Episode 3: How to Train Your Dog What “YES” Means. This is What You’ve Been Missing!

How to train your dog "YES"! Unlock a groundbreaking approach to dog training with the instant transformative power of the word “yes”. This is one of the foundational lessons I introduce first to any dog I'm working with. Teaching your dog the meaning of “yes” not only simplifies communication but also revolutionizes the way they respond to cues. When “yes” becomes meaningful, dogs will strive, with an unparalleled enthusiasm, to earn that affirmation. This results in lightning-quick learning, extraordinary outcomes, and a dog that’s always eager and in an impeccable emotional state during training sessions. Especially for those new to the dog training journey, this technique is a game-changer, turning challenges into opportunities and ensuring that both trainer and trainee enjoy every moment.
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CHAPTERS
0:00 intro

[@virginiageer4693]

Zak, I adopted a 7 week old puppy 4 years ago. Before I got him I watched all your videos (more than once). I followed EVERYTHING you taught. I only used positive reinforcement and exercised him vigorously everyday. Today he is the perfect dog. Everyone who comes in contact with him is amazed at how well mannered and obedient he is! I’m a 65 year old woman! This dog is a HIGH energy lab! I admit there was a time when I wondered if I bit off more than I could chew. I just kept watching your videos and following your advice. This dog is the best thing that has ever come into my life. Thank you for making that possible! ❤❤❤

[@thorned5672]

This gives me sm motivation to never give up on training all 5 of my puppies🤗

[@SomeMinorDogTraining]

For anyone reading this: I know that dog training can be difficult sometimes, but you're doing great. Keep up the good work, and your dog (and your own sanity) will thank you for it! ❤️💕

[@katielarae08]

I need longer episodes!! Shade is too cute for just 5 minutes 😍 With some giant breeds you have to go slow as far as activities level. What have you considered doing differently for him vs Inertia or Veronica? Possibly going to have a 9 month old Irish wolfhound mix soon so this is great!

[@janhankins911]

I absolutely LOVE Irish Wolfhounds. They are the best dogs ever!!! Yes, you have to be very careful about rigorous exercise with the giant breeds until they are about 2 years of age (even a bit older for large males). No jumping, no agility, no really hard rough-housing while those bones and growth plates are still open and growing. Having had many Wolfhounds, use positive methods ONLY on these dogs. They are VERY sensitive and use of aversive methods will break your bond with them and you'll have a tough time getting that trust back. You can do it-it just takes a lot of work and a very long time. So absolutely no aversives on Irish Wolfhounds. I really don't think you do anything "differently" in training based specifically on breed. You have to look at the individual dog. All dogs (regardless of breed) respond best to positive training methods (that's my opinion and I have research that backs up my opinion). All species follow the "rules" of learning theory. So you don't really do anything "different" in terms of the dogs' breed or size (with the exception of some physical things--I'm much more likely to sit on the floor with a smaller dog than with a giant breed dog; you're going to do a lot more bending with smaller dogs and you need to keep in mind that some dogs, particularly shy ones will be a bit concerned about this huge giant of a human bending over them, so you have to take that into account--so sit on the floor and hope you can get back up!).

[@JenKirby]

I had an Irish Wolfhound mix. She wasn’t enormous and she loved cats so I got her a kitten. The kitten adored her and called her Maaa. She lived a a good long life and was protecting her kitten to the end by interposing that long nose between the kitten and danger.

[@janhankins911]

@@JenKirby You have to be careful with Wolfhounds and cats. Some of them view cats as prey and will chase and kill cats. Others are just fine with cats--all depends on genetics and that ingrained "I'm a sighthound, I chase and kill furry little critters". We had to be careful in placing Wolfhounds and make sure any dogs we placed in a home with cats were cat friendly. Sounds like you had a real gem.

[@JenKirby]

@@janhankins911 Her former owner had moved to the city and Bryn pulled her hair out and she was bald. They knew my son who suggested that I take the dog. Bryn had lived with 3 cats who were her best friends. I knew that, so the first time I walked her down to the village and she saw a cat run across the road she howled and people thought that she wanted to kill the cat but I knew the truth. She was jealous of my other dog because he was a lovely quiet border collie and the local cats trusted him. I tried to explain to her that Appleby cats were different and they only liked quiet dogs. Then I got the kitten for her. Later on a cat turned up on our doorstep and neighbours said he was vicious. (He had been injured and didn’t like to be touched) I kept him away from the dogs until one day the cat came into the kitchen and walked up to Bryn and took hold of her nose between his claws. She stayed absolutely still. I will never forget that moment! They were friends from that moment.

[@PawsuasiveDogTeaching]

Sit is not even in my top 3. The 2 top things everyone should teach their dog is "leave it" and recall. Those 2 commands right there will help keep your dog away from dangers no matter where you go.

[@chopsiemurphy3994]

I do like to teach “off” as my top three, for four on the floor. Yes, leave it, off. Recall comes at number 4 but it’s a close call 😊

[@PawsuasiveDogTeaching]

@@chopsiemurphy3994 Yes really not a command its a marker. Not sure why you would put off over recall. How does off keep your dog safe? I can see people though teaching that before recall to keep dogs off the furnature. I just think its more important to teach things that will keep your dog safer. At least you are teaching your dog though.

[@janhankins911]

I second the need for longer episodes!!

