I received this call last night [Trigger Warning] Gov Noem Shocking Confession

I received a call from CNN last night asking me to appear on an interview to comment this story. What do you think about sitting governor and potential vice presidential candidate Kristi Noem boasting about killing her 14 month old dog due to being “untrainable”? If you think this sounds bad, it gets worse. Trigger warning. Follow my IG stories for the latest: zakgeorge

[@brookderksen1858]

All it demonstrates is her inability to handle a situation that isn't going smoothly. How is she going to react when people don't listen to her every word? If she can't empathize and work with a dog who is stressed or overwhelmed, how can she do that with people?

[@periel]

Pain, fear and intimidation. Those are the preferred methods of the GOP.

[@deem7478]

Sporting dogs are high energy and need training. A puppy is still learning. Not all pointers are field material. The dog should have been kept as a pet or given a new home. Instead, the poor dog paid with her life. Shot in the face in a gravel pit. No respect for man's best friend. Glad to hear public opinion both Red and Blue are taking their toll.

[@alexsarbu3978]

She can't empathize with people. Not even with people whose country was invaded, their families killed, their kids stolen.

[@levimatthew8911]

Sick. Sick. Sick. What's she gonna do next, murder her own baby in her womb and then brag and write a book about it?? These people are absolutely despiccable!

[@levimatthew8911]

You support abortion though. How upset would you be if she had murdered her own baby? I can't imagine the outrage you would have over THAT!!

[@crotchet1586]

I'm pretty certain that here in the UK you'd be prosecuted for summarily executing a dog in the way that she seems to have done. But to then use it as an example of her strength of character? Psychopathic

[@daneesia]

Exactly! This just seems like some sort of sick "hero complex".

[@xGHOSTHAWKx]

I’m afraid that dogs in the U.K. are seen as property not sentient beings, so you would probably get away with shooting your own dog. sad 😢! The law need to change.

[@RDeFinis]

Disturbing very disturbing. Not only did she shoot the poor dog but then to brag and believe that this action demonstrates leadership skills. I think it only demonstrates how mean and disturbed she is. Definitely warrants an investigation. Most certainly not someone that I would support with a vote.

[@ro7joy]

I perceive it as violent and abusive behavior and a sign of ignorance and weakness. To me it’s a sign of questionable state of mental health and behavioral issues of this woman. I would stay away from voting for someone so heartless and who is proud of using violence and abuse as a solution to any situation.

[@beasport505]

Exactly!! Well said

[@JSkyGemini]

@dsg3131 Derp, the "facts" are out of her own mouth! Maybe you should see a doctor.

[@1tim.ch.5v.8]

​@minutemeditations14All I guess the person your replying to, bailed?

[@1tim.ch.5v.8]

​@@JSkyGeminii guess the person you're replying to, bailed?

[@jenniferrose1102]

As an owner of a GWP… do your homework!!! They are strong willed dogs and require a lot of time and training. This also breaks my heart because once you put in the time and work With them, they are wonderful dogs. That said, a puppy obedience class is not enough for this breed. You are in for the long haul but they are smart and working dogs who only want to please. They are silly and have lots of energy but like I said do your homework BEFORE getting this breed. They are worth it! And she should be punished- that is awful 😢

[@Rescuedogmomma]

That puppy could have been rehomed easily. I have 5 rescues. She also shot a goat. Horrible person.

[@petedawson1683]

I just watched RUBY last night which is the best dog story. And then I read this. Every dog owner will never forget this revelation.

[@JSkyGemini]

I have never met a "bad" dog. But I have met plenty of bad owners. She's also killed 3 horses, horses, to me, are like big dogs. I can't even.

[@MsWobbly1]

And 3 horses.

[@1tim.ch.5v.8]

​@@JSkyGemini She's gross

[@deem7478]

She said she "hated" the dog. The dog was set up for failure then killed. Noem needs to be held accountable. A pointer wasn't protected from her own instincts and training.

[@argophontes]

I grew up a 20 minute drive from the nearest town, on a farm. More than once we wound up with a dog that just couldn't fit into the role we needed it to, and at no point was the solution ever even close to "take it out to the gravel pit and shoot it". Changing expectations/role for the dog, bringing in someone *else* to train it, or even rehoming it are the obvious choices if you're not a psychopath. Reading her stuff, though, she didn't "grow up on a farm" in the way that she wants to portray. She wants people to think of a little family farm struggling to get by, when it was actually a 9,700-acre ranch that got just short of $5 million in subsidies from 1995-2021. If you look at what she's described about her father, though, it's no surprise that she's so awful. She tells stories about him punching cows that didn't go where he wanted them to, leaving her alone as a 10 year old in the middle of the Bighorn Mountains to find her own way back to camp as a "lesson", and leaving her at 12 to drive a semi without any instruction.

[@SandyWeinstein]

Still no excuse for what she did.

[@argophontes]

@@SandyWeinstein Absolutely. I'm not making excuses for her, just speculating on what would make her think that something like this was ok, let alone something to brag about.

[@boricuarny22]

When I read the excerpt, I was shocked and outraged. She even admits to hating the dog because he was not trainable. Did she even try? She killed a goat also that same day according to the book. Farm life may be different where you have to euthanize an elder cow or horse or severe injury but to do what she did, shows cruelty and disrespect to life. No wonder there are Native American reservations that have banned her from entry to their reservations.

