Purely positive person tells me how to train, here's my reaction.

I react to a purely positive reinforcement person commenting on a controversial video.

[@thedogswayuk]

Hey dude. Love your work. For your interest, the guy is called David Mech. The whole “discrediting dominance” thing is a massive overstretch. The original research involved 3 male wolves from 3 different populations, put in a paddock together - who unsurprisingly fought. Mech later discredited this particular research, after subsequent tests showed that wolves living in families with parents and cubs were typically less aggressive. The original theory was one of a constant, linear structure - which was replaced with a more complex theory based on family structure. The point is, mech never said that wolves didn’t fight over mates and resources, never said that wolves didn’t have dominant and submissive roles and temperaments. He just discredited the original piece of research as a poor demonstration of natural behaviour in wolves - which it was. The thing that’s really sad, is that ultimately these people who say dominant dogs don’t exist or that everything you should be stimulus based are the same people who say that the dogs who don’t fit their narrative are uncontrollable, brain damaged and need to be euthanised.

[@adamm5054]

Yessss!!!!!!

[@alisha_madariaga]

This comment should be pinned!

[@LC05]

You are so right, these positive-only trainers refuse to come to the realization that positive-only doesn't work and instead would rather have dogs that don't fit their narrative put down. The first time I heard this was in one of Robert Cabral's videos and he was talking about how these positive-only trainers could never help save the lives of dogs in shelters who need a little bit of help with behavior issues before they can be put up for adoption. I don't recall if this was the same video but he also showed an older malamute that had "aggression issues" according to a positive-only trainer and multiple shelter employees. He went in there and quickly realized the dog was going blind and kept getting startled as a result. He wasn't aggressive; he kept getting scared by people who appear out of nowhere. So freaking depressing that he was about to be put down.

[@Apachita]

Thanks for finding that source. And who amoung us is training a flipping Wolf anyways!? They keep using that gibberish to discredit Cesar also, who studied through observation, as a boy, packs of real dogs in a place where packs of dogs roam (Mexico). Where dogs live like cats. Free to go where they please.

[@Apachita]

@@LC05 I have started to believe that because of the exagerated purely positive trainers, people end up thinking, when it doesn't work, that it is the dogs fault. They "dominate" the airwaves and I beleive they are the reason why the majority of dogs that are for sale (not "rescues" just used) are under one year of age, being resold (or relinquished) because the owner expected treats and cuddles should have worked and therfore they must have got a defective dog.

[@CMonty]

Also, "positive reinforcement only" trainers seem to always overlook the fact that dogs correct each other all the time.

[@The_VANtastic_Pack]

Totally true! I have a pack of 3 dogs and its amazing the conversations they have with each other and what they can and can't do when and how etc. Some people go ohh how cute they're doing this or that which each other. I'm like what they're really saying to each other is....

[@gooddogtrainingservices5351]

And use artificial antecedents to set the dog up to have to chose the reinforcement provided. Ask them how they stop countersurfing. Never allow the dog the opportunity. (Diligent management and never leave stuff out) That will be $500

[@NoThankUBeQuiet]

@@gooddogtrainingservices5351 What is your problem with management. If the behavior isn't rehersed it doesn't get reinforced. Manage your dog when you first get it. Train a place in the kitchen and the counter won't be where they want to be. If they create an issue they can do the management to fix it. If someone charges you 500 dollars for that that would be rediculous. I'm not a professional but I'll come get you set up for 50 bucks if you already have a baby gate

[@ellamay6405]

thank you!!!! i work in a dog daycare and it is SOLELY positive reinforcement, we aren't even allowed to use pressure on the dogs' collars to get them into a crate or move them away from anything because they don't want to "be mean" to the dog or whatever; yet those same girls will stand there in a group of 10-15 dogs and watch a handful of dogs correcting others with ...... THEIR MOUTHS!!! and there are no fights after that!! but god forbid one of us humans give a similar correction.... if i did, i'd be fired. if i corrected them the way i correct my own dogs using only my VOICE i would be fired. just because i'm stern and expect a certain level of obedience if a dog wants my attention. they don't want the dogs jumping up and biting, yet they give the dogs a treat right after they've jumped up - but they say the treat is for the dog stopping jumping. it's ridiculous. and i can't voice my opinion whatsoever or they'll think i'm an abusive maniac just because i use a prong collar and raise my voice when need be.

[@Spr1ggan87]

Whenever my sister's GSD would get on my Husky's nerves or steal from his food bowl, he would shove her down and stand on one of her ears and hold her there until she got the message.

[@the-d-r]

The problem is, the dogs aren’t reading the same books.

[@marciebushman5668]

Best comment of this thread 🤣🤣🤣

[@darth_veda]

I almost spat my Tea out lmao

[@yuliyaarora1331]

😀😀😀spot on! 👌

[@Apachita]

🤣 Hilarious!

[@natalier.6775]

Haha

[@elizabethlacky6068]

I am a Certified Behavioral Consultant..( Certified in dog training knowledge) / Master Dog trainer with 30 years of experience. I use positive reinforcement. However, when dealing with reactive dogs , your methods are excellent !

[@luckerooni1153]

And that's the reality of it. Positive reinforcement works when dogs are willing to listen. Most dogs most times will listen to most people. When they don't listen, you have to readjust their world view and help convince them what is important and what is not until they have a better understanding of their job. You can be as gentle as you can about it, but in the end, you have to correct them. That cannot be done with only positive reinforcement, and the worse the dog is, the most severe the corrections are required.

[@MissSchnickfitzel]

As someone who owns a German shepherd I've tried positive reinforcement many times and what i noticed is that it works at first and then not at all anymore. Because my dog is very intelligent he instantly recognizes that he doesn't have any consequences for his actions and can just "work around them".

[@luisafoodadventure5294]

Sounds like my Gaia but I am learning differently from Joel. Thank goodness!

[@annatetiad.4991]

This is true. If you are working with very large, intelligent dogs, positive reinforcement doesn't work. I had a beautiful Great Pyr who was very dominant, and all my efforts at training him failed because my ex'es family were spoiling him rotten. It took me a few years to get him right, but he became my best dog ever. Now I have GSD's and they really need us to be assertive, not wishy washy.

[@beastybabycakes]

That's it in a nutshell, German Shepherds are so smart, that if your a flake or not very smart, they will play you like a harp, there has to be consequences or pretty soon their running your housegold

[@amyrenfranz2948]

Hey, Beckman - childless, white female here. Haha. Just wanted to say that your methods have totally transformed our relationship with our dog in a really positive way. We were struggling to train our very energetic puppy, who had spent his first 6 months in a shelter and didn't connect with people. I guess that I felt bad for him, so I leaned heavily into purely positive training...and it did not work! His aggression and relentless energy were so bad that, sorry to say, we considered returning him to the shelter. Because of you, we have a dog that can walk on a leash and comes when called. He's calm when we need him to be. I am super grateful for you. Thank you for doing what you do and being who you are!

[@Adianodelih]

Great job! i had the same problem. I'm a White 45 kg Little woman with a Weimaraner puppy and i come from Italy and here also men act like karens with their dogs:99% of population here let their dogs get away with everything because "Hey, they're Just dogs/puppies expressing them selves and part of the family so it's ok to destroy everything and also turn into me". Here in Italy everyone buys the dog with treats even for peeing in the right place and dogs stop being reactive tobsimple commands. I faced your same problems then i reminded my grand parents approach to dogs, they were shepperds, plus i followed some Cesar Millan's videos, that helped a lot, and then i found this guy. They're both great!

[@ukgirl6586]

Yet happy to be categorised as white, childless, female in the dog training world? Get a grip sister.

[@dogtrainerHillary]

SBDS (Spoiled Brat Dog Syndrome) and it’s rampant in our culture! Joel…. you’re doing a public service to both dogs and their humans 👊

[@missdevine1860]

Love it 😀 SBDS brilliant

[@silkypug]

Very rampant! And not just dogs - look at the state children are in because parents don't truly hold them accountable for any thing.

[@towpottsfam7631]

Ha! I said the same!

[@rehabilitatingbuzzy3281]

This is GOLD!!! And true. I have raised two children, three grandchildren and dozens of dogs and horses. Spoiled kids, spoiled dogs and pampered horses get killed by the world. Do them a favor and don't spoil them.

[@SA-eh5gd]

It’s not just limited to dogs, they’re doing it with their kids and they’re emotional wrecks!