[@rather-reverend]

I was recently playing with a toddler, and ... well: Apparently the toddler did something I like, and I dropped down and gave it a heartfelt, "Yes!" The people I was visiting burst out laughing."Mike, you know that's not a dog, right?" Funny thing is, I hadn't even noticed I was doing it. You have ME trained so well it comes automatically! P.S. We've had an 11-week-old Saint Bernard girlie for a week now, and I've been doing lots of "yessing" AND clicking and treating. I wonder if you could talk a bit about the relative strengths and weaknesses clicking vs. "yessing". Something I like about "yes" is that I don't need a gadget to do it.

[@mirawenya]

I raid with a world of warcraft guild, and I called someone a "good boy" out of instinct once. I immediately appologized and explained I had a young puppy, but oy! embarassing...

[@blueoceania]

same here!! i caught myself yessing a spider that i was trying to relocate outside! zak has us trained very well indeed!

[@gullinvarg]

I'm not Zak, but I can tell you the responses I typically see from clicker trainers. A clicker is a distinct sound. Humans talk a lot, so a word is not as noticable. In addition, people say 'yes' all the time when they're not talking to their dog so the dog has to figure out when it's relevant and when it's not. A person can say 'yes' a bunch of different ways, where a clicker always sounds the same, so there's more shades of meaning to process with a word. Finally, once someone is good with a clicker they can shape behavior from very small fast movements that a word takes too long to say to capture. All that said, most people who use clickers seem to use them and word or sound they can make themselves like 'yes' or a tongue click. Amongst other things, it takes a fair bit of practice to get precise with a clicker so the precision benefits will mostly apply to people who are dedicated to using it. Plus it doesn't require having a clicker on you and ready to go at all times. Clickers may be used more for perfecting something like position for obedience or paw placement on some obstacles for agility. Zac does a lot of capturing offered behaviors or luring, especially with puppies. Also, for a companion dog that isn't doing dog sports or being shown you don't necessarily care about perfect positioning. For these sorts of things 'yes' is good enough and probably a lot more accessible to most people.

[@draquela96]

Honestly, still valid with humans imo

[@pinkydibs]

I automatically use the cue 'Wait' for my daughter in shops if she wanders off to look at shoes etc.

[@heatherskiba4580]

I love how you break it down and give metaphors so it's easier for us to understand, and making it easier for our dogs! ❤ Thank you!

[@Oliveyourmoney]

In the middle of teaching the word “off”. We had to go backwards with our puppy on the furniture because we started seeing resource guarding coming up, thanks to watching your videos I was able to see it.

[@sanha5191]

So happy I have you Zak! Been a subscriber for years. I would absolutely love if you could do more videos with pits and bull breeds (a staffy pleassee!)❤️🙈

[@keliblum6591]

Yes! I want to see more of anything just keep them coming. Love the videos I have learned so much from you. Thank you. 😊

[@alisonmcdonald1978]

Such a gorgeous dog! 🧡 and great advice/help/reminder as always👍Drop the no, increase the yes 😊

[@laurenblack6667]

Shade is a beautiful dog! I am loving your content and explanations in this series. (I think I’ve watched almost all of your series😂) We have a four mo/old ACD mix and she thrives on positive reinforcement training and treats. Thank you for having your trainings so accessible.

[@aneliahutson3191]

Thank you so much Zak! You have inspired me to get my own dogs and train and fully understand the scientific reasoning behind everything my dog does. (I really miss your longer videos)

[@naumanjan72]

This is a very helpful way of getting your dog to understand the expected behaviour. I have two eight month old pugs. I sometimes use YES by following Zak but now I know the philosophy behind it.

[@kimg5784]

Love this- Thank you!

[@Scottjf8]

I followed 2 HUGE things in here when we got our Aussie a few years ago. We started with YES. That's the best. Also we decided with her to NEVER scold. We only reward good behavior. These both have been wonderful.

[@ByStacieJoy]

I really appreciate you breaking down training vocabulary and dog body language. Thanks

[@rebeccaburnell9319]

My day is filled with "micro-celebrations" of my dog's "micro-victories" because of "yes." YES, I also trained "no" but I focused on managing her instead of letting her "get into trouble" where a "correction word" might be used. So her comprehension if "no" just kinda evolved slowly as we went, while "yes" training began a half hour after I picked her up at 2 months old, at our first rest stop on the drive home. Anyway, even if you want to object that I couldn't possibly know what effect focusing on "yes" has for my dog's mental health and happiness, OMG it's... shocking what it does for *my* mental and emotional health (and my experience of my relationship with my dog), instead of having a day filled with NOs.

[@margaretfleming3554]

Bit of a lightbulb moment for me! Thanks Zac.

[@btxngo123]

I really like you explaining the continuation marker. I've never had a trainer tell me about that but I've intuitively used that in the past. Good to know it is actually a documented technique. One of the positive reinforcement trainers I've worked with says that a clicker teaches a dog much faster than just "yes". I prefer just "yes" bc it's much more practical since I won't always have a clicker in my hand and timing of the reinforcement is so important. What are your thoughts on this? Thank you!

[@jfrankcarr]

As for other topics, dealing with just before bedtime zoomies would be good. I've usually used sit-stay combo to calm things with our poodle pup, which works, for a moment. But she will kick off the circus act again right afterwards.

[@JayJee]

I always do a 20 min/half an hour walk on lead shortly before bed time which helps a lot.