[@daneesia]

"Did she even try?" That's my question as well! And the goat situation was so bizarre... An uncastrated male goat is definitely going to have a strong scent - it's a biological thing, as far as I'm aware. Furthermore, if she saw that the goat was a danger to her kids and kept getting their clothes dirty (based on what I saw of the excerpt), WHY on earth did she not just take measures to keep it away from the kids??

[@tracythomas343]

It reminds me of something that happened when I was a teenager. I don’t want to go into the details but my stepfather made a similar decision about his German Shepherd. I’m now in my 60s and spoke recently in counseling about the incident. It was a traumatic event that had a deep emotional effect on me even now.

[@deem7478]

Evidently Noem's children asked where the dog was after she came home without her.

[@tracythomas343]

@@deem7478 I feel bad for her children.

[@cindysavage265]

I feel very bad for her children who had, obviously, bonded with their puppy

[@coreyms]

You were very tactful in your response, even though I’m sure that was difficult. Another horrible part of this story is her response and claiming that, on a farm, difficult decisions need to be made and then references horses that were recently put down. I also grew up on a farm, and we’ve never ever put an animal down that wasn’t suffering from something untreatable. Some have passed naturally, but when it does need to be done because they are suffering, it’s done with a vet and they are made comfortable with us there. Yes, those are difficult decisions, but she’s spreading a narrative that killing an animal because they’re an inconvenience is on par with alleviating suffering. It’s not. And it gives us country folk a bad name to insinuate it’s how we all operate. Anyways, thank you Zac. You helped me raise my best friend, Bronx… An 11-year-old chocolate lab that I rescued as a puppy. Appreciate your work and all you’ve taught me.

[@warrenbaker4124]

That was her daughter's dog and to see this as evidence of ability to "make the hard decisions" shows that she doesn't have a clue what is a hard decision and what is a matter of empathy, compassion and problem solving. Zak, you are a leader. Noem is not a leader by any stretch of the imagination.

[@kristy8865]

WOW, this woman is disgusting. If she can't train a dog or afford to get a trainer, then she can't/shouldn't hold ANY office. 🤬🤬🤬🤬

[@kristy8865]

@dsg3131 It's in her book!

[@alajononon]

@dsg3131 Do you? If so, you should share the information if you want us to learn.

[@alajononon]

@dsg3131 I also asked a question.

[@alajononon]

@dsg3131 I see. I thought your question was rhetorical and insinuating she didn't have all the facts. Apologies. I was sincerely interested, if you had information that was counter to what's being reported in this video, though. But I already did some Google searching to look into it.

[@KikiSpike]

She claims shooting a puppy is "good leadership" after using training methods which can increase aggression in dogs. Good leadership is first educating yourself on how to train the breed of dog you are adopting. If you fail, as she did, you then have to find out the options you have to resolve your situation. Some include - no kill shelters, rehoming, paying for private training, etc. Then it is choosing the most humane option with the best chance of outcome for the puppy NOT choosing the most extreme option to get rid of what you perceive to be a problem in the most expedient manner. It sounds like she knew this would come out and is trying to spin the narrative to make herself out to be the hero instead of the inept, cruel, disgrace that she is.

[@Dyke.vibes.]

👏🏻 couldn’t have said it better

[@Cornwall3]

She’s a psychopath! She killed the puppy, then a goat who rubbed her the wrong way. She is posing with all kinds of other dead animals she proudly murdered. She needs to be charged! 😡

[@mischabloor7194]

Only a psychopath would do something as sickening as shooting their own dog and then brag about it. That woman is evil!

[@dogsareawomansbestfriend]

If you want to get money from the state, you have no time to give a dog the love they need!

[@JSkyGemini]

My AmStaff, named Puppy, LOVED chasing birds, ducks and geese in particular, mercilessly. As you'd watch her ears flapping in the wind, her tongue hanging out also flapping in the wind, and the sheer joy she was having running full blast at them, shooting her in the face would have NEVER come to mind. She had geese and ducks sitting on branches in trees, which is something I can't remember seeing before or since. It was completely hilarious. And she'd never hurt a fly. We had chipmunks in our yard who weren't afraid to approach us, and she even got hold of a baby squirrel, but just to give his ears a good cleaning. He wasn't really very happy about that, though he probably appreciated it later. She thought she wanted to chase swans, too, but she found out they aren't as easy as the others. Individuals who have a disregard for creatures they see as lower, can also easily apply that disregard to humans. And individuals who torture animals have a connection with psychopathy. They can also transfer that behaviour onto humans.

[@kristinlea8093]

SD resident here 👋. Also, my family is a dog foster home for two dog rescues in the Sioux Falls area. This is horrific and the idea that she would believe it would HELP her polical career is truly psychotic. There are over 60 animal rescues in our little state that she could have turned Cricket over to, that have the patience, the time , and the COMPASSION for t that the dog truly deserved for a chance to live a happy life with a lovng family. This story doesn't show how she can make "touch decisions". This shows that she takes the easy way out.