[@tshea278]

I never comment on things on the internet but I actually just about died when I heard “dogs are never trying to dominate you” 😂 dogs, much like kids, will absolutely try to dominate (or not listen to you if you don’t like the word dominate I guess) if you’re not assertive. Doesn’t mean youre not soft and loving. Just means you are in charge and command respect. It actually makes everyone less anxious and creates peace. Structure is so important!😊

[@arielgaede3673]

So, so true! Even if a dog or kid isn't "dominant" they are massive opportunists. They think they can get away with something, they will 100% do it!

[@Thewild_trails]

Exactly,. Dogs like children decide something is in Thier interest and not necessarily in the interest of the whole group or safety. Therefore you need a stable confident dominant behaviour to correct and steer behaviour into the direction of common group interest.

[@BelindaTN]

As my daddy use to tell me. "Somebodies going to be the boss. Make sure it is you". As a kid, I didn't not think much of that, but as I grew up, I saw that he was completely correct. In handling animals, it can be dangerous not to be the dominant one in the relationship.

[@BraggingRite]

​@@BelindaTN Patrice O'Neal once said that compromise means that one person gets to be miserable. Same takeaway The way you prevent that is by bringing something to the table. The ones who get to be miserable should be the ones who don't apply themselves. There's a reason misery loves company

[@stacyqualls7359]

Not listening (being indifferent) and trying to dominate (climbing on you, mouthing, biting, growling) are two very different things.

[@JeccaJ]

Dog behaviourist here, I'd class myself as a positive reinforcement but agree purely positive doesn't work. While the original dominance theory was flawed based on lone wolves thrown together in a confined space, later studies have proved dominance exists, just more like a democracy with an elected boss, who can be overthrown if they're not being a good leader. The theory translates to people too. Sure, start with positive reinforcement but as long as you're not hurting the dog or causing fear, use other techniques too. Negative punishment and not letting them get away with the behaviour is invaluable too. The main tool you have is other dogs such as Prince as dogs will always read behaviour of dogs better than any human can. Keep doing what you do.

[@tomlongland1469]

I believe that they decided that one was dominant and it wasn't worth the fight.

[@annmariesim1405]

you cannot do a study of it you cannot take say 50 dogs and they all have differnt reactions it doesnt work because every dog is the same as human we are and they are all different

[@annmariesim1405]

prince if you notice isnt being fully dominant he does it playfully but reinforces the fact they shouldnt be misbehaving and if you notice he may look like he is biting but he isnt he uses his paws now thats what i would call a sort of mediator between the trainer and the dog

[@JeccaJ]

@@annmariesim1405 Mediator is a fab word for it, thank you!

[@Ericsaidful]

Balanced training is ideal. Swinging the pendulum as far to positive as is reasonable. The question is how can a dog understand what it's NOT supposed to be doing if you aren't issuing corrections? Sure, you can teach them what you want them to be doing (as purely positivists say), but you can also correct bad behavior.

[@mollydion8311]

I got my first dog when I was 22 & newly married & we bought our first house. I wanted a Doberman & so I purchased my beloved Sabbath at 12 wks old. I went to training classes for a year & earned an AKC, CD & CDX on my beautiful boy. The greatest advice from my instructor was, "One good correction is worth a thousand nags." It spares the dog confusion & doubting the owner's leadership & empowers the owner to be in control. But best of all I had a 95 lb. loving, trustworthy companion, who gave me joy everyday of his life. I'm now 73 & have fond memories & lots of photos. Prince looks so like my Sabbath. ❤

[@erinnorwood6124]

What kind of training classes

[@mollydion8311]

@@erinnorwood6124 obedience.

[@m6666]

I'd have to agree with you. I got my first puppy in the early 90's and learnt old school. He was a very dominant boy but I found I didn't like choker chains, so I changed to a fixed collar. I'd also seen a lot of Barbara Woodhouse shows on TV and that was how we trained. He also was fully obedience trained as well as agility and retrieval trials. I could go for a trail ride on my horse and take him along and know that he would still listen. As the years went on the positive training came about, so I tried it and found that you can only go so far with your dog using this method, and the second you take away the treats everything goes out the door. I'm now on my last pup who's turned two today and because he's a miniature poodle I thought I'd try the positive training again. However last month I reverted back to the way I used to train and I'm seeing better and quicker results as he's more motivated for praise and listens better when I use my stern voice and a bit of correction. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this method of training. You get results and your dog respects you, yet you still have a loving companion. What more would you want? A dog that doesn't listen and walks all over you? No thanks.

[@janamandic5483]

I am a non-Karen Karen. A single woman in my 50s who never had children and now have my first dog. What 'attmpting' to train my dog made em realize is that I was not cut out for raising children. I am too soft. Thank you so much for your videos. I totally agree that all positive does not work. While positive reinforcement is needed, it is only common sense that without consequences the positivity will not work. Like my vet told me, giving a grade of 'A' on a paper that deserves a 'C' teaches you nothing. A grading system only works if you are given appropriate feedback in order to improve.

[@sgordon8123]

I don't like that term "Karen" ... men just chuck it around. As a mother with grown kids I don't rise to the bait though. I just shrug it off as a childish insult. Criticise the behaviour not the person! Mind you it probably does explain a lot!

[@sgordon8123]

Try teacher training! Trouble is the "real" stuff happens when the teacher is alone with a class at the start of the year. I took over classes (maternity cover) in November, two months into the year and was under exam pressure not to "waste time" establishing who was the boss. Until you do this you are wasting all your time! Even the kids came and told me "Miss you really need to shout at the class" ... eventually I meant business. Its within us all. You need to find a mental picture which works for you. For me a turning point was when a young lad cornered my lab tech in a room he wasn't even allowed in and she felt sexually threatened. THEN I was defending HER and had no problem putting him in his place. Maybe you need to find a mental image like that. And awareness of your "weakness" is a great start. Good luck!

[@jaroslavzaruba2765]

@@sgordon8123 "i DoNt liKe tHiS WoRd" 😂

[@jaroslavzaruba2765]

_"I was not cut out for raising children. I am too soft"_ That's why that's a two-person job. And BTW, statistically speaking, single fathers are better for children than single mothers.

[@1Craigsworld]

non Karen- Karen. classic

[@Susweca5569]

I bred pureblood AKC champion line Alaskan Malamutes for years. Have had 5 of them. My current companion is a Siberian husky/timberwolf/Malamute mix. I'm very intuitive in choosing puppies and have had the good fortune of not dealing with these major behavioral problems past the normal first year puppy Knucklehead stage. I'm not a professional trainer, but I look at your videos and realize that my way of purely intuitive training and the way I've treated/interacted with all my dogs over the decades is very similiar. I even talk like you do, (not everyone can handle our logic and bluntness)...and agree 100% (regardless of the breed) with your style of training. You did exactly what needed to be done with that Alaskan Malamute. They are huge, keenly intelligent but independent minded and stubborn, powerful dogs who frequently scoff at the very conceptive of obeying. No responsible person is going to have an aggressive, combative dog like that around them, children or other people and animals when they can't control it. In my personal opinion, a lot of people who have Malamutes and Huskies get them for the romantic notion of having a dog that looks like a wolf are often unsuited to the breed. To have one, you have to be smarter than they are. I'll just leave that right there... Now, are my dogs members of the family? (Pack) Yes! Are they my companions? Yes! Are they my "children?" ABSOLUTELY NOT! I've given birth twice, and it wasn't to puppies. They are canines. They aren't people...and they don't think, rationalize, or respond the same way humans do. A good dog owner and a good dog trainer have to THINK like a dog to get through to them, not anthropomorphize. Also, the way you interweave your dog's help in the teaching process is one of the unique critical and successful aspects of your method of training. Our dogs don't obey or behave the way they do out of subjugation, shock collars, excessive treats, or fear. They do because we are clear in our understanding, expectations and boundries...and they RESPECT us for it.

[@MrDynamart]

This is one the best internet comments I've ever read. ,👍🐶♥️

[@Susweca5569]

​@@MrDynamart Thank you.

[@NoahjDogTraining]

I have a husky mix and have a bit of a niche working with spitz breeds early in my training career when I was in Fairbanks, AK for some time for university and 100% agree with everything in this comment and appreciate the way you said everything. I think people forget sometimes that not every method is going to work the exact same for every breed and for every type of behavior. It’s unfortunate how popular these breeds have become with people that have no understanding of their needs because they’re an amazing breed of dog.

[@leialofgren7976]

Thank you for standing up to these people! I feel like these purely-positive people have completly confused discipline with abuse. Abuse is what creates fear, disciplin creates respect.

[@nathansharples4696]

Wow, I like that

[@ElephantPatronus]

Well said.