[@jfrankcarr]

@@JayJee I've been trying some indoor agility things, like jumping a hoop, to burn off evening energy but her recharge rate is so fast. 10 minutes later, she's ready to go again.

[@alexandradittmann8588]

Like other people are saying - LONGER episodes would be super-nice :-) Really enjoyed those long ones in the other series.

[@joysdogtraining]

Funny lol, watching u say yes half the time he wasnt even focused on you..... and when he was watching only watching the bowl lol! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 hotdog man

[@zakgeorge]

Only my first session. Stay tuned.

[@farmfitness7730]

Oh dear, I say 'no' a lot. Early on I tried to say 'thank you!' instead of no. Thank you for finding my shoe! Thank you for finding my sock! I can see how saying 'yes' with an alternative action would (will still) work much better. Great tip. Thank you!

[@miekiepiekie1]

Havent watched it. But thank you so much lol. I have been wanted to teach this to the dog i adopted almost 3 months ago. Not that i can right now, hes too stressed, especially now that winter is coming. Hes originally from Romania, hes been in the Netherlands for 5 years though. But still very very scared and not chill. A dog behaviorist is involved to help me make him more comfortable in my home and with us.

[@JayJee]

I use "no" very rarely and only on important occasions. When I do say it I get an immediate response (usually!). Last time I used it was yesterday evening when she was off lead in a park and we were leaving. She ran ahead of me and didn't stop where she usually does by the car, but continued to trot on towards the road. I said "no" and she immediately stopped and turned round. Perfect. But other times it doesn't work! There are cows in the nature reserve and she's used to them and normally ignores them, but occasionally she'll want to play with them by running round them in circles and barking. This is not behaviour I want. Last time she did this I clearly shouted "no" and she took no notice of me at all. I said it about five times and she ignored me. Finally I walked off and then she followed. I've noticed that if we meet the cows on our way BACK from the walk she's more likely to ignore them. On the way TO the walk, she's more likely to engage. A dog's obedience, it seems to me, can depend on how satisfied and exercised they already are. Dogs are not robots and their behaviour varies. I aim for consistency but acknowledge it's not going to happen all the time especially when they're young like mine is.

[@kevingold1091]

Yes! Great video. On another topic, do you have concerns that when dogs run indoors on slick and smooth surfaces their legs might splay out and cause injury? I have a friend who has a 10 year old chihuahua that had that exact thing happen to her -- she was paralyzed for six months afterward. Fortunately she almost fully recovered after six months, the only lingering symptom being that she tends to frequently lift her left front paw. (Which actually is quite endearing.)

[@zakgeorge]

Surfaces are very important.

[@TheKak933]

Awww he’s ready for a nap

[@Sanddaal]

Zak! Could you please give us a description and maybe close up pic of the big rug on your floor? It looks unusual and awesome at the same time. Looks like rough terrain 😂

[@Cachhuanluyenchongheloi]

OK thanks

[@JenKirby]

I agree. I teach my dogs to be my partner! They are a member of the family.

[@JoshGray1]

We love your methodology and it's work great for our dog. We now have a new puppy and i wanted to confimed that in the past youve said saying no is fine but use it sparingly. Is this still your philosophy. Thx!

[@tabithalavallee]

I would live to know what you think about a top leash harness or a front leash harnesse! Thank you

[@1wascallywabbit]

As alluded to in the comment that I made on your very first video in this series..... I AM SOOO CONFLICTED!!! As someone who has had 2 Cane Corsos since the year 2001, I AM IN FEAR for the potential of disservice that this series may bring to the breed! I feel it is your responsibility or lack thereof by not putting some sort of verbal disclaimer on this series that this breed is NOT for just anyone and everyone. By showing Shade, the average person is being introduced to this absolutely beautiful and magnificent dog, and because of this, people are going to want to seek out getting this breed. But because of the gaining of notoriety and popularity.... there are now multitude of complete irresponsible and unethical backyard breeders! This breed wasn't traced back to being classified as a WAR DOG who ran with the gladiators for nothing! And unless people are getting this breed through a reputable breeder who purposely breed for temperament.... your potentially walking around with a loaded AND LETHAL weapon! In the wrong hands and people with the wrong attitude, these dogs are being crossbred for size and aggressiveness. And I just hate to see, due to the lack of knowledge and know how in handling this particular breed...the harm that can happen to children and adults alike....as well as the reputation of the breed! As mentioned in my comments on your first video people need to know that if your homeowners insurance finds out that you have this dog your policy will increase whether that be homeowners or renters insurance. People need to know that getting a stable temperament and good breeding background they will be looking at spending at least a minimum of$1500.... upper class specimens of this breed cost an average of $3000 to $7000. Because I full heartedly LOVE this breed, I want to see the preservation of the breed itself and the reputation... they can be absolute love bugs and gentle Souls... but in the wrong home and owner's hands....they can also be lethal !.... and why many will end up in shelters and being euthanized

[@janhankins911]

You are, of course, completely correct. We worked in Great Dane and Irish Wolfhound rescue for many years and I absolutely hated "Scooby Doo" and "Marmaduke". They were both Great Danes and people got the completely wrong idea about what Great Danes were "really" like. Then, of course, these people would find out what having a Great Dane was really like and give us a call (usually at 2 in the morning) demanding that we either pick up this *&4%) dog NOW or they'd shoot "it". We got calls on Christmas day and Thanksgiving day to come pick up dogs NOW (or else). And of course, the proliferation of poor and backyard breeders was a nightmare--aggressive Great Danes (that we had to make the decision to put down or try to rehabilitate), Danes with all kinds of health issues, stupid breeders producing deaf and blind puppies. What a nightmare! This is especially true with breeds like the Cane Corso which are NOT for everyone (and probably NOT for the novice dog owner). So I'd go with your idea of Zak having a disclaimer about Cane Corsos.

