog treats for the bonding and joy. Like all things it has it’s place in the training cycle, but the army of “positive training” owners are somewhat self deluded, again, from a sense of kindness. Some are extreme, attacking anyone who dares question their beliefs, like a religious cult. This is pointless and damaging. It places new owners in a dilemma of joining the cult or being abused. I like a balance in all things, and dog training is near the top of the list. Apply what the dog needs. No cruelty, just sensible control. Watching Dog Daddy, Nate Shumer, Tom Davis, Robert Cabral, and many others, it opened my eyes to what can be achieved with the right mindset and effort. Thanks for the video….stay strong.

[@annylaurie422]

I have to thank ZG for finding you channel. I feel that training absolutely positive only without teaching your dog even a simple no so they can learn what is unacceptable is very confusing to the dog and so ridiculously time consuming and totally under estimates a dogs capability - my 11 week old Aussie learns his commands very quickly and is eager to learn more and he understands no. ZG seems to think if we don’t do it his way - that every dog has a pinch collar and we are are destroying our dogs. What I see in ZB training is one size fits all and he does not bother to really get to know his dogs. There are shy dogs that would be overwhelmed with his exuberance , he assumes they are all fragile but does not understand the difference between fragile and confident or anything in between. I feel his one goal is grifting all his products. I see an epidemic of people with untrained dogs that don’t even know their names. They don’t want put time effort into training. They think standing around waiting for good behaviour is the answer and then they still don’t reward the behaviour. People who drag their dogs on leash in the off leash dog park because they thought they will just miraculously develop good manners if they just treat enough and yet have never had a successful recall. They don’t even understand they have created an aggressive reactive dog. Or they just let them loose and hope they can catch them when it is time to go and hope they do not get into too much trouble such as a husky getting hit by car on the highway which I saw last week. It was totally preventable if they had taken time to at least teach some basics as well a distracted recall or not gotten the poor dog at all.

[@IvanBalabanov]

Thank you for the well thought response that comes from experience and common sense. Welcome to my channel. We have many interesting conversations Enjoy

[@parkerbrown-nesbit1747]

Very well said!

[@bubbag8895]

I've never seen a force free veterinary office

[@markusschaffer9712]

Balanced training in this household. Two Belgian Shepherds here. I respect Ivan because he’s here to share his vast knowledge and experience with us,not a social media influencer. Zak needs to shut it down and go train Inertia.

[@Deagnetic]

Ivan is right some other Influencer would and did end up with beefing with him. It seems like an ego clash instead of what's important, the dogs.

[@kristinlawrence3704]

I tried positive only with my pitbull. I rescued him a year ago after he'd languished in a shelter for 2 out of his 3 years on this earth. He's sweet as can be but has some serious dirty dog syndrome. I've seen almost 0 improvement using positive only. He will listen occasionally if I have food. If he isn't hungry he does what he wants. I finally tried some more adversive methods I used to train my boxer as a kid and he sits reliably after a week

[@HandraCorjnaLevstean]

Well done, it was time to change. They say that madnes is doing over and over same thing and expecting different results

[@boitshokomadia717]

Ivan is one of my favourite he's a G. I have a challenge for Zack. Let's see if he can make it to IGP on positive only

[@poisonevie]

This please! I want to see Zak take a high-drive dog to IGP championship level with positive-only... He probably can't..

[@kellyrose53]

I had to watch with this with the audio down and subtitles on because of where I'm at, and I just have to say how perfect it was at the end, the subtitles said "sack" instead of "Zack" 😂 that is definitely an accurate description of that guy 😂 He's a KZbinr, not a trainer. His videos and "training" are all for sponsored products. He has no knowledge to draw from when working with dogs. He needs to sit back down at the kids table.

[@hgabby7]

Great statement! Added bonus: you've added to my reading list!

[@looseyfur74]

balanced training is the only way.

[@jamewright5013]

Honestly he doesn't deserve your time, some people are looking for loop holes.They hate what they don't understand. Your talent speaks for itself ❤

[@mutney58]

Thank you ! This needed to be said. I agree with your training methods.

[@jeradhoffman3937]

Positive punishment made it possible to begin working with my severely reactive adult rescue Cattle Dog. The power of play changed this Dog’s attitude about his surroundings. Absolute game changer. It seems Zack George has been unable to train an extremely biddable Collie from a puppy. Not sure why he thinks he has anything relevant to say.

[@IvanBalabanov]

Zak isn’t a dog trainer

[@jeradhoffman3937]

That is well documented by his own videos. Pretty sure following his advice would have led to euthanasia for my current dog. I wasted weeks initially on my dog’s rehabilitation because a similar “trainer” claimed they had the “science” on their side. I was pissed when I read some of the cherry picked studies they were referencing. I could write a 5-page essay on the experience… At least I figured it out; I have a dog that is demonstrably in a far better mindset and enjoys off leash freedom regularly in large part to the ecollar

[@IvanBalabanov]

@@jeradhoffman3937 I’m very interested in collecting such date of experiences of dog owners. I like to use them as cases to show that one method doesn’t fit all. But I need to be able to use names and dates so it is legit. If you are willing to share let me know !