[@pamelacollins1153]

I lived in South Dakota for most of my life - I’m 67. There are people there who have this attitude that devalues the lives of animals, and if an animal causes a problem, the solution is to “put it down” which I DO NOT AGREE WITH. My daughter had a friend whose mother would not allow her to cry if a pet died because it was “just an animal.” And, BTW, is legal to shoot a dog under some circumstances. So I am really not surprised to hear Gov Noem admit these things, and I’m also not surprised she is doing it with no awareness that MOST people, even in South Dakota, would find this repugnant. Gov Noem is 100 percent a politician with undisguised political ambition. She has shone herself willing to do ANYTHING to make Trump notice her since he became President in 2016, including wearing her hair and dressing like Melania Trump, completely parroting the MAGA talking points, insisting on fireworks over MT Rushmore when it was too dry to be safe, etc etc. I am so glad she is no longer my governor. I was ashamed of her when I lived in SD, and I’m happy to be finally living in a blue state.

[@sundogfun7536]

40-1-2.4. Cruelty to animals--Felony. South Dakota criminal statute. Enough said

[@JamesWilliams-dg9jw]

Take her to court DA.

[@ghiajohnson1547]

This is awful! Who shots their pup?

[@rukisar6312]

yeah, someone who treats animals cruelly, especially their own animals, has got something seriously mentally wrong with them, and it's often a sign they could be a danger in the future to humans

[@janhankins911]

I was going to post my opinion about her shooting a puppy in another post and I was told I was not being "kind" and that I might want to re-consider my post. So I did not post it, but I was tempted. I didn't repeat here what I said there, but I believe the term "sack of shit" was involved. At any rate, you get the idea.

[@dam8087]

Republicans

[@Here_This]

@@dam8087 Actually I would have bet she is a friend of Hillary , but well ........

[@janhankins911]

@@dam8087 I think you hit the nail on the head, there.

[@caydence808]

Well done-- This women sounds like a murderer...And I would be concerned to be in her inner circle, child or partner. That poor pup..unreal-Thanks Zac!

[@waverunner130]

I was thinking the same thing. The correct term for her is a murderer. She killed two great living animals for clout. Adoption agencies can take in the animals. Sanctuaries, other family members, friends. The list goes on. If you care about the lives of those animals you let into your home. You seek any means to protect and give them the best chance of survival. This woman isn't worthy to be called anything but a murderer. She shouldn't have kids. She is a danger. Her lack of emotional empathy speaks volumes.

[@daneesia]

I am deeply disturbed by what happened to Cricket and not blaming her; but lemme get this straight... • Noem was already aware of how uncontrollable Cricket (the dog) was... but took her on a hunting trip with older hunting dogs in the hope that she would learn good behaviour from them. _I see._ • Cricket was still misbehaving on the trip, wildly chasing the pheasants and apparently looked like she was "having the time of her life"; Noem used an electric collar on her to (supposedly) bring her under control, but it didn't work. _I see._ • On the way home from the trip, Noem stops to talk to a family and _SOMEHOW_ Cricket - a dog known to misbehave - was able to escape Noem's truck and went on a rampage, killing off the family's chickens. Apparently, Cricket was "the picture of pure joy" throughout this rampage. Also, Noem was almost bitten by her when she caught her. _I see..._ • Then there's this excerpt from a Guardian article on the matter: _“I hated that dog,” Noem writes, adding that Cricket had proved herself “untrainable”, “dangerous to anyone she came in contact with” and “less than worthless … as a hunting dog”. “At that moment,” Noem says, “I realised I had to put her down.”_ • Not to mention the story of her family's goat, again excerpted from that Guardian article: _Her family, she writes, also owned a male goat that was “nasty and mean”, because it had not been castrated. Furthermore, the goat smelled “disgusting, musky, rancid” and “loved to chase” Noem’s children, knocking them down and ruining their clothes._ --- What can I say? I'm at a loss. Above all, I just think this person is extremely clueless about not only dog behaviour, but _animal_ behaviour in general - and she has absolutely NO patience to deal with it properly. As Zak mentioned, Cricket's breed of dog was selectively bred to have practically endless stamina; furthermore, almost every dog is "uncontrollable" at these young ages. Is it frustrating? Yes. Does it often get both the dog and its owner into trouble? YES. But these are things you NEED to be prepared for if you're going to become a dog owner _(*Edit: and I guess her other dogs were never as difficult as Cricket, so she didn't have to shoot any of them??)._ If you went into it confidently then later realised that you're not able to handle the dog yourself - hey, I get it... but get a professional trainer if possible! And even if that's not possible, you don't have to take the animal's life. Maybe someone else would be able to take it off your hands and get it trained well. This isn't "I am Legend", folks! 🥲 Jokes aside, I'm so upset from the way she kept describing Cricket's "joy" in the times when she (Cricket) went after the birds. She was a young, energetic *_hunting dog_* who hadn't yet learned how to control her instincts - and I doubt that enough was being done in her training to help her truly learn the acceptable behaviours. It's not fair to put off dogs like Cricket as villains when they don't understand what kind of behaviour we expect of them. Dogs are meant to work WITH people, so why do people keep expecting them to magically understand that we don't want them to destroy the garden bed or that they should only go after wild game according to specific orders, etc.? As for the goat, imagine taking an _uncastrated male goat's_ behaviour _(*Edit: and biological scent)_ so personally that you had to shoot it out of annoyance. The way I see it, the truly hard decision here was to buckle up and take the long, stressful path of getting Cricket PROPERLY trained. The _easy_ way out of that was to pull a trigger and _"get rid of the problem altogether"_ so to speak. Tragic.

[@michellereed3272]

It’s not just tragic, it’s a class 6 felony. And Noem is to blame. She pulled the trigger. She should be arrested.