[@1wascallywabbit]

@@janhankins911 Thank you for backing my sentiments, it's much appreciated. I absolutely adored my Cane Corsos, and will personally most likely never have any other breed. My first was a male (150lbs) who passed at 9 years old, and my second was a female (120lbs) who passed at 12.5 years old, just 2 weeks ago. Both were incredibly sweet natured and extremely intelligent. Both were immensely loyal and devoted (known to be a 1 person dog, no matter how many people reside in the home) I have had large, dominant breed dogs my entire life. Cane Corso's were brought out of near Extinction and only imported into the United States in 1988. So little was "truly" known about the breed when I got my first dog in 2001. I, in return, agree with everything you had to say as well. Just yesterday, my aunt called me saying that she just saw that there was a purebred black Great Dane that had been surrendered to the Humane Society that was being presented up for adoption on the local news ( she called to see if I perhaps might be interested . And he was absolutely beautiful and needless to say mammoth with tons of growing and filling out yet to be had since he was only a year old and under different circumstances I may have actually gone and picked him up myself but it's only been two weeks since I lost my beloved girl...so the timing just wasn't right for me) I commend and thank you for rescuing and fostering the dogs that came to you under adverse conditions....and at no fault of their own

[@janhankins911]

@@1wascallywabbit I'm so sorry for your loss. I wish there were words I could say to help ease the pain and grief. Unfortunately, there are no such magic words. Time will heal and one day you'll remember her with a smile instead of a tear.

[@chopsiemurphy3994]

I get it. As a beagle owner since 1999, I’m concerned whenever I see beagles highlighted because they are not a breed for everyone. Zak has mentioned Shade’s difficult background, and I hope that flags for people to research breeds before racing out to buy.

[@vintagemel6358]

Lately I've really been seeing the value of using a verbal cue like "Yes!" over using a clicker. I've been working with my golden retriever and great pyranees-lab mix on walks, trying to better manage their behavior when they get too excited and start misbehaving. I just don't have enough hands to manage two leashes, a clicker, and treats.

[@Pres_Sadat]

Hello! Is the puppy eating too much food if i follow the "Yes" training as well as feed him at his scheduled time? Thank you for this video, hope to hear from you

[@Johnzzy91]

I would love to see more about socialisation with focus on staying neutral when other dogs pass by on the leash.

[@robertcrystals]

massive infomercial energy

[@hetalgupta6551]

I will follow your training method. Today I have brought home a golden 6 weeks old.

[@hetalgupta6551]

I practised teaching introducing “yes” exactly as per the video. It worked

[@Kreative_Rainbow]

After getting help from an at home trainer for our super anxious pup, YES has been the vocabulary!! We need to learn how to reduce mouthing and jumping. I know it means she is bonding and loves me, but it can be hard on me physically, and the mouthing on my kids while gentle has left indentations. Why is a 1 year old pup super mouthy?

[@brendapayton7974]

I have a 9 week old small breed. She isn’t very hungry and food bits aren’t wanted. Ideas? Also, should I be using a harness on her? Thanks!

[@dawnplonski6940]

May I ask what kibble you feed your dogs?

[@edentucker1326]

I have been training for a couple years but I would like to become certified.... Do you have any suggestions

[@neirishsmiles8005]

lol 😆 you say Yes and my Willow pops up and looks at me for a treat and her eyes say hey mom what’s next !!

[@stylemanual1]

Why does Shade have half a tail? Or is a short tail peculiar to Cane Corsos?

[@user-gw6fm9yi8i]

Like to see more on jumping when company comes to door

[@ktcharb66]

I love this channel! I’ve got a 3 month Papillon. I’m a “3 strikes & you’re out” kind of Mom. When something I don’t want is coming close to happening I redirect her or initiate a positive behavior. If that doesn’t work, step one is a negative noise, “eh”. If that’s a strike, I’ll use a negative motion or posture with a more forceful negative sound. If that’s strike 2, next I’ll remove the dog or item, she loses the thing/person for a few minutes. I might do it by pushing her, clapping loudly & rudely & growling my negative noise. That’s a strike out.

[@zakgeorge]

So glad you are enjoying the videos.

[@elainechauvin2190]

I have a 9 month old rescue dog who practically grew up in a confined area at the shelter. I’m having a hard time getting him to take treats in training. I have only had him a week so I figure he’s not quite adjusted. I have been able to work on a few things for one minute at a time here and there. He doesn’t really even play with the toys. Do you think it is just him adjusting to a new environment? Or am I doing something wrong 😊

[@dianethompson6351]

HELP….I have two shihtzu 8 and 13. They are barkers and my husband put vibrating collars on them. I am strongly against it. Help me deal with this. Is the collar a good thing or not. You are the professional. I respect your oppinion

[@janhankins911]

I agree with you; I'm strong against these cruel "tools". Perhaps if you explain to your husband that the use of these things can result in AGGRESSION, that will help to persuade him that he's made a mistake in using them. Also explain to your husband that these devices can actually cause physical harm and injury to your dogs. That may also help persuade him to take them off. Search out positive methods to address barking and teach those to your husband (so both of you can use them; it's terribly confusing for dogs when one of you uses one technique and the other uses another technique or doesn't do anything at all about the behavior--something I wrestle with with my husband!!). Use management to control the barking while you're working on it (e.g., close drapes so the dogs can't see out and bark at people/dogs passing by). Best of luck!!