[@leemajors300]

LOVE THIS!!!!!

[@Chasenhaws]

I literally just wrote 4 paragraphs trying to say what you just said in 1 sentence. Lol 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@MA-mh1vs]

Exactly!

[@europrosk-9121]

I am a Professional Dog Trainer and International Competitor with over 40 years experience. While the 100% Positive training people may be well meaning, their ideology is driven by the spread of "New Age" style propaganda rather than actual wide scoped, real world training experience. I am a proponent of Balanced Training and stand shoulder to shoulder with you in debunking the fraudulent ideology perpetrated by the "100% Positive Training" crowd. Linda Werlein

[@deelittlejohn3734]

@@jakegillespie6811 I totally agree with you and the other commenter. There is a larger problem here other than training methods. There is the "culture war" going on in our society. It's a constant battle for our minds. Some of the symptoms of this illness include cancel culture attitudes and censorship, a lack of common sense (inability to think critically about a topic), tribalism, a break down of morals, an incredible intolerance for other ideas that are new or different from our own (immaturity), and the complete inability to engage in civil conversation with people we disagree with. In my opinion, convenience, abundance, and the lack of a well defined moral "code" are contributing to these problems, ruining individuals, and tearing the country apart.

[@ChadSpence]

@@deelittlejohn3734 I think you blow it up to be more than it is. People are selling product. Why do you think he focused on the books, conferences, and classes aspect so much? Maybe because there are people pushing their product and that product is engineered to make owners feel good. It's engineered to sell to people who don't have the backbone to stand up to a dog they desperately want to be a family member rather than a domesticated animal. By the way, the culture war talking point is someone selling product as well. If it makes you feel good and people are selling books to explain why your thought process is right, you're likely consuming a product. Same stuff, just a different label.

[@SN00PICUS]

@@ChadSpence I would say he understates the problem. You're right there is a consumer/capitalist/corporate element, but the part that is hurting society as a whole is the mentality these types of "karens" have. Have you learned nothing with the Coof issues? I'm an MSPA, and I literally have to deal with a Government trying to make me violate Informed Consent ( which is assault ), because hypochondriac "karens" rule the media world.

[@earthy205]

I'm so glad you signed your name! With someone with ALL your experience, it should have been easy to find all your accomplishments on the internet. I mean 40 years, wow you must be the best. Funny though, I can't find who you are? And you didn't sign your name with CDT- So I'm a little confused. Are your merits based on nothing or real education? And don't say experience because experience isn't learning, it's being stuck in your way and too old to change.

[@turtleinashirt]

@@earthy205 you know, you sound like a real jerk. I did a search and found lots of info on Mrs Werlein. Maybe you’re just not good at this. Euro Pro’s K-9 Center. Linda Werlein, innovator of “the Werlein Way.” Member of the IACP (International Association of Canine Professionals). She was educated in canine training in Germany. She’s also a member of the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA), National Director of Service Dog Association, Training Director of Sarasota Bay Hundesport Club and Member of the Dobermann Vereign and was owner of a state licensed K-9 Security Agency specializing in Commercial K-9 Security. Maybe if you weren’t so special you could have found that information for yourself before you got sarcastic, snippy and started passing judgement on someone who obviously has not only more experience than you, but more qualifications as well?

[@shardfilterbox]

"Cesar Millan broke them" 🤣That's spot on. The Malamute video was amazing, I can't imagine people having problems with that one. I've helped many dogs of family and friends just with basic principles I've picked up from Cesar like energy, where your attention is, what you communicate through the leash, and the importance of the pack walk. I don't know how people could disagree with a guy that has a ranch with many species of dogs, donkeys, ponies, llamas, sheeps, ducks, and parrots that all pack walk together?? Now I have two Rotties of my own, picked up some leash walking tips from another video of yours that helped me dial them in (I call it brake checking 😀), and once I saw the Malamute video I was like "ok, this guy gets it.", and I've been watching all your videos starting with the ones that my dogs have the most immediate issues with. I take my responsibility as owner of two beasts seriously, and it shows when I take them to my kids soccer game and they're the best behaved ones there. People who ignore this kind of dog advice always seem to have dogs they think can't do any harm...

[@deboramathias3879]

I ❤ CEASAR!

[@krimzonghost1987]

"When I started this business, I read books. Now I train dogs." Best ending line.

[@Glitter_Me_Happy]

TOTALLY!!!!! What he said!!! I’ve raised 4 beautiful, healthy, well rounded, socially mature gorgeous children, and I know for a fact that pure positive reinforcement does NOT work for every situation ,nor for ALL children! Dogs are no different. I have a very well behaved puppy due to a combination of positive and not positive reinforcement training. If I did all positive, he’d literally try to run the show! Enough said!!!!

[@ivanriverooo]

Big respect and love to you and your four pups. Lol. No seriously.

[@fernando00soccer]

Amen I have zero children, but tons of nephews and am very good at observing have learn the do’s and donts and picked up when their children start to play them. One thinks “oh children don’t know” they learn very quick just like dogs. And they will try to push your boundaries and see how much they can get away with every time. Am a proud owner of 2 beautiful and getting there on the well behaved parts since they are still actually pups so I give them a bit of slack on behavior. But they are coming around nicely and stand behind the not all positive reinforcement. 👍

[@khadijahdavis1572]

Absolutely, rules, boundaries, and limitations goes for both man and beast

[@earthy205]

If you, a mother, comparing your children to your dogs you've strayed so far from your motherly duties. "My kids should be treated like my dogs?" That's worse than dominance theory!

[@khadijahdavis1572]

@@earthy205 why would anyone treat their kids as they would they're dogs🤣

[@siosinsin7305]

I love that you address these people instead of ignoring it.

[@mileshamilton]

If the real trainers stay silent, we’ll end up like Sweden where everything is banned including crates. Totally insane

[@Nomorezoa]

@@mileshamilton do you live in Sweden or do you read these facts in books? Cuz the "fact" about crates is not True. "everything"? Do you mean Guns at your local store? Or Cuz a black gay person can do so much more here than a country where you need rich parents to get a shitty edjucation?

[@ethanm2376]

@@mileshamilton are crates really banned in Sweden ??? how are you supposed to leave a puppy alone for an hour and make sure they’re safe

[@StratMatt777]

@@mileshamilton The exact same thing is true of outrage culture and cancel culture. That is what is SO GREAT about this video! Not only is Joel calling out the superior judgmental positive trainers WITH THEIR REAL NAME and holding them accountable, but his willingness to call them out as "childless Karens who have never raised a child" is also totally triggering and smacking down the outrage culture idiots. If we do not publicly verbally strike back at these idiots they will TAKE OVER THE WORLD. And then free speech will be a memory. I knew that Joel was an extremely likable EXPERT dog trainer, but now I totally LOVE HIM! ... for the outrage culture people, let me end that comment with "no homo"- just to piss them off!

[@Kentuz92]

@@Nomorezoa Literally says on the Swedish Kennel Club's website that dog crates are banned unless you permanently remove the door from the crate. You start talking about gay black people when people are discussing dogs... Yikes. Get your facts straight.

[@nonopolo9569]

Brandon mcmillan is the most gentle, thorough and effective dog i've ever encountered. My friend and i love the dog show and never miss it. So many times we've shed a tear of happiness just seeing a dog's life changed forever when proper training is applied and they go on to live their lives the way they should. I have brandon's book kzbin.infoUgkxK8-VQWpYThx4IC6MiIvb6VS1ebTzzdxq in two formats. Not only the paperback version but also the kindle version to refer to when i don't have the paperback along with me. I have used his methods with my cavalier kc spaniel and turned a non-disciplined furbaby into a companion who has traveled thousands of miles with us across the country. He is a near perfect dog thanks to brandon's methods. I don't get one cent of kickback for recommending brandon but i do it because i love dogs. They deserve to be given a chance. Brandon's mission in life - to rescue dogs and place them in a forever, happy home - is very dear to my heart. I recommend his methods to anyone who has a dog - young or old. I've seen him take even old dogs and teach them. Brandon was an animal trainer before his current mission. His parents were animal trainers. His methods are the best i've ever found. Your furbaby will thank you for spending the money on this book. Don't hesitate - it is worth every cent.

[@rawrpancake]

I've recently come across your channel and I honestly find it the most reliable one when it comes to dog training. Honestly, for me you are actually using positive reinforcement - plenty of praising, positive attitude toward the dog, putting the dog on the track toward success. Also, Prince and other dogs as assistants - you can be the best dog trainer in the world, but you will never replace the other dog to show what is acceptable and what is not. Showing the dog that you are the boss is actually the best thing that can happen to both you and the dog - because dog will listen to you, will be much more happy due to guidance. Being a boss doesn't mean hurting a dog, it's all about being a reliable point in your dog's life.