[@JordanHunter333]

@@michellereed3272 It is both...tragic and a Class 6 felony.

[@jenniferbrooks2540]

class 6 felony

[@chaddrusso8850]

You got it spot on. The fact that I see people on more “conservative” channels trying to defend her behavior as farm life is crazy. I do understand the idea of putting old or sick dogs down out in the sticks but a 14 month old puppy that got on your nerves? It makes me sick and shows the weak character I’ve come to expect from American politicians.

[@JordanHunter333]

@@chaddrusso8850 What a sick, disturbing comment. Why in the hell is a sick or old dog any less deserving of basic humanity, compassion, and the most rudimentary common sense? Old or sick is somehow an excuse or reason for cruelty? All you have shown is that you are another sad example of the human race who has no clue as to the value and sentience of animals.

[@ChristinaLynnF]

as someone from a small town in ND, i see EXACTLY what she is doing. Catering to the "old ways" audience. It is very much a thing unfortunately. It has always horrified me, but it truly is a thing in country living. Ignorance at its finest. They think because dad did it, it is what they should do too. Gotta make him proud. 🤮🤮 While i do respect a lot of small town values, animal cruelty and offing your dogs and cats because of ignorance can stay with the dead ones and not in our political system. The horror stories I have heard from people that have NO shame🤮

[@jb-ef1zu]

who diagnosed the dog as untrainable? She certainly is not qualified to make that assessment.she thinks putting it with older dogs and and shocking it will properly train it? I have never seen any dog trainer on utube recommend that strategy. Thats like putting your toddler with teens and beating it when it doesn't do what u want in order to train it. She is governor, she couldn't afford to hire a professional dog trainer? Where is ASCPA when u need em? Thank god she showed her true colors before election day. You can recall a governor.

[@1237tnb]

I have a dog that is incredibly difficult to train. Learning is not something she cares to do. We are fundamentally incapatiable with one another. If I could do anything differently, I would have rehomed her as a puppy and found people who specialize in sporting and hobby dogs (b/c I'm not that person, I want my dog to sit on the couch with me). Never once has doing what this... individual did ever crossed my mind and I believe it demonstrates an immense amount of cruelty, lack of empathy and emotional regulation. I wouldn't want that woman to lead anything... like ever. But i think that is also part of it. Recognizing that you and your dog are just too incompatible and finding them a new (good) home. Not doing this. I mean it seems like this dog was bred to be a high energy hunter and was young too, so I don't know what this woman expected.

[@urbster1]

it's utterly horrible that anyone would think that a gun is a solution to any problem especially involving a dog

[@susannerobbins]

I don’t know the circumstances of the dog shooting, but the fact that she was dumb enough to put an incident so demanding of nuance in a book, using it as a sales pitch, speaks volumes. If she can’t see the political danger in that, she doesn’t seem very aware of the world.

[@thelittlebrownranch9105]

Every time I hear someone say "it's just a dog" I think of the writing below from Martin Niemöller. The world seems to have an overabundance of cold-hearted people. I do not allow those types of people in my space. First they came for the Communists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Communist Then they came for the Socialists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Socialist Then they came for the trade unionists And I did not speak out Because I was not a trade unionist Then they came for the Jews And I did not speak out Because I was not a Jew Then they came for me And there was no one left To speak out for me

[@sarabear3]

If she didnt want to train the dog herself or pay someone else to train the dog, she could have easily rehomed the dog! Its disgusting to me that she took the "easy" way out - easy for her. If I was in her area & had planned on voting for her, this would have made me NOT vote for her! 😮

[@margaret4898]

I think shooting a dog for killing chickens was not uncommon in the very old days. But I have to wonder why the dog was allowed to be loose if it was "untrainable". That's on the owner, not on a vibrant energenic dog. Let's not forget she also decided to kill a goat for behaving like a goat.

[@AntheaThomson]

It really is awful - she failed that poor pup in its ‘training’ and environment. Then to just kill it in cold blood, and to almost be proud of it? Psychopathic. She could’ve surrendered the pup to a rescue who could’ve found it a more supportive & appropriate home. It honestly makes me feel sick how anyone could think that’s an appropriate approach for a family pet.

[@teamadventurebeagle4392]

I keep saying this because i want to dredge up the details; i want to know why and how she put down those horses recently. The dog and goat incident may have happened too long ago to prosecute, but the horses were recent

[@corneliadumitru6568]

My best ever "nanny" was a 7-months old shepherd dog when I was born. We were together, blessed, till I was 14. Then he had to go over the rainbow bridge. Since then, I've had more dogs, and in his memory, always an "non-trainable" stray pup. I know he loves it from there, above. My children grew up with dogs, and now they have dogs. This person is a sociopath or a psychopath in the making, not a leader.

[@courtneylees9133]

It's rather simple, under the same circumstances is she going to shoot a human or is that suddenly wrong. Either way you've got an answer about this person. I know nearly nothing about her except now I know two things, she is in government and also shoots a dog and brags about it. Like really, this is messed up.

[@ReadMachiavelli-gi3wk]

Gnome: “My orange Savior finds me bang..,err, electable. Of course I want to submit.., err, serve he who is all powerful.”