[@zenfulpainter]

Love this Zak! What kind of dog is he? I feel like my dog has much of the same look, but not sure what kind of mix he might be.

[@zakgeorge]

He’s a Cane Corso.

[@zenfulpainter]

@@zakgeorgelove the jowels! ❤️

[@Nammsayin]

can I train or re-train my dog that is now 3? I had him the same time I had a baby & unfortunately that took the most of the training time.

[@zakgeorge]

Easily.

[@lucianacoutinho4484]

Oh, this video was só short!

[@mandyluna]

Man I could watch a 30 minute video of this cutie.

[@sarahturner9563]

Another great video -keep ‘Em coming !! I’ve been binge watching your other series to refresh my skills to train our new Great Dane puppy What is the brand of harness you are using ? Thx

[@janhankins911]

Love Great Danes! We worked in Great Dane rescue for years. You can't go wrong at first with a no-pull harness (ate least until your puppy learns a little about walking calmly on a leash). It won't be long before your puppy will weigh 50 pound, then two days later, 75 pounds, then next week, it's 100 pounds. These puppies grow really fast and can pack on as much as a pound per day. So it won't be long before your puppy will be able to pull you around. As far as a no-pull harness goes, we've used the Easy Walk no-pull harness and had good luck with it. I'm sure there are others that are just as good, though.

[@jus.me.tanzks5834]

It looks like a ruffwear harness

[@TheMagicman1971]

we have been "blessed" with a German Shepherd that is about two years old with virtually no training. My daughter (16, 5'5, 98 lbs) can't even take him on a walk because she is so easily distracted and goes for what is distracting him. we are wondering if we need to just throw in the towel and put him in a professional boarder/training situation because we took him because the previous owner couldn't handle him once he started getting bigger and I don't want give up on him. When he is good, he is a sweetheart. I want this to be his forever home, but uncertain where to start, again, he is already about two years old.

[@loyal_dogs]

Age doesn't matter. Just start at zero as you would with a puppy. Mentally he most likely still is anyway. My white German Shepherd is 1 and a half and acts as if he was 4 months, though he is well behaved and trained. Try not to think of him as a mess and a difficult dog as he is just completely untrained, nothing else. Trust me, puppies are a handful too and act out a lot as they still need to learn communication with us and our rules but they are qeak and tiny so most people don't mind (until they get bigger lol). As said, just stsrt at zero, teach him trust and respect (that means YOU lead and show him the world and how to act properly, also help him solve situations and most importantly to be calm and he will learn that he can trust you and will respect you, which is the foundation of a great relationship and he will let YOU solve problems and become a great companion. In the beginning also put a leash on him in home so you can stop him and avoid that he learns he can get away with stuff. Those positive only people who think dogs are mashines that all work exactly a certain way will not agree, but put a collar on him outside, not a harness. You will have zero control with a harness. You can put on both and change it to the harness once you play with him and or simulate off leash walk on a long leash but for training and nice walking, use a collar, it will also help you teach him not to react on other animals etc. Teach him to be calm, this is especially important with GSDs held as pets. It may take long at the beginning but the result is worth it and you will have a great dog with excellent Impulse control. No matter in which situation (getting food, going for a walk, getting to a friend etc), if he is excited and hyper, just wait. Nothing happens. Step on the leash so it is loose but he can not move. Work non verbal here as this is not a trick like sit, recall etc but behaviour and manners. Don't give him any command, don't praise or scold, just wait and be calm yourself no matter how much he goes crazy. He will settle and calm down. It's not necessarily when he sits or so but when you feel that he relaxed and took away the focus from what he wanted. Then you take the leash and move on (works for not pulling as well, do the same the second he pulls. Just stop and wait, move on the second he loosens the leash by himself). No talking, no praising, the reward in this case is that you move on and he gets what he wanted. It's highly self rewarding and it also teaches the dog to be more balanced and that being calm qorks better than acting batshit crazy. One example if it was confusing: you go for a walk and he is all hyper, jumps, maybe barks and is excited, can't wait to get out and would pull ypu while dashing through the open door. You then just wait. Step on the leash, be calm, no talking, nothing happens, all boring, just wait. Once he is as well calm, open the door and start your walk. If opening the door makes him crazy, just close it and repeat until you both leave the door calmly. Will take a while but they usually get it fast and will make a nice walk as you started it nicely. Same when feeding, he gets it when he is calm or when he wants to see his friend. Let the other owner know thst you are training and wait until both dogs are calm and not crazy, maybe take a walk together side by side with no contact until they are calm and then they can play. Etc etc But most importantly, don't theow in the tower. GSDs are stubborn and yours had not training so far. Patience is key and if you are consistent, and follow your training, you will soon see first results. (Sorry if my English is mixed up at points lol)

[@lears75]

Excellent video! However, the carpet kept reminding me that my driveway needs to be paved. 🥴

[@manolopapas]

Dog to dog reactivity please

[@HeatherQ333]

I would like to know what yous typically do in a regular day with your dogs. Like a day in the life. Pppppplllease? 😊

[@dollysuehoffman3936]

I don't think I ever told my mini-Aussie *No* until she was 18 months old? I always focused on what I wanted rather than what I *didn't* want.