[@Jim-wr9iz]

I love your comment.

[@bboyd2034]

Joel... I've been around dogs my entire life of seventy four years.... You are the BEST trainer I've ever seen/heard! I've learned so much! Thank you and Blessings to you and your family❤️!

[@TheKiwibirder]

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this. I trained dogs for 15 years, under a wonderful trainer who incorporated both positive reinforcement and more traditional methods, much like you. She is AMAZING. I was taken in, at first, by the “purely positive” training theory, but IT DOESN’T WORK in the real world with highly reactive and/or aggressive dogs, nor with certain ingrained behaviors, even some that are just plain annoying rather than dangerous. Or it could work…if the dog would live to 100 and you had 50 years to fix it…lol. Some of these people actually think that the word “no” or a 2-second hard stare is going to “break” a “dog’s spirit” and damage them irreparably. They have obviously never paid much heed to how dog’s correct each other and then go on as friends as if nothing ever happened. You are breath of fresh air, and these folks are DELUSIONAL.

[@punisher0717]

This guy is the best. No nonsense, very simple on the surface but extremely effective. Not mean at all. From what I’ve seen the dogs do not get hurt, he’s very aware of things like the dog overheating or being over stimulated. Corrections aren’t done out of anger… I’m about to get a Swiss shepard pup and will be using his techniques immediately.

[@jesperlett]

Hi Joel! Greetings from Denmark. About 1.5 years ago, I got an 8 week old English Field Trial Springer Spaniel. I had no experience as a dog owner. In my eager to learn, I stumbled upon your channel and have tried to apply what you are teaching. Ever since he was 6 months old, I've have been able to walk with him without a leash all around the city of Copenhagen with all its buzzling pedestrian, bicycle and car traffic. He knows to not cross any curb without my permission. Now I can ride my bike with him keeping on the sidewalk, while I'm on the bike path or the road. Even if there are parked cars between me on the road and him on the sidewalk and quite some distance, he constantly keeps an eye on me, and stops at every crossing. This sparkes a lot of smiles from people impressed with his intelligent and good behaviour. Often other dog owners ask me how I managed to get such a sweet and disciplined dog. I tell them that I reward good behaviour and correct behaviour that I don't want. I specifically tell them about the go-get method and refer to your channel.

[@batmanbear]

My foundation was Cesar and teaching children's martial arts classes, strangely enough. But nothing educated me more than being at a busy dog park almost every day for 6 years with my dog as he grew from 9 months to 6+ years old. Nothing beats experience. I became the one who dealt with large dogs & multi-dog fights (not involving my dog). I could stop fights with my voice & body language, putting aside proper physical interaction. Nothing beats experience with hundreds of dogs over thousands and thousands of hours. I learned that most people lack leadership skills & projected incorrect emotions onto their dogs and harnesses were the root of most problems. Treats don't stop 2 or more 100 pound dogs from fighting when their minds are red-lined... being the boss with a bigger bark and no fear to correct any dog was required.

[@melodieramsay655]

100%

[@MrWave58]

So it is! This insane society has lost the roots in Nature.

[@abrb1989]

I try to tell people all the time, it's the way you handle yourself, project yourself, speak, and carry and show yourself that makes the biggest difference. And of course the ability and willingness to back up the attitude is the catalyst. Even before I learned motivation-based training, my home and "pack" was relatively peaceful and well behaved because there was no other option given. I fully believe in the power of reward based training, but no amount of waving treats around is gonna stop two dogs ready to throw down. It's very likely that only an assertive and capable person with no fear is gonna be able to prevent that or break it up if it happens. As for Cesar? Well. I actually think Cesar is toxic, and glorifies and teaches dangerous, straight up incorrect methodology. But I also think (know*) the pure-positive community is equally as incorrect and also inhumane.

[@abbytheredwolf174]

Ok so Idk if you will reply but I have a dog that was attacked by another when he was 10 months and I was holding him and couldn’t do anything and my dad broke it up but anyways when I walk my dog he reacts to other dogs walking across the street even so of going on to the street and he can’t have a dog walk passed him anymore sense the attack but he walks different with my mother when she does walk him I’m 17 and can’t afford a trainer right now and I don’t know how to help him and myself grow past it any advice or something to look in to

[@batmanbear]

@@abbytheredwolf174 I dealt with dominant & untrained dogs who would bully others or act out because they thought they're in charge. Even though the outward behavior can appear the same (barking, lunging, fighting, etc) the mental state is different between a dog that thinks it's the boss vs a dog who is fearful or traumatized. Have you worked on basic obedience with the dog (heel, sit, stay, down, recall/come)? What tools are you using (leash, harness, slip lead)? That kind of body & spoken language are you projecting? Are you feeling sorry for the dog and trying to reassure with soft voice & petting (which reinforces the fear) or are you projecting confidence by not reacting in fear or stress to situations that occur? There are several videos from Beckman dealing with fear many discussing basic obedience & proper tools. You could call him or write an email, even if you're unable to afford a training session. I also find that "Upstate Canine Academy" on YT has good information.

[@robertlevesque45]

Bravo! I've been handling "challenging" Dobermans for 30 years and you are so right. Those who disagree never had a Doberman clamped to his/her leg. Asking nicely to let go doesn't work. Your videos and techniques are enlightening, thank you.

[@doug2555]

EXACTLY. My family has a doberman and she has some behavioral issues that I feel like I'm tackling completely on my own even though I'm the youngest in the house. She will be barking like a maniac and I'll try to correct her, but she runs to my sister who is more soft and doesn't give consequences. I will literally hear the dog in her room being loud and obnoxious and then my sister will try to baby-talk her only to get barked over yet she still tries this stupid baby talk that obviously doesn't do shit.

[@1988lucyangel]

When my previous dog was leaving massive marks and scars on my legs the positive only trainer I was using at the time told us that we should stand there and do nothing. Don’t react at all. Wear long boots in the house until the dog grows out of it and just put up with the dog sinking it’s teeth into our ankles because the poor thing is learning bite inhibition. Utterly ridiculous 😂

[@LionAndALamb]

"I"ll give you a cookie if you'll stop crushing my femur! Who's a good boy?" 🤣

[@guycalabrese4040]

All stories about Dobermanns biting familymembers etc comes from one thing - the american lazy culture were you never work with your dog - and dobies are a workingbreed - and just keep the dog in the backyard and occasionally going to the dogpark isn't enough. I've seen soooo many of Cesar Millans shows, and it's always the same thing. Lack of proper training and no exercise and mental training. You need to walk the dog five times a day, work them with tracking etc.

[@rileysmall4317]

Caesar believes that though.

[@robertsaville]

We tried for months with the purely positive methods to resolve reactivity issues with our lurcher. After two hours with a balanced trainer (who used very similar methods to you) and the results were amazing. Our dogs reactivity made leaps and bounds immediately. She didn't get afraid of me, wasn't nervous or anything else....she just knew in a much clearer way what was expected of her and what was right and wrong.

[@anna9072]

The real elephant the room with the “pure positive” cadre, the thing that they really can’t and won’t address, is that if your strategy is “do what I ask and I’ll give you a treat”, you are always at risk of being out-bid, there is ALWAYS something out there that is a higher priority that what you have on offer. I read a positive reinforcement training book that purported to address this with a system of variable levels of treats, so that the dog was never sure exactly what they were going to get, but she (yes, white and female but I can’t speak to her marital status) lost me when she admitted that she could not let her dog off-lead in an open setting because he couldn’t be relied on to come in the event of a major distraction such as a kid on a bike. I’m sorry, I don’t care how well your dog performs in an arena, I don’t care how many obedience and agility titles he holds, if he can’t be trusted in public he is NOT a fully trained dog. S**t happens. You could drop the lead. Someone could leave your gate open. I want to know that when I say “come”, my dog will come. I’m not there yet, but your channel is, I hope, going to help me get there.