[@kirstymacfarlane1620]

I was absolutely disgusted when I read about this. She also shot a goat. A despicable excuse for a human being

[@betseyowczarek6669]

This 100%

[@michellereed3272]

The nice thing about the internet is that state laws are available online. What Noem did is a class 6 felony, possibly two counts. She also shot a goat. The CNN segment was pathetic. No offense to Zak, but why the hell are they asking a dog trainer for comment on this story. This isn’t about dog training, nor is it about “putting down” a lame farm animal. The fricking Governor of SD penned a written account of animal cruelty by her own hand. She admitted to committing a felony, and CNN brings in a dog trainer. 🤦🏽‍♀️ You’ve got to be fricking kidding me. A governor of all people should know this is 2024 not 1824. There are laws against shooting animals when they are no longer useful or “untrainable”. Pisses me off to no end when animals are abused and killed by trigger happy psychopaths like Noem.

[@Melissa-pb6wv]

CNN wanted the opinion of a dog trainer to find out of the dog could have been trained

[@redschafer7804]

@@Melissa-pb6wv like CNN actually gives a duck about stuff like that. they want any dirt they can find because of who she is and what political position she might have come November. as for her doing what she did we don't know the facts the dog could have gotten fatally hurt due to not being trained and access to vets in SD has and is a real issue. its sucks that happened but it shouldn't be used as a political poly to get people to vote a certain way

[@michellereed3272]

@@redschafer7804 Noem described in detail why and how she shot the dog and a goat at point blank range. Her account was callous and methodical. It read like a confession from a psychopath describing a murder they committed. She also mentions a construction crew who witnessed this crime. Now had this story been about shooting an unruly teenager instead of a dog, do you think CNN would be asking a random teacher or coach for their input? No, they’d be discussing the legal implications with a prosecutor and law enforcement. And because Noem herself made this story available to the public, they would be picking it apart with mental health professionals. The reasoning and actions Noem described is not normal behavior. CNN would also be chomping at the bit to get a statement from one of those construction workers. The key takeaway from this news is that a Governor released a book in which she describes committing a crime, as if her actions were perfectly justified and normal. Why CNN wouldn’t be focusing on this aspect first is just baffling to me. When I learned of this story, my first thoughts were about how disturbing her description was, this sounds like a crime, and what are the animal cruelty laws in South Dakota. CNN did another segment on this that focused on the disturbing nature of this story, but barely mentioned the legal aspect. I find it infuriating that animal cruelty laws exist, and yet so little is done to enforce them. This woman is a Governor. Her behavior should be thoroughly scrutinized and investigated because of the level of authority she has over people.

[@redschafer7804]

@@michellereed3272love how you think this actually matters and i doubt she going to be charged you can't actually think that CNN actually cares about the dog? lol or that they care what Zac a celebrity dog trainer has to say on the matter. this is all political because she might be Trump's VP pick. thats all if it was a Democrat that did the same thing there wouldn't be any outrage

[@celiaeastman9538]

​@@redschafer7804yeah, because for some of us character matters, and such a person shouldn't hold any office.

[@Eli-kw4he]

I don’t understand why she didn’t just give him away to somebody else instead of doing something so horrible

[@sdrfz]

So then the dog bites somebody else, wonderful.

[@crotchet1586]

She's a reactive nut job by the sounds of it...with a gun.

[@Here_This]

@@sdrfz That dog is a German Pointer , they don't bite humans EVER ! But they are no bird dogs .

[@celiaeastman9538]

​@@sdrfzno, so it can be properly trained and loved.

[@bigdog5177]

Sad that a person would shoot and kill their puppy and use the excuse of the pup being “untrainable”. Sounds like the owner is ignorant of animal behavior and training. The fact is, Noem is using this morbid killing of her puppy as an opportunity to advertise her selling a book and further her political career. Don’t need or want “leaders” or leadership like that.

[@shane38002]

Like rehoming or getting someone experienced with these issues wasn't an option? When you own a dog you are not only responsible for the the health and well being of the animal you are totally responsible for every situation you place that dog into. She basically proved opposite of the point she was trying to make and proved she will take the easy way out of a situation that she sees as an inconvenience to her. I know nothing of this woman being I'm from Tennessee but I have a feeling if you can't be responsible enough to own a dog you probably shouldn't be running a state.

[@mstewartcopy]

fantastic to see you on CNN! great job Zak!

[@natalieharrison4318]

She Absolutely needs to be investigated. This is so wrong on so many levels. This doesn't make her a stronger leader. I say it makes her a cold reckless leader who doesn't believe in different ways of getting better results with time, practice and training for change. To me she took a lazy approach and gave up not wanting to envest in that for this poor defenseless puppy that didn't stand a chance. Im sorry she's cold hearted and doesn't belong around animals or in office. What she did was cold and cruel. She belongs in jail. If that was anyone else off the street they'd be put away. Poor, poor poor puppy. She's evil. Karma may she get it.

[@rokoroo]

Murdering her pet when she failed to succeed in training it isn't a sign of leadership, it's a sign she's no leader at all.

[@ReadMachiavelli-gi3wk]

Gov Gnome has a new slogan: “A $10 Dollar Round Will Put ‘Em Down!” It’s Kristi’s new Train Puppies & Kids initiative. To quote her hero…”It’ll be wild!”

[@djones0442]

I hope she doesn't have mischievous or unruly children 😬

[@annat9568]

Her explanations are lacking. I feel horrible for any animal left in her care. She treats animals as possessions. They have needs she didn't meet. She had options and didn't avail herself. It isn't leadership.