[@Chaser459]

I love your videos Zak

[@kavitadeva]

ZAK PLEASE HELP ❤ The Training school I went to almost 40 year's ago Would do what you spoke about in the very beginning, and that is, let's say you don't want your dog jumping on people. So what we would do is just take our dog let's say to a market and stand outside The market we would ask somebody would you allow my dog to jump on you and of course they would say sure. And then when the dog jumped on the person we would say no and that was said maybe 3 or 4 times with each jump, and then the dog knew never ever to jump on people again. The odd thing Zak is that it worked, very quickly and it was very effective. Then later in life I tried doing it the positive way and it just didn't work. I wish you would show us, please show us how to do that behavior of jumping on people using positive reinforcement training please please Zak, show us don't just tell us how to get a dog to stop jumping up on people without setting it up for a correction. THANK YOU

[@zakgeorge]

I have dozens of videos showing you just that. Thanks for watching!

[@kavitadeva]

@@zakgeorge Zak I would say thanks for your reply, however I don't know where to find these videos on your home page. I know you're busy, Maybe too busy to give the name of some of these videos. I find it odd that you will picket With a bunch of people about positive reinforcement training and here I am begging you to please show us what it looks like and you will not take the time To direct me to how I find the correct videos. O well, I tried

[@janhankins911]

I'm not Zak, but maybe I can give you a tip or two. First, use what some might call "differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior". You can pull that phrase out to impress people. What that boils down to is that you pick a behavior for the dog to do INSTEAD of jumping that is incompatible with jumping. The easiest one is "Sit" (the dog can't jump up on people if she's sitting). Teach the dog to sit (using positive methods). Then when your dog meets people, have her on a leash (yes, keep her on a leash at first--that's management, the leash can keep her from jumping up). Ask her to sit. If she sits, she gets petted and gets to greet the people. If she doesn't sit, she gets nothing. No treat, no petting, no attention (don't talk to her, don't look at her; don't touch her, completely ignore her). If you have to move her away form the person (even into another room), fine! Do it. She'll soon learn that when she jumps up, she gets nothing she wants. If she sits politely, she gets exactly what she wants.

[@kavitadeva]

@@janhankins911 hi Jan Thank you soon much. I so appreciate the lesson. I like this approach. One question. If he doesn't sit or he gets excited and at first doesn't sit but follows up with a sit. What to do? Next if he does sit should I use words. Like person is at door, can I say "sit"? And how can I repeat the exercise for better retention? I realize I'm asking you things and you may not want to answer and I totally get it. but if you wouldn't mind I would so appreciate if you would answer. I am training my service dog who is still in training and it's very hard for me To do training as I'm in severe pain and disabled I used to train dogs long ago and I used, as you read other type of methods, and believe it or not they worked really well and they didn't seem to be at least in my eyes adversive in any way. But I would rather do it in a more supportive positive way. thank you so much

[@janhankins911]

@@kavitadeva Okay, I'll try to answer to the best of my ability. If he gets excited, use the leash to help prevent him from jumping. If you know people are going to come for a visit, you can give him a good exercise session before they come so he's a bit more tired and relaxed when they arrive. I'd also suggest you search for "Karen Overall's Relaxation Protocol". This was developed by Dr. Karen Overall (a veterinary behaviorist) to help dogs relax. It works wonders! If he doesn't sit at first, keep him from jumping with the leash and wait a few seconds. If he sits, then he gets what he wants. If he doesn't, take him away. Give him a chance, but don't let him take too long to decide (he's more likely to jump the more time you give him). He can learn to relax on his mat (or bed or crate or whatever) even when really exciting things are happening. It's quite a challenge to train a service dog. Best of luck to you!

[@kathleenlewis1954]

Is it possible some dogs are more motivated by positive attention than treats

[@SaroDogTraining]

I like to teach both yes and no to the puppy from the get-go which makes it much easier to teach everything in the near future. I do that using play and praise as we play games instead of using treats/food. Would you be open to playing instead of food? Why do you choose food as the main reward source?

[@zakgeorge]

I use play all of the time as a currency for dogs! Not every dog is play driven or wants to play at all times. Pretty much, I like to use anything that’s reinforcing to the dog provided it is safe.

[@SaroDogTraining]

@@zakgeorge Did you feel that Shane is not play-motivated? Or do you feel that people (dog owners) connect more with the treat/food form of reward?

[@tiffanyf26]

Wish the videos were longer.

[@jag4650]

Do you find yourself using more yes or no in your training? Both. When they do something good, they get rewarded, either with treats or verbal affirmation. When they do something bad, they get corrected, either with physical (pressure or touch) or negative verbal affirmation. It’s called balance.

[@user-et5st8on9w]

The first thing I teach a dog is their name, then I teach yes, but in a different way.

[@watchmoivies123]

This was very nice. You’re doing an excellent job with this puppy, but I’d like to see some stuff on true aggression. Thank you.