[@jeradhoffman3937]

Ivan, I should be able to find the receipts and a description of the non-effective training philosophy. I’ll send my explanation your way through the TWC website/contact if that works? It is important to fight against the nonsense the force free community is trying to force on everyone.

[@IvanBalabanov]

@@jeradhoffman3937 thank you

[@MaximillianandRubyGrace]

I spent two years doing Zaks method It does NOT work for a giant massive working dog!

[@-teamsukiandcorny-]

Yeah, it doesn’t even work for his own dog

[@MsMarlysRae]

Great commentary, loved it. Thanks!

[@Deagnetic]

To add to my comment below. @Ivan Balabanov after viewing Zak George clashing with another influencer, it seems like its gotten personal now. I'm so glad you didnt engage in the Influencer drama/platform after all and impressed by your previous presentation. Its sad out of all the trainers out there, yours being the most well presented, Zak George chose the trainer thats a total social media influencer. Being an outsider Ive been able to look at both sides of the argument and its gotten toxic and offputting as just a guy trying to get tips on raising his adolsecent field labrador with a prey drive.I appreciate you, those that have made calm arguments in the discussion and even trainers both Positive Only / Balanced / Others that just didnt engage in the Social Media War and just kept doing what theyre doing because at the end of the day it's about the Dogs, not social media likes and branding.

[@tufanoncel4680]

You know what I wanted to say to this guy! ( I am forced to be polite) you have said it! thank you & thank you. 👏🌹💙🙏 First, as I was about to say, please Not you too Ivan, once I watched it, glad you did. I wish, his parents wouldn't have used positive only! When they raised him! So we would not have to put up with him! Bless You Ivan..👌

[@Adianodelih]

My goal is to take classes of purely positive reinforcing training because i want to know what i'll ve talking about! However, i allready found/invented my method which is not sugar coating but neither violent or mean, i just wanted to let my dog know who's the one on charge and so one day i fixed my dog's aggression within and hour. That session also fixed his barking, growling, intimidating, counter surfing, jumping, asking/demanding food from the table and forcing him self to have it and other stuff, i didn't need to address every single behaviour, they were all magically gone. I disagree with shock, prong, choke collars but also with treats since there's no need for that, however, i alwas suspected that it's all about business. My question was, if my dog did always mistakes was i also suposed to feed him all day long for every behaviour i needed to address? I'd like to see these folks fixing not seriousely aggressive dogs, only the aggressive ones.

[@mariaberinguel25]

So apparently, you're not the only one that Zak goes after, he goes after other dog trainer like DogDaddy and Beckhams

[@IvanBalabanov]

While this is true I hope most can clearly differentiate my take on training dogs and what some of the influencers preach

[@rico4you]

So well said Ivan....pure class, respect and facts! Spoken like a true leader!...Zack is so "positively" Lost!Y

[@JanineMKartist]

At the end of the day the common denominator is you all love dogs and are passionate about working with and training them. I like to watch both sides of this issue and I like to think of things in terms of nuance . Is it possible to find the Alt-middle . It would be really interesting to see zac, you and Robert, and maybe even Beckman come together and have the discussion. It’s a shame because it would capture a lot of attention. I think all of you need to come together in a respectful manner though and agree that from that you will either agree to disagree or see what works best and why for each of your methods or not. Zac talked about spending several hours a day in a park to train. Most don’t have that time and it’s not feasible in Canadian winters. Our neighbourhood has few sidewalks and right now the snow banks spill onto the road where we walk. Some days it’s too cold to humanely go for walks. I’d love to see if you all can come together. Zac is getting too defensive which doesn’t help him. I will subscribe to your channel as well as I’m also subscribed to Beckman and Zac George. Oh and McCann Dogs.

[@CamilleGG451]

Love Ivan, Cabral and McCann. Beckman, however, seems like an asshole who has very little interest in how dogs learn or having a fun relationship with them.

[@BearAndKuko]

He invited Zak but Zak refused. Unfortunately Zak is getting too emotional about this while Ivan seems to care more about finding the truth. You can't have a productive debate/collaboration when one side sees disagreement as personal attack.

[@timmystips3935]

Fantastic video Ivan... I don't know anything about dogs but you make very reasonable points.

[@VvTitan165vV]

Thank you Ivan!!!

[@leadoffleashk9training]

Thank you, Ivan

[@szegihausk9solutions868]

Ok, absolutely, wow!!!

[@christochristov4971]

Браво Ванко - смело напред!

[@purposebredlabs1992]

Thanks for your intelligent, unemotional response.