[@debh5780]

Shooting a 14 months old puppy in the face is despicable and horrifying !!! What’s the matter with her ??? 😮😮😮

[@NorseButterfly]

I cannot fathom the sick state of mind that would lead someone to haphazardly shoot their pet. If she feels this way about animals who have been poorly trained, it makes you wonder about how she feels about rowdy children. My own dog will do anything I ask of him if I reward him positively, and with a treat. He still learns new things at the age of 7 because he loves making me happy. It just blows my mind that there are people in positions of power who are this twisted.

[@kt2906]

Who shoots there 14 month old baby (dog) I hate that woman and every body on KZbin is doing videos on why you shouldn’t watch Zak but then CNN only calls Zak that’s proving to every body that you should only watch Zak ❤❤❤

[@kaplandg]

14 month old dog is far from a baby. And zak isn't qualified in any way to train dogs. Not through certification, education, or sheer amount of clients that he doesn't have. That's why you SHOULDN'T watch him. All he does is make videos and cry about social issues. That's an activist and lobbyist not a dog trainer

[@Samthewolf1010]

lol CNN calling him makes me want to watch him less. Dude is a joke of a trainer.

[@Satans_lil_helper]

​@Samthewolf1010 It says more about your intolerance than it does anything else. You can't tolerate anyone's opinion unless it agrees with YOU and what validates _your_ ignorant biases. Take a pacifier and go back to your 2 Minutes Hate channel.

[@Here_This]

@@Samthewolf1010 What's so funny about the crime that woman Noem did ? She needs to get jailed for it ! Noem , Nuland , all the same .

[@Samthewolf1010]

@@Here_This do you know how to read? I didn’t say the crime was funny. I said CNN calling him makes me wanna watch him less replying to the OP

[@woodyl8416]

Stupid act of violence, so cruel. This needs to be investigated and she should be banned from owning animals, they're not bugs to swat the life out of, what a sick person. How does she treat children?

[@amac868]

Notice how she said PARTIALLY trained. Which is ALWAYS the case for purely positive training. it's a shame Zak doesn't just stay in his lane. A missed opportunity which is typical of woke types that take everything out of context to make a ridiculous ultimatum

[@davidlee8464]

A couple years ago I moved from an urban/suburban area to extremely rural NE Oregon. One of the things I’ve found it most challenging to adjust to is how people (almost without exception) treat their dogs. First, it is legal for a rancher to kill a dog if that dog is “harassing” livestock…and the rancher is who decides what constitutes harassment. Next, I’d guess that fewer than 10% of people keep their dogs in a fenced yard, let alone walk them on leash. (Forget about picking up their 💩) The underlying attitude seems to be that dogs are just another piece of farm equipment. If this one doesn’t work get ride of it and get another. It’s a completely foreign way of thinking to me.

[@elfiefromangelcity6142]

There was no other option?! You couldn't give the dog away? You couldn't take it to the vet to see if there was a health issue? You couldn't TRY some different training methods? What utter stupid bs! I know farmlife is hard. And I'm pro second amendment. But all I hear here is, "The dog didn't serve my needs, so I ended its life." If that's how you "Lead" then I don't want to follow. A good leader is creative and finds a use in every follower. Will she end her followers if they don't serve her needs? Drop the tough girl act and grow the guts to be compassionate. Doing what's right isn't easy. Screw her. I hate machismo is any person. Making the dog pay for her incompetence doesn't make her a good leader.

[@symbionese2348]

Her actions sound kinda like Russian life under Vladimir Putin. Gosh, I wonder, what could be the link between that and her and Donald Trump and the MAGATs?

[@marydeemock101]

Sounds like the dog owner was the untrainable species in this story. Very sad.

[@carolezorzo9279]

This is horrific….I can’t understand what kind of person would do this..Sickening

[@epicsputnik]

1: This situation is scary and bad, and certainly NOT to celebrate and accept as proof that someone is a good leader.. 2: Don’t forget to put things in perspective though. Think about the countless animals being shot just so we humans can have too much meat. In these cases shooting is considered perfectly humane. These animals are just as intelligent as dogs but are just a nameless number, a product, nobody cares about their mental condition and training..

[@mariannejensen349]

I am completely green to dog-training. I have been watching your videos, for quite a while now. I keep re-watching your series of when you train Intertia from puppyhood. I live with my parents, and we have as a family come to agreement of getting a dog. I have faith in your methods. I say that it's a shame. I sense from this limited amount of information, that it was something rushed, there is too much to do on a farm, the dog was not given the proper amount of time to be trained to watch the chickens and sort of guard them, as it is a hunting type of dog. I sense that it's one who have just got a dog, without taking the time to really get a deep understanding of the traits of the breed of a dog. And then again, any dog is individual, but there are traits being general, and there haven't been enough understanding for the dog, from the owner. I sat not this recent past weekend, Zak, but the last one, and talked about those e-collars, and how I will try my best to stay away from those. And the family who I was with at a party, agreed that it should definitely not be such tool. The quick easy short cuts, or "jumps where the fence is the lowest" doesn't always solve the problem. I am considering strongly to have an educated dogtrainer along on the sideline to help me, for example make a judgement on when is it too rough, details on training with biting pressure. Your videos have made me think a bit deeper into, what would for example a puppy do, if it was in the house? And take those precausions in advance.