[@craigrison007]

No shit dude. It's called competing stimuli. You fade in more and more competiting stimuli. When I first got my dog I did a reinforcer preference assessment and found that nothing really competed with outside because he never smelled so much. But I know ABA and know interventions to make him work for access to the stimuli. You just with hold reinforcement until compliance. The learner learns that they cannot escape demands. From 12 weeks to now 8 months he's the most loved and well behaved dog in the compound and is the only one that plays with reactive dogs because he knows exactly what I want him to do. I reinforced a field line dog to work using positive reinforcement/extinction 95%. He has one reprimand "no" from when I was on two crutches and he started to try to lick a glass bottle I just walked over. The no is always chained to positive reinforcement for compliance. I am a black male, from the inner city, raised around violence and love guns. I am also a master behavior analyst and worked with autistic children before my injury at work. I started off thinking I was big bad and used positive reinforcement only but was harsher. I learned real quick that aggressive escalates when you try to "get tough." You change personality and there's so many unwanted side effects to punishers that it's not worth it,(unless you have exhausted all reinforcement contingencies). Those that use punishment and advocate for it usually want a 1 day quick fix. Some of my puppy's behavior has taken months to get where we're at because I have to wait until he mature and naturally chooses to attend. He's gotten to the point where he wants to work the entire walk. Never punished, unless he's about to eat glass or near a 6ft drop he doesn't see. You should be reading BF Skinner "about behaviorism" or ivar Lovass paper on the effects of shock as a punisher for cigarette smoking. When the punisher is no longer in place the behavior is more likely to return or not change very positively reinforced to natural reinforcement being long term. I see people now reprimanding their dog and all I think is that you are going to be doing that for the rest of your life. I want my dog to know what to do in every single moment with me so I never have to say a word.

[@nicbongo]

She was using a concept called reinforcer variation, and is used with the matching law. The idea is to pair the best reinforces with the most desirable behaviour to be taught (usually the most difficult for the dog, due to a competing contingency). It's sound behaviour science. But it's surface deep. What she fails to observe is that the environment offers higher value reinforcers than what she, it and can. It's impossible to out compete the environment with is almost infinite stimuli. Satiation/deprivation hypothesis explains why restricted access to reinforcers increase their value. Even you consider that and the fact that most pets are not exercised enough, it's no wonder people struggle with them.

[@nicbongo]

@craig Ferguson Nobody who is licensed in ABA , referres to themselves as a "master". At least no one reputable. To illustrate. Punishment contingencies exist for a reason. That's why life evolved with respondent behaviour, it keeps us safe. Shivering when cold, disgust reflex. Operant behaviour too. The concept of prison, or speeding fines is based on negative punishment for instance. Ergo, it's natural for any organism to experience punishment contingencies. You yourself just explained how you consistently used an escape extinction contingency to ensure compliance with your dog, and that it was successful. Congrats. What you ironically fail to observe, is that EE is a negative punishment procedure. You then continue belittling others for using other punishment strategies? You also fail to mention spontaneous recovery, behavioural contrast, the importance of DRA when using extinction, or how rule governed behaviour comes into it. For a self alleged "master", your either deeply ignorant of ABA or hypocritical. I'd argue both.

[@woofpuppy]

@@craigrison007 You're over looking reality. I put ecollars on my dogs so I could take them off leash at the beach. I also use it to break up their very loud "play" fighting when it goes too far at the beach. The only other time i've used it is to stop leash pulling while walking to the beach. They already knew "get back" meaning move closer to me but I found myself ALWAYS saying it, literally every 10 seconds. I NEVER did leash pops, they wear martingale collars most of the time if they aren't harnessed. The ecollar corrected the leash pulling in a day with only a few corrections and the behavior did not return in any way comparable to how it was before. There is no way I am the only person this has worked for and it worked on three littermate 6 month olds who can easily be distracted by a leaf. The ecollar studies and papers say that positive reinforcement is likely a better training tool. This is concluded after the two groups were "taught" commands. Yes, teaching a dog to sit is best done with positive reinforcement, not punishment, and it doesn't take a bunch of PhDs to figure that out. But the behaviorist papers study this type of crap in their experiments and always conclude that positive reinforcement is better when in reality most people use ecollars like I do, for recalls. Don't take their word for it but read their papers. They are literally teaching commands to dogs with ecollars and saying "see, it doesn't work that well." Well no shit it doesn't work well for teaching new behaviors. Then they will say the positive reinforcement recall is better, but you continue to read the paper and what do you know-there is NO COMPETING STIMULI. Like, okay, in a sterile environment the dog with only positive reinforcement training has a better recall than the dog with the ecollar. Again, no shit. Do these behaviorists dare take the dogs outside in a new environment with lots of competing stimuli like other dogs in oestrus or multiple sources of food? If you guessed NO then you would be correct. I live in an apartment. My dogs don't like the dog park, they feel the need to protect me the whole time instead of playing with other dogs. I cannot wait until they have been trained for two years and have a perfect recall so they can get exercise off leash. I cannot withhold the reinforcement of running outside until I get compliance as you suggest. The ecollar is a godsend for their safety and health as well as my peace of mind.

[@anneh1890]

I always enjoyed Cesar (and his theory + especially how he edited his approach to what he saw in each particular dog). I saw all this backlash and thought I must have missed something or was blinded, but now I realize thats a waste of my energy. Happy to see some critisism, but he like you doesnt deserve to be attacked like that. The most memorable episode of Cesar for me is when he laughed at himself bc he used two leashes on a dog: one on the neck and the other on the tail (bc tail very low is fear, and he somehow figured that by keeping the tail a little higher, it boosted the dogs confidence a little). That is understanding a dog! Didnt see him do it to another dog, it was just so cool to see him think about what the dogs core issue was. And where it's often too much confidence, in this dog it was a lack of. And I think you hear him laugh at himself in that episode like: 'okay I think this is the dogs issue, it is going to look ridiculous but I think it works'. And ofc it did do what he hoped it did. But if it didnt he would try something else, catered to the dog. Loved it so much!!

[@KathgoKat]

I remember that episode!! .How simply elevating the dogs tail helped him gain confidence, even tho he didn't actually lift it himself !! Cesar is a self taught Canine Behaviorist Extraordinaire..he didn't need books or degrees to learn how dogs think...I dont believe Cesar has ever called himself a trainer .

[@patriciaribaric3409]

Wasn't that a Weimaraner he did that to?

[@veraopdebeek9183]

​@@patriciaribaric3409I think it was a Visla.

[@m.s7425]

For positive reinforcement people they're incredibly negative and nasty. As a psychology counselor turned teacher. They don't understand operant conditioning. Discipline doesn't stop my daughter, students or dog from loving me. It prepares them for the future.

[@pianopunk8257]

I’m also psychologist- what does does behavioural science say about punishment?

[@volancydogs]

@@pianopunk8257 Punish a behaviour and it will be less likely to occur in the future.

[@darken3150]

@@volancydogs haha and they never responded...

[@NoThankUBeQuiet]

@@volancydogs And what's the best way to get the behaviors you do want. Personally I don't care about making behavior go away. I want more of the good behavior

[@volancydogs]

@@NoThankUBeQuiet Obviously you reinforce the behaviours you do want. But it's impossible for there to NEVER be a situation where a dog, human, or any other animal needs to stop a behaviour.

[@DubHop24]

Ive encountered purely positive and I just haven't seen it being effective in scenarios where it's not an already well behaved dog. From what I've seen of your philosophy, I'm backing you 100%. My mother was raising and training German shepherds for 20+ years and everything I've learned from that matches up pretty well with what you're teaching. My mother's "Prince" was named Roman and they taught so many great dogs in our area, complete with testimonials. She was teaching dogs to do police work, search and rescue (with results), and more and she thinks you're great too!

[@bbypink9844]

Single… white… childless woman…. LOL what a roast!!! I can definitely see the truth in this… I’m a single, young black woman, and I definitely see my dogs as my babies… BUT that means I’m the boss!!! 😅 Love your videos so much!!!

[@sgordon8123]

HEY! Not all white women are the same. Skin colour is irrelevant. Maybe lots are but let's not talk about race!! I am a lifelong anti-racist. If I see or hear racism I act. If I see a cop seemingly being a bit harsh to a black kid I stay and stare ready to intervene. Etc

[@border304]

She didn't say they were. But Joel is profiling a specific subset in the video. And part of that profile is white women. And of course we should be able to discuss race. Discussing race isn't racist, get a grip. Skin colour is irrelevant doesn't even mean anything.

[@i4nc4]

@@sgordon8123lifelong anti racist lmao 🤦‍♂️

[@dougmerrick9064]

​@@sgordon8123over 40 single white women may not all be the same but theres definitely a type. They never had kids so they try to infantilize everything. Imagine actually thinking a grown black man needs a white woman to handle the police for him. Case and point. They have a chip on their shoulder to prove they don't need a man and are happy alone, despite the rampant anti depressant use. If they clap at you while they talk they have the karen syndrome.