[@janhankins911]

Zak has had stuff on "true aggression". People don't realize that Zak has worked with aggressive dogs because you don't see the dog being aggressive. One of the things we try to do in positive training is to keep the dog "under threshold". That is, we try not to put the dog in a situation where they'll exhibit the behavior we don't like. This is especially important for aggression because aggressive behavior can be dangerous (it can get someone bitten, it can get another dog bitten or severely injured or killed, and it can cause the dog showing the aggression to be deemed "dangerous" and even put down). Just because you don't see the behavior doesn't mean it isn't there. I worked with a little dog that had bitten three children. If he bit one more child, that was the end--he would be taken away from the owner and euthanized. I didn't go around letting the dog show aggression toward kids and then use a "dog daddy" technique on him. I used desensitization and counterconditioning (along with a muzzle and "Look At That"). I never wanted that little dog to even give a child a "dirty look". His life was, literally, on the line. I kept him under threshold at all times and within a few months, he was going out for a walk and walking by children without so much as a look in their direction. No, he was never going to just love kids, no he would never by a "nanny dog" you could leave kids with without supervision. But he was able to tolerate kids in normal, every day circumstances. So just because I didn't let this little dog growl, snarl, lunge, and snap at children doesn't me he wasn't aggressive toward children. I didn't want him doing those things. It's important to keep dogs under threshold for a whole host of reasons (for example, when a dog is over threshold, they aren't "thinking", they are reacting; they aren't going to learn anything your trying to teach them when they aren't able to think because they're so upset; when dogs are over threshold, the brain releases several different stress hormones; some of these hormones go back to to normal within hours but others can stick around for several days--making the dog even MORE likely to go over threshold--it takes "less" to make them react; going over threshold allows the dog to "practice" the behavior you don't want and you get the dog out of the situation and the dog thinks his aggression made the scary thing go away--you've reinforced the aggression. There are other reasons as well). So get over the thought that "well, I haven't seen aggression from the dogs Zak's worked with, therefore, he hasn't worked with any aggressive dogs". Zak would keep the dog under threshold so you would NOT see aggression.

[@watchmoivies123]

@@janhankins911 thank you very much for getting back with this long email and I totally understand but he asked what we would like to see but I totally understand what you’re saying but if a truly aggressive dog is aggressive, how do you not let him get over his threshold? What would be the first steps with working with a truly aggressive dog? Keeping him in a run and not getting real close to him because even some dogs just going near them they come out you I’d like to know how to start working with a totally aggressive dog, but maybe keeping it in a dog run and scooting it’s food to it, so it doesn’t look at you I’m just really not sure how you would work with a truly aggressive dog by not letting it get excited or wanting to come out you thank you thank you again

[@watchmoivies123]

@@janhankins911 so do you think true aggression is a lack of respect to humans or it’s some thing that is genetic in the dog or something that has been taught

[@janhankins911]

@@watchmoivies123 No, I don't think "true aggression" is a lack of respect to humans. I do believe aggression can have genetic roots (it is well known in English Springer Spaniels that dogs from a particular "line" are more likely to display aggression than dogs from other "lines"). Yes, you can teach aggressive responses (by positively reinforcing them). Aggression can also arise from medical conditions and pain. I believe, though, that most aggression happens due to fear/lack of socialization. It is important to find out what is "causing" or triggering the aggression. If it's medical, no behavior modification will help (and perhaps it will make it worse if it hurts the dog). Once medical conditions are excluded as a reason, you need to look at the dog's genetics, reinforcement history, and socialization history. Each of these will require a different "plan of attack" to address the aggression. Note that with aggression due to genetic coding, there is only so much you can do. The genetics put a "ceiling" so to speak on what you can accomplish.

[@watchmoivies123]

@@janhankins911 yes, I know rage but I think that’s pretty rare. Also, if the dogs are coming from shelters, you don’t know their genetics, but I understand what you’re trying to say, and that’s all true and I totally agree with what you’re saying. I just would like to know what to do when you have a dog that is really aggressive and how to go about it do you have a KZbin channel you sound very knowledgeable

[@peterhernandez3790]

I need help teaching my dog to stop getting to excited when he see other dogs. Starts barking at them

[@fenfeirthehighwayman8049]

good and bup pretty mych all the time for me

[@user-vt1sk4rs8r]

So this was useless for me because my puppy and now grown dog has never been food nor treat driven. We spent a lot of money on puppy school where one of the exercises was to give them a treat and take it off them. Waste of time for me and my puppy! Couldn't care less about the treats. Any other options???

[@Irishwabbit59]

I train " Watch Me" as first command

[@theadventureofmaxandpearl]

When we're on a walk, I'll say "very good" and "good girl," but as soon as I say "yes," she knows food is coming or pets

[@zakgeorge]

Well done!

[@patriciafletcher4885]

Yes or good girl

[@draquela96]

WOW FANTASTIC 😍😍😍 Fantastic advice, I knew as soon as you said it was the word yes that it was correct based on what I know already about human psychology. ❤🎉 Great channel!!!!

[@zakgeorge]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ligt18098]

How does Inertia know and understand those "yes"'s aren't for her?

[@ducie1191]

lets see if he keeps him past 6 months xD

[@user-um3vv5od7i]

Kind hunter 33

[@Patsagilitybits]

My problem is my dog makes me laugh and she knows she can do that. Come to think of it, all of my dogs have trained me to laugh.

[@-Tholos-]

Why do you prefer using the word yes over a clicker?