[@fuzzyboots123]

Look, I understand you can never predict a dogs personality & behaviours. Yes, it sounds like this young doggo wasn't suited for hunting at this point in time (it also sounds like it had been free to practice behaviours & go after whatever animals, despite the e-collar), but to just straight up kill it is so extreme & then to be proud of that action & use it as an example of getting things done is so odd. The poor doggo never really had a chance

[@kimbrandom2789]

People that boast of killing an animal with no remorse or emotion concern me. Even people who hunt for meat often give recognition to the life of the animal taken for sustenance. Aside from that, what comes to mind is when Mitt Romney admitted to strapping an airline kennel to the roof of the car and transporting the family dog in it when they went on vacation. 😳. I guess it's admirable they took the dog with them, but how could anyone with half an ounce of intelligence imagine that to be a safe and responsible action?! So, when I hear stories like that, yes, I seriously question the decision making skills of that person and I sure as hell won't put them in office making decisions that impact others. In the case of Noem, i don't have all the facts, but as it appears from what I do know, it doesn't seem like 1) she valued the dog much and 2) she did much to solve the behavior issues because there's a whole lot of avenues to explore before you decide a dog is too dangerous and you kill it. I am almost 65 years old, I've had dozens of pets in my lifetime, and there has only been one dog that I euthanized because she was just too dangerous and incredibly difficult to manage to keep everyone safe. Before I made that decision I did rehabilitation work with her for 4 years. Killing a healthy dog with quality of life should not be a light decision.

[@cess4089]

I’m pretty sure farmers love their dogs. Just like anyone else. And they are going to be disgusted with this story too. Assuming that she will look competent for having to kill her dog because she couldn’t train it is narcissistic.

[@jd-iw2et]

Shes disgusting! She should be convicted for neglect and abuse. Just disgusting

[@loveyall5080]

This is just unbelievable to me. I understand why some people would use a half cent bullet over $50 uthenasia, but for something as simple as those behavioral problems? Come on! That is unacceptable!! And bragging about it? That's despicable.

[@Melissa-pb6wv]

It's uncivilized and she could afford the uthenasia

[@meljordan220]

She could have given the dog away instead of killing it. She did have other options. It's her ignorance about dog behavior that caused the dog to die. I have a homestead with chickens and dogs and cats. I do understand. If there's a working dog you need to train the dog how to do their job and not allow another dog to train them. That's not how it works. You have to train the dog how to do its job. It won't learn on its own. I have watched Zack for years and I know better. Management comes first while you're training the dog. Once the dog is trained then you can remove the management but only as the dog learns you remove a little more and a little more until you don't need to manage anymore.

[@TheLoftia]

It's reasonable to argue that dogs and humans have been developing their symbiotic relationship for 10,000s of years. This dog may have had some issues that were difficult to work with, but for a someone to disregard that ancient trusting relationship with such callouse disregard sugests that the person has more issues than the dog.

[@Here_This]

YT deleted my longer post . Because that "woman" doesn't have a clue how to train a pointer and doesn't know that a German Pointer puppy needs special training , they don't learn by doing , they are not autodidacts . They are never aggressive , they only get overexcitet , if they have a neglecting owner . It isn't a bird dog , these dogs are to follow the tracks of a wounded deer or wild hog , retrieving small animals like ducks or bunnies .

[@HiroThatDude]

3:16 this is 100% false. I challenge you Zack get the most aggressive dog you can find that is about to be put down for aggressiveness and do nothing but all positive training to save its life. Then I'll believe and then I'll believe that statement. Insure I've seen dogs that actually put people in the hospital that have actually killed a child and was going to get put down, but the only way that dog was able to be saved was by using a prong collar which has done nothing but save that dog's life which Can meet and kiss and say hello to Babys now. There are dogs that actually do need balanced methods so their lives can be saved. But many of the dogs in this world are actually normal and don't require anything but positive just like my dog he just needs positive reinforcement and he's amazing, but there are dogs out there that truly need more balanced methods that I have never seen you try or attempt to train on your channel

[@alexford8593]

This story is shocking. I can't believe not only would someone have done that but it's not even like a story that it was an unfortunate incident. But they're defending it almost as a positive action. I admit my dog is not trained that good . Some people have the patience and some don't. So i think this situation has more to do with her issues not the dog

[@rokaddict534]

SO DISTURBING!!! It’s because they don’t view dogs as family, but as something they own and can do with, what they want. At the very least, she could have tried to adopt out the dog, or give it to an animal rescue - a puppy has a fighting chance of making it out alive. If I were American, I don’t know what I’d be thinking about the morals of some of the leaders, or wannabe leaders… and yet, people keep voting them in. Baffling how people like this end up in power. I agree - have her investigated, at the very least.

[@encorado6933]

I agree with you, Zak. Investigate and indict. This is so disturbing on so many levels. The question here is, how many other dogs has she shot and killed because they've been untrainable? I think anyone who votes for this sadist, is bonkers!!!!

[@Timetravel755]

Seems like you are a troublemaker in more than one area.

[@FionaKelleghan111]

My housekeeper was silly and stepped on my paw; I forgave her. I was silly and acted rowdy; she shot me.

[@mariantague9705]

It's painful to imagine the life of this dog prior to this unthinkable act. Such arrogance on the part of the perpetrator to take a life. South Dakota if you let this pass without question then as a state you are morally doomed. It's just the beginning in acts which display a disregard for life

[@davidshort1459]

Not good. She is no leader.