[@dogzentraining]

Good on you 😊 a big part of love is DISCIPLINE. Discipline is not cruel. It prevents aggression and disrespectful behaviour. It allows you to actually be soft and loving with them 90% of the time because they know the boundaries and they understand what kind of consequences to expect!

[@KingsMom831]

I still think the husky video is SUPER mild, compared to many other trainers & their methods. After seeing almost ALL of Joel’s videos, I can honestly say, he always tries to give dogs just the right amount assertion, correction & praise. This ability, comes from years (at the least) of practice & experience.

[@athomehoustonbordercollier2035]

Which video?

[@KingsMom831]

@@athomehoustonbordercollier2035 I don’t remember the title, but it’s the one Joel’s talking about here. There’s a husky that kind of tests/challenges him & the two of them kind of have to work out who is going to be the leader. If I can find it I will share the link here later

[@asp1213]

@@athomehoustonbordercollier2035 kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5e6n3mMiL-aisk

[@driftergarage4898]

If I had to sum up this guy’s methods in two words it would be “purely fantastic”. I’ve probably watched 20 of his vids in the last two months and used his methods with my 16 month old Doberman and the results have been beyond my expectations. They literally all work and with most of them the results are practically instantaneous. Not only has it helped me understand my dog better but it’s made him even happier as he now can meet almost any dog or person under a variety of circumstances without any problem, and that’s saying a lot as we live in a large city with a somewhat challenging environment. Anyone saying that these methods don’t work has simply not tried them, and anyone saying that they’re inhumane in any way, well I just don’t understand them, nor do I want to. Thank you Mr. Beckman for all of your hard work and for putting so much useful info for free on a public forum that can be easily accessed at any time. I’ve watched some other KZbin trainer’s videos and while some are good yours are the best by far…

[@BDTraining]

Thank you!

[@lulumoon6942]

So happy to hear you're training your Dobie soundly early on, then enjoy them for life! ❤️🐾❤️💞

[@willy_lime]

I'm literally in the same position, except my corgi/border collie is 12 years old. She is not formally trained but listens well and is a very social and friendly creature. I recently applied the same lead corrections when walking her because she has always responded well to responsibility (both breeds of her mix are herders). She knows hand gestures, commands, even different sounds and whistles that I have employed with her. I even did all this using different phrases/sounds so as to not have her confused with other pet owners at the park, or even for me to confuse another pet. But, that being said, I wanted to teach her how to anticipate MY movements and not just respond, and that's what Beckman's non verbal leash work has taught me (My Abby also is off the leash trained hence the desire for her to watch me). She has played and worked with dogs smaller and bigger than herself, and seriously corrections especially from other canines and dominance is the best actual POSITIVE reinforcement a pet can have. People think it is negative, it is not. It's quite simply a dog using their own tools to TEACH, which 99.9999999% of all dogs love because just about every dog loves mental stimulation and canine lessons are exactly that, as Prince has countlessly shown time and time again. Sorry for the huge wall on this comment, but after 3 weeks of binge watching these episodes and never saying anything I came out of my shell :)

[@debbieday6885]

Anyone who says these methods are inhumane does not understand dogs. Personification is a huge problem. I was a vet tech for 12 years. It was exclusively my job to spend 45 min with each new puppy owner about dog behavior in the dog world how it's incredibly important to treat your new addition as a dog and part of a pack and not as a child because they are not children their dogs. We talked about eating first as a family then feeding the dog because the leader of the pack eats first. We talked about not letting the dog go out the door first or walk in front of you on walks. Things like that. One family came in with a rescue that was 5 months old. It was a large mixed breed. It was completely obnoxious. I understand why the other family surrendered it. (It was their fault for not training him though). This dog was jumping on me and nipping at me. We went through the mild correction options in the beginning. Nothing phased him. After 10 minutes, I was "over it". In front of the owners, I pinned the dog on his side and kept him there until he stopped struggling. When I let him up, he was a different dog. He sat down and looked at me. The owners were speechless. I told them it's crucial for them to learn dog language and the must be the alpha.

[@MadMax-qb4lk]

Your dominance training is what helped my dog stop jumping all over me and trying to pull my leash all over the place. Now that he knows that I’m the one in charge he is much more calm and also will finally start walking beside me without pulling and jumping

[@erinnorwood6124]

Title of the video? 😉

[@nancymesek]

I run a small doggie daycare and your tips have been extremely helpful. My clients are very happy when they go on holiday and come back to a well balance dog.

[@loribiltoft1835]

All I know is that I’ve been training my now 13 month old male pitty mix with certified purely positive method trainers since he was a few months old. I have spent more money and time on this strong willed boy than any dog I’ve ever owned, with minimal results. I think he sees me as a rolling treat dispenser, not his leader. This was my first time using this training method. And I’m over it. I was never cruel to any of the dogs in my life, but I was as firm as I needed to be. And all my dogs learned quickly and were great family dogs. I think the pp can work on very soft tempered dogs, not so much on powerful, independent minded and strong willed breeds/breed mixes like mine. Time to change and I’m glad I found this channel.

[@anneckman5828]

I love your "rolling treat dispenser" analogy. That's what I've become after my $325 session with a positive reinforcement trainer. I tried. I really did, but this is my 4th rescue and the only one who won't "listen" to me. A Lhasa apso mix who is for the most part friendly; loves all humans and most dogs away from home (!) Is fine at the dog park but can be very territorial and aggressive at times. I was told to avoid and walk away. This is not practical advice. I need a better solution for my boy. He deserves it!

[@58Galtha]

Beckman demonstrates that his type of training for certain dogs and situations is effective but not cruel. It's important to keep the difference in mind no matter which type of training.

[@janetknight6317]

Question - at what point would you firmly and assertively correct your child that is playing in the street? I would rather have my child not in the street and respect me than dead or injured and thing life is butterflies, flowers and soft beds!

[@The-Dom]

I have a husky that learned "no", and when i meant business. I didnt need treats, she learned almost purely form correction, and i could teach her anything, she's very well behaved and loves me endlessly. I have a Rottweiler who's feelings get hurt whenever I correct and she cant seem to understand why i'm being "mean". I had to completely change my methods and coerce her with positivity and it works amazingly, she's a very good girl, the sweetest love bug ever. It totally depends on the nature of the dog. Both tools are necessary.

[@vojtal182]

@@The-Dom yes, this is also very important to understand. Every dog is different. Some might treat gnarling as a punishment already, some need much harsher treatment to understand what is going on.

[@bitsandspurz048]

Love this, Joel Beckman. I am not a dog trainer. However, I have had dogs for 70 years, and have never had an out-of-control dog. Dogs & kids crave boundaries. If they don't have boundaries, they can be insecure, disoriented & display other negative behaviors. Every dog I have owned wants to please me. I have boundaries and work within expectations but I praise every good response, every good behavior. Two special dogs never had to be on leash in their entire lives, & they were always instantly responsive to my commands. Always, without exception. I really gain a lot from your podcasts because my interaction with my dog improves for the longterm. Thank you.

[@reneeringstad5326]

I loved this video. It says a lot about our society as well as dog training. Way to tell it like it really is!

[@denisemaxwell51]

I agree!

[@Genesizs]

lol yes these hippie's that are living in our world think we can live in a utopia were we can all love and be kind to one another and animals around us birds on our heads squirls and dogs and cats and horses around us and never can ever happen we all feed eachother give treats smile all the time and never anything can go wrong as long you love, their delusional xD

[@laureldennis1727]

We have always had Dobermans. When I met my husband he had a very dominant male who did what ever he wanted. I took him to training class and that training helped me so much. She told to me do exactly what you are doing. Fast forward and we purchased a few Dobs overs the years from a show breeder and she always told me to let the older dogs correct the younger ones. She was so right. I have never stood in the way of their pack mentality and have always had great Dobermans.

[@leopardstar6004]

I am a trainer just like you Joel. I started with an online class and I was like ok this is good. Then I started working with dogs and realized what I was taught was crap. You can't treat an aggressive dog to make it better. It's amazing. Being a balanced trainer is hard because everyone has something you do they don't like. I do use prongs here and there which is my difference from you but I was taught hiw to use them and it takes a little less strength to use a prong to correct a huge dog. But I do start dogs on a slip lead or a gentle leader first! Love your program and thanks for standing up to those Karen's! Good trainers stick together

[@anniebananie416]

And Kevins!