[@zakgeorge]

It’s less of a personal preference. I want to minimize the hurdles for the general public to involve themselves with training like this.

[@Javannno]

Pink teacher 99

[@yogalifeandwellness3561]

It always amazes me that people,, who are obviously not educated in the ,"science" of dog training make comments that show they no nothing about the studies done by highly educated veterinary behaviotists. Keep up the good work Zak!!!

[@AnimaTriste]

But many of us are. And at least we see, that he is an imposter. And highly emotionally unstable person.

[@zakgeorge]

Being an unstable person doesn’t mean that one is wrong about the scientific consensus in our field.

[@AnimaTriste]

@@zakgeorge Nowhere is said, that this is one and the same, Zak. But, you are more than wrong, and this "science" of yours is wrong. You have not trained one dog successfully, even by most low standards. It would be better, that you admit, that YOU are not willing to use aversives in dog training (even if you do, and sometimes you say it yourself, leash pressure, for example). This is negative reinforcement. You sell ideology here, which ignores all proofs of successfully trained, happy dogs, well adapted to any environment. Because it serves your emotional unstability, in my opinion, or much more common reason: greed after sponsor money from pharmaceutical and veterinary organizations, which would like nothing better, than treating and medicating dogs for problems, which could be solved in minutes, sometimes. You ignore thousands of years of practical experience of various cultures, which used dogs for work and security. All produced strong, happy and confident dogs, well adapted to environment and work. Science should be repetable. Yet all of you between yourselves aren't capable of producing one verifiable successfully ff trained or rehabilitated dog. You can not repeat this lie as often, as I can refute it, believe me. In short, go preach in a church. This organization is much more suitable for telling lies. Here you are endangering many, many dogs, and their owners, who will suffer because your misinformations and lies.

[@rebeccajns]

I kept waiting to learn something 🙄 all I seen was feeding your pup.

[@rolltide9547]

He trained my dog now it thinks it is cat. Will only eat 9 lives and does not bark.

[@TheHyBriD3I6]

Oh, i see! i think no is stil importantat for dogs that can creat dangerous situations but if teaching mostly "yes " would teach the dog to act corectly automaticly that this is huge

[@judithmurphy1718]

So, now I am wondering, who trained Zak ?

[@AnimaTriste]

If somebody would, he would not be so emotionally unstable person. His dogs are a mess, also.

[@judithmurphy1718]

@@AnimaTriste foolish thing to say. Bitter about something?

[@AnimaTriste]

@judithmurphy1718 Yes. I'm bitter about the fact that such unballanced influencers without any real knowledge are spreading lies and misinformations.

[@judithmurphy1718]

@@AnimaTriste who are you? Are you an experienced animal trainer? That I might understand.

[@AnimaTriste]

@@judithmurphy1718 Just 38 years in professional dog training. Is that enough for you? And not just pet dogs, but sport and personal protection dogs.

[@mommapaige4273]

Wayyyy too many treats…👎🏻 I found this video to have way too much talking, and too many treats. I’ve had dogs my whole life…this method seems a bit out there to me and confusing. I don’t see anything wrong with firmly saying no. I do this in combination with finger snapping or a noise I make with my mouth rather than give so many treats. If that doesn’t get the response I need then I make sure to touch the dog in a way or stand in between the dog and what it is I want it to stop doing or interacting with. It works great. Dogs do learn words and respond to blocking(physical space being taken up by a human). Too many treats is not physically healthy for a dog just to get it to behave all the time, not to mention expensive if you are using actual dog treats.

[@user-mk2hy6ee4l]

Amateur dog trainer really could never train advanced level. But can easily con pet owners. Zac go to a police dog training seminar They will laugh you out of the building. Stay with the pet owners you can bullshit them really good.

[@LyranSoul]

Yeah, that's what you get from a PetsSnart trained trainer.

[@riaanbuys6891]

Do not take my reply as offensive. Bring a Lion or a dog that can rattle my dog. All of your training is desesitising a dog from its nature. I agree with you for most people should not own a dog. Do not analogue it. The dog whisperer do have a point. Grow some self respect. You owe that to annamls.

[@riaanbuys6891]

Realize you are Gay (indesisive) . Animals Cate. You care. Rethink your adetute towards animals. They really care and do not need any training.. Humans do need some behaviour adjustment to accommodate love.

[@riaanbuys6891]

Zak, you are by definition gay. . Love your dog , you are correct. You just do not get the markets by your words. Get forward going dogs vs followers. Mastives are companions. Not subjects. You should get that.

[@riaanbuys6891]

Your gay behaviour do have to be managed. Just remember who are te dog and who are the trainer. A Mastives are easy to train.. respect, friendship and love. Jou will find him

[@ceravasta]

Funny... Too many treat/food.. In your training I'm only see how to feed as many as you can food/treat.. Boringggghhhhhhhh

[@alexsarbu3978]

Only in the beginning. And this is the very beginning of Shade's training.

[@jadenreagle1409]

He spent the whole time explaining why he’s giving the food. Association takes repetition. Dogs like treats, the get things that they like for doing things that you like and eventually they will stop needing the treats to do what you like them to do.

[@SkyxPrince]

You sound just as boring from those words alone. 😂 But all in seriousness, this is all part of the process. You need to motivate and encourage your dog with common language (in this case, it's food). Words are a human thing. You can't encourage a dog with human words that hold no meaning. You have to condition it and practice it.