[@dam8087]

She is the Governor of South Dakota. She cheats in her husband, is a bigot and kills puppies. This is the current, MAGA Republican party

[@svenhaight477]

So heartbreaking. There are so many other ways she could've handled the behavioral issues. Thanks for speaking out Zac!

[@roxyanderson9639]

I've seen a lot of people like this as a dog trainer. They enjoy giving pain to pets they enjoy being in control in a mean way!

[@Samthewolf1010]

Well here I was thinking you couldn’t say anything during this interview to make me not want to watch him but here he goes……

[@SandyWeinstein]

It is disgusting that she did this. Horrible. Too bad she can't be prosecuted for animal abuse.

[@ronjaj.addams-ramstedt1023]

Maybe about the horses, if that was recently enough and if she shot them, too. Animal cruelty is a federal crime since 2019.

[@lisahernandez5007]

This is horrific to me. 😢

[@MoneyStrategiesSOULutions]

She disappointed me hugely!! Absolutely horrible and psychopathic.

[@timothymcconville]

Glad to see you getting some air time! You rock!

[@KS-yv7tw]

A cruel woman! She seems completely ignorant of dog behaviour and how to train. She shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near dogs. If this dog wasn’t first assessed by an experienced pos reinforcement behaviourist, she needs to be arrested and banned from ever owning a dog again. No puppy should ever be euthanized! It wasn’t her decision to make!

[@mngbennett]

This is almost too horrible to believe but thank you for providing a thoughtful educated response.

[@tiffymcconkey]

Untrainable? It sounds like she didnt want to bother with the effort it takes to train a dog properly

[@Here_This]

It proves once more that wrong people are leading everywhere AND thinking their opinions and decisions would be the right ones . 🤬

[@jemith]

Thank you for commenting on this story. It is heartbreaking to realize how many people do not understand dog psychology and mistreat their dogs as a result.

[@alexisgramercy4545]

Appreciate you and your wife’s tireless work Zak. So glad you were on CNN. I only vote for humane legislators. “ How we treat animals is a measure of human moral progress” #animalrights #animalprotection

[@ivy4114]

How did she sleep that night? That pup's last breath. My dog was a little wild and silly but really matured at 3 years. She is now turning 15 and I cherish her.

[@Melissa-pb6wv]

I wonder what she told her daughter and what kind of role model she is? How well did her daughter sleep that night?

[@pconan1]

No stinking way would I vote for anyone who felt; hey you aren’t doing what I want…bang bang

[@triciaportugal6081]

😂😂😂 ecollers do not make dogs more aggressive if trained properly with trainers that use them correctly!! My dogs are happy to be off leash and they’re safe.

[@zakgeorge]

Glad you were experience was different. But the scientific data shows something else.

[@georgenakasone7613]

​@@zakgeorgestop lying. You know that the scientific data isn't accurate and done properly. Why didn't you participate in doing a accurate scientific study with Ivan Balabanov? Why would you turn down the opportunity to work with a great trainer and to truly see if the scientific studies were accurate?

[@SRees-qw5dz]

I totally agree with you, Zack. There should be an investigation.

[@yolandathecrochetaddict6954]

You dont know much about real dog problems. You just train cute doggies with treats only. You have balance. Those dogs wont listten to your without food. What happens when you are in public ? Thats why you cant film training videos with your personal dog , becouse she wont listten to you without treats with real life distractions.

[@donhoverson6348]

So, who out there wants to put this woman in charge of their health care?

[@Corahasting1530]

Thank you so much Zac for doing this you are an amazing person. Didn't see them ask dog daddy about this.

[@bobmeem4935]

Terrible story but a great Hit piece for CNN. Let's weed out these republicans. Love you, Zack!!!!

[@josephfolkemer]

Oh, a politician bragging about being an abusive killer, how novel. I wonder what party she’s in 🤔?

[@AdvacnedK9Training]

"Nothing that can't be trained with positive reinforcement..." - Still haven't seen you take on Dog Daddy's problem dogs yet.

[@OriginalAshleyPastelGh0st]

Zak I’m getting a new puppy soon ( either a German Shepard or a border collie ) I’m 12 years old and I’ve been subscribed to u since like forever lol but I think ur videos with ur pup inertia would help , correct ? Me and my dad have already gotten a quarter of the stuff for my puppy.

[@Melissa-pb6wv]

I❤️ those videos with Inertia!

[@OriginalAshleyPastelGh0st]

@@Melissa-pb6wv omg me too I’m getting a new pup to so I wish he could post some updated vids regarding that and maybe have inertia pop out and say hi bc I honestly miss seeing her . And Zak should start posting more often too.

[@accalya271]

I have a now soon to be 6 months old puppy and when I got him I had decided to use Zak's videos to guide me training him. I took bits that I really liked from all of his puppy training videos and my boy is such a happy, playful, smart and eager to please pupper ❤

[@OriginalAshleyPastelGh0st]

@@accalya271 awww I’m glad I found zaks channel before getting my pup I’m ordering some stuff for it today and am going to pet smart to get t more stuff tmr with my dad .

[@RC-zb5jz]

She is a monster.

[@melaniedelaware7500]

She thought the dog was going to train itself. Then killed it because it didn’t. She’s a monster.