[@leopardstar6004]

@@anniebananie416 Totally

[@alexandriag6606]

Same here! 100% agree

[@leopardstar6004]

@@plaitup1465 Thank you yes I love my job. No dog is the same. It keeps things interesting and let's me build my training toolbox more and more. Hello from everyone at Paws from Heaven (my business name) :)

[@jeanberry5333]

Same, for the most part I use a gentle leader but I occasionally use the prong on my very strong Anatolian cross. He's selectively reactive to some dogs (usually bold or dominant staring types) and has high prey drive as well as jumping on people coming in our home. The prong is the only thing that snaps him out of his intense focus. He's broken several clips and slipped out of collars and a harness fighting us to get to what he wants. So I have everything double latched with carbiners just in case. My other large dog I would never use a prong on him because it intensified his aggression, I only used the gentle leader on him. Different dogs different methods. When my problem pup knows he has to respect me he calmed down 75% in every aspect of his behaviors. I always add markers and rewards to let him know what behavior is the right one.

[@dylanreevesx6073]

This is why I love your channel. You’re blunt and straight to the point. While positive reinforcement is great and if you can train your dog with only positive reinforcement then great! Not every dog is like that. Corrections are 100% needed in a lot of cases. Not like you’re beating the animal but things like the head snaps with gentle leads and things of that nature are great. I wish every dog could be trained as easily as giving treats, treats and more treats but that’s just not how it works. Keep up the great work man, I love your videos and channel all together.

[@NoThankUBeQuiet]

They can be. The issue is it takes a lot of work and sometimes you have to change emotions which takes as long to fix as it did to get to the state it's inm

[@savannahlee5639]

ive been trying to train my gsd for the last 4 months, the first 2 months ive tried pure positivity and he acted like i wasnt important unless i had a treat plus he ended up with a few bad habits bc of it. since i started corrected discipline and added more dominance and his ENTIRE mindset changed hes a better pup all around a lot more happier too i tried the pure positive approach i watched a LOT of educated things w it too bc i thought i was doing it wrong. Turns out he just needed a bit more dominance for guidance in his life. positive REINFORCEMENT is where its at

[@peterbaker4641]

I only wish we had someone like you in the UK. Your training methods are an absolute wonder to watch, the way you and Prince work together and individually letting him do what's natural. I would take anyone with years of experience over someone with a book full of qualifications, you can't beat hands on experience. Keep doing what you do and screw the Karen's they're only jealous

[@hungarianchick100]

Hey Peter Baker, there are a few people like him in the UK 😊 obsidian K9 Academy definitely one of the best 😊

[@ukgirl6586]

Totally agree with everything you said apart from your last sentence. Dick

[@Philipruss]

“When I started the business, I read books, now I train dogs” 😆 I love your quotes. In all honesty, I find you to be a very balanced trainer who genuinely cares for the dogs entrusted to you. I see no harm here.

[@IridiumZero]

What I'm most concerned about is the ones that AREN'T childless... Because people are doing exactly the same thing with kids.

[@reesemorgan2259]

Whilst I understand that being told you're mean to dogs must be endlessly annoying, the "childless" thing is a bitter-sounding dig. It's also a huge misconception. Women are usually "child-free" - it's a choice they've made. Some of them simply choose dogs. I'm one of them.

[@Andrei5191]

@@reesemorgan2259 That last sentence was not needed, we could all tell.

[@whoahorseywhoa4685]

@@Andrei5191 that was low and catty - Meow ! did you choose cats ?

[@williamdavis9562]

The ones with husband and kids aren't as insane.

[@Spr1ggan87]

@@reesemorgan2259 Why would he be bitter? He's had a great career, has a family, and a successful business. The Karen meme exists for a reason.

[@kjab87]

Love your boldness and willingness to discredit dog wokeness. Discipline has been lost with dogs and people. Life experience is way more valuable than reading and studying, coming from a graduate level tx. Hopefully they’ll be brave enough to invite you, doubtful though. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and humor!

[@GlitchBomb]

We really need a Karens Whisperer. They create more problems daily than any untrained dog ever.

[@katydidd6321]

Well, the first thing you have to do is have calm assertive energy. No look, no touch, no eye contact. The best way to deal with an aggressive Karen is to meet dominance with dominance: if she's low dominance, then you're medium dominance; if she's high dominance, then you're even higher dominance. Never back down or roll over for her. Reward submissive behavior, and correct dominant behavior - remember, Karens correct each other all the time (usually through sh!t-talking and catty comments, but that kind of behavior is beneath the Karen Whisperer). *You're over it.* Be the pack leader. All right, I'm done, lol. This comment will get deleted if I go on.

[@swansonz3534]

I read an article from a guy who certifies police/military dogs "Now back to these all-positive trainers. They have blinders on and they just don’t get it. They don’t understand that dog sport competitors who train with all positive methods need a very specific type of dog - they need dog’s that are compliant and have a very strong food or toy drive. These same trainers could be given 10,000 pet dogs and they would be lucky to be able to train and compete at a high level with one of those dogs using all-positive methods in their respective dog sports much less be able to train that dog to be consistently compliant in off leash obedience. Not one all-positive trainer could ever have trained and certified one of the police service dogs that I handled in the 10 years I was a K9 officer."

[@c.cooper9549]

You nailed this! Cesar did break them and so are you! There will always be the academics out there vs. the real world experience. I worked as a volunteer dog walker for a large rescue for a long time and I can tell you that you can read all the books you wish, but real world experience is your teacher. Love your videos.

[@denisemaxwell51]

I'm a woman with with 3 dogs in the home, My daughter told me about you. You are absolutely right. I now follow you and I love your work.

[@lanamills79]

You are saving dogs that would have been put to sleep without your help. I love your videos and you have inspired me to become a trainer. Thanks for all your hard work.

[@LC05]

I disagree with one point that you made and that is that these positive-only trainers are all females. I met a male trainer one day, he is a friend of a friend and I ran into he and our mutual friend at the bar one day years ago. We were chit chatting over beers and my friend mentioned my dog. My friend turned to the trainer friend and said, "you should meet her shepherd, so we'll behaved." This got us talking about dogs and then trainer dude started talking about his work and whatnot. During the conversation, the fact that my dog knows "no" means that she did something I don't want her to do and she needs to immediately stop doing whatever it is she is doing came up. This guys face just went cold and he asked how I managed to teach her that. I told him through corrections. You would have thought that I told him I used a whip. He went off about how corrections are abuse and I should have my dog taken away. Needless to say, that was the first and last time I had drinks with that guy. So long story short, there as males who believe this ish too.

[@rafaelah3521]

Wow. Sounds like that dude has lost touch with reality 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@shadowscott9910]

So, its better for a dog to be put down for aggression? Or is there no such thing as aggression in dogs? Any all or nothing approach is either someone trying to sell you snake oil or an ideology.

[@SN00PICUS]

"Karens" do normally have simp orbiters who mimic them...

[@CarolynHarrison]

Yes and I know a married with grown kids "trainer" that walks around with food strapped to her belt 24/7 and is one of these positive reinforcement types. Not all are single and childless.

[@grandbull7489]

@@CarolynHarrison and there are lots of adults who can't say no to their own children and the kids rule the house. The same bad ideas infected parenting too. But I'm not surprised that dog moms make up the vast majority of the PP folks.

[@LuvDIY911]

I match your "Karen" description, but it made me laugh and I take no offense. I am a fan of Milan. If I had children I would probably raise them Cesar Milan style with rules, boundaries and limitations, exercise, discipline and affection. I am in agreement with the way you and he approach dog training. Thank you for your videos and training tips. May you have continued success. :-)

[@gctexaspt]

Wait until your 18 year old boy tells you he will “put you down old man, I will take you out.” He’s trying to assert his dominance in the home. I had no choice but to challenge him to go outside RIGHT NOW and try. He agreed until we started out back. I didn’t have to take 1 step outside before he backed down. Sometimes the constant positive reinforcement and participation trophies have to be set aside the hierarchical discipline.

[@shareehocking6294]

The problem with Millan is he isn't a trainer. He is a TV personality. TV programs will only aim to show content that makes the program look good, and will encourage people to watch the program. The end of the day, they don't care how good he actually is, it's easy to edit out the bad.

[@Poldovico]

I'd say in humans, discipline can be replaced fairly well by understanding. Learning "mom gets mad" instead of the actual consequences is not good when you're expected to behave in situations in which mom isn't around.

[@swiftjtn2834]

A cool karen = cooren

[@cd1772]

Maybe when they’re very young. If they continue to be good little boys & girls into teenagehood, you may well end up with castrated sons and girls-gone-wild daughters by the time they reach adulthood. Let them push their limits, help them to understand their talents & hone their confidence. Don’t train them like fuckin dogs

[@BestillintheLord]

I have a 9 month old GSD and let me tell you I found you right on time. I have had 2 Police K9 trainers come over and 1 military GSD trainer and my dog is aggressive. 1 saw her at 10 weeks, too young to tell, the other at 4 months and he said good luck, her aggression was is extreme. The 3rd, K9 came and she told me to return the dog. She has agreed to help but it fell through. I found you and I'm so glad. I have been using your technique for 1 day and it's a massive difference. I'm so grateful. I haven't walked far with her yet because like you said it's a slow process but it's way less stressful. All K9s and Milatry with aggressive dogs use discipline, endurance and hardly any positive reinforcement other then a ball thrown here and there. Again thank you. Don't let the Karens get you down. They are EVERYWHERE. BTW- we took her to a positive class at a young age, useless, the GSD trainer told me that I actually damaged her with positive training.

[@NoahjDogTraining]

I’m glad you got around to mentioning it because less than halfway through this I was thinking “they all talk about conferences and books but not about experience or literally being around dogs” The whole thinking certification = experience thing drives me insane. The whole “took it back” dominance and alpha thing is so much more complex than purely positive people make it seem. The guy who did the study actually talks about it in an Ivan podcast interview and I think someone also explained it briefly really well in one of the comments here. The study was flawed from the start. Also, I think a lot of these folks also forget that there’s not a one size fits all method for literally every single dog. That isn’t real life or even natural. Consequences and fair corrections aren’t only natural but they’re extremely important. Your videos always say the things I’m thinking and it’s great. Keep speaking the truth and truly helping dogs, man! We need more logic out here.

[@joangg4906]

While they have been busy reading books, the "dominant" trainers saved thousands of dogs' lives.

[@IcicleFerret]

The study was unintentionally more reflective of actual dog households than natural wolf packs. In a wolf pack, the wolves are all related, which they weren't in the study. But if you look at the average home with dogs... none of the dogs are related! So, as a study of wolf pack behavior, yes, I understand why the author would retract his conclusions. But, it still holds valuable insight about canine behavior.

[@badmonks]

Wow brother, I can totally relate. When I was learning how to train, I worked with a purely positive trainer and a real trainer. When the purely positive karen found out that I worked with a real trainer, she blew a cork. That was my first exposure to these creatures and subsequent experiences were anything but purely positive...lol. Keep up the great work, man.

[@gurindernijjar8683]

My dog is not interested in any treats when he's outside. Tried many different ones. Couldn't do the positive training outside at all. Used your correction method for walks and leash reactivity worked wonders. Thanks for your videos

[@bradsewell123]

has he been neutered? my lurcher was not interested in treats until i neutered him, he was just fixated on smells and what was going on around him. But now he is very food orientated, it has helped a lot. Also try giving them treats before you leave the house so they know you have them on you and they want more.

[@gurindernijjar8683]

@@bradsewell123 great point. He is not neutered yet. I'll be doing it soon. It totally makes sense what you described. My dog is all about smells. Thank you for sharing your experience. Will update later.

[@dancingwithswords7358]

That's the thing, when there's something on their radar that beats the treats, then they focus on that something and no amount of calling them to come and get a treat will work. My Malinois nearly ran onto a motorway because a road cyclist went past. So I did some vibration and shock collar training with him, problem solved. I'd rather give him a few mild shocks than have him run over by a car.

[@sabrinasilk4283]

I think it’s a common misconception that positive training = treats (Joel does this, too). Positive reinforcement uses what dogs enjoy (it could be play, a toy, positive, or physical praise) as a mechanism of reinforcement. I agree that balanced methods should be used (using all 4 quadrants of operant conditioning) when positive reinforcement and negative punishment isn’t enough.

[@gurindernijjar8683]

@@sabrinasilk4283 I tried his fav balls, tug toys, other toys and different food along with praising but didn't succeed at all until I tried this method. Now he always watches and follows me when I make random turns. I also fixed his chasing the car behavior using same method in his videos.

[@rlrieth]

As a horse person with many hours of clinic learning with some of the most amazing trainers in the world I understand what you are saying about children and dogs. We understand that horses are prey animals and dogs are predators but at the same time I think you can use some of the same principles of space, respect and herd management. I love the way you try to achieve a loose lead which is also what we do with a loose rein in riding. There are many parallels. I’ve been blessed with a couple of sweet black labs that I actually wish were more aggressive so that they’d at least bark when someone drives in to our farm instead of welcoming everyone; friend or foe.

[@indigo0977]

There are definitely some similarities. I had a year or so of horse riding classes when I was a little kid. Years later, I watched some videos on dog training, and in one Cesar Milan explained that you shouldn't let the dog walk in front of you, and to turn if it tried so you stay in front, and I realized that this was exactly what I was taught about walking horses as a little kid.

[@susanKWithAnE]

Actually infusing into an animal that you are the leader gives them confidence. I had friends with an untrainable horse. I walked up, put a halter on the colt, and then walked him. I was comfortable with horses and the owners were not. I was confident and they weren’t at that point. It’s a definite learning and experience process.

[@GoodForYou4504]

This video is so on point for my experience. After the loss of my sweet and gentle 14yo golden lab I adopted a 5yo pit mix rescue that was going to be put down. He had been returned twice to the shelter and had bit other dogs. He was not trained or socialized in any way while young and was a hard case. I am sure that he was previously "rescued" by Karens that had read books and gone to conferences... The result was that he was deemed uncontrollable (but he has no mental illness) and was headed to a shelter that would get rid of him. What a waste that would have been! All he needed was someone to train him with a balanced approach. He doesn't respond to treats or clickers when a dog is within 50 yards. I care very much for this dog and have never hurt him, but corrections have to be a key part of his training. He has now gone from 45 to 65 pounds, is in perfect health, walks 5 miles a day with no issues (he can never be face to face with another dog and this is just how it is), and is a happy and valued part of our family. I guess the point is that there are consequences for both good and bad behavior. That should be taught kindly and without hitting to both children and pets. That is necessary for a good and happy existence for all. Anyone that doesn't understand that is foolish but always talks a lot without real life experience.

[@debloisdogs9993]

This guy will be the most popular trainer on KZbin one day. Like dogs, my attention span can be relatively short and I zone out when people do dialogue videos. This is the only channel that doesn’t happen! Joel, If you ever start a class/course for training dog trainers…I’ll be one of the first on a plane!

[@andyhuber5339]

I absolutely love your videos and have worked with my dog (now 8) with similar methods. I think grouping anyone group of people together is a bit harsh, but I can also understand people attacking you, while using methods that are very ineffective for your situations is annoying and stressful. Especially since you have to fix the dogs they train if it gets messed up. Love your work keep it up!!

[@chrisedwards7730]

I love your stuff ! I just got a rescue dog. She was very hyper, and out of control . I thought I was going to have to take her back. She gets worked up so fast and once she went to that place I didn’t know how to bring her back . After finding you on KZbin and applying your methods she is now a completely different dog. I am so great full for what you do here .

[@robertdillon9989]

I would like to make one parallel comment. I’ve been a nurse for 25 yrs. Have 11 yrs of college now because I’ve wanted to attain new specialties , the learning and the science are always evolving. But one thing is for certain, schools only give you the bare minimum to not kill people! You really learn your profession in the real world, on the job! Same for most demanding professions. Actually I’ve learned more from my patients than from professors! I figure over 30,000 office visits by now. This is similar to you seeing thousands of dogs ! There is no substitute for experiential learning! Can’t get that “online”. We have the same arguments in the medical professions about boundaries. Patients entitlement, insurance malfeasance… academics vs practitioners debates, it’s all good as long as we adopt an all teach all learn posture. No dog or human fits neatly into a perfect diagnosis eh ! It’s a crap shoot sometimes, research be damned , and who funded that research anyways ? LOL !

[@ltpdogtraining6325]

Thank you for all you do, Sir! Bless you! Thank you for your comment.

[@ionutkiss6381]

Hey Joel. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE ALL YOUR VIDEOS! Ignore everyone who tells you your methods are wrong, YOU ACTUALLY can train any dog with any behavioral problem. All those positive reinforcement people never had a REAL DOG! A DOMINANT DOG! You work with these type of dogs. Both my fiance and I watch every single video because your leash method helped us with our dominant intact male Amstaff! Much love from Romania!!! Sorry for any spelling mistakes.

[@elainematiasiewich7292]

Nothing teaches better than experience.

[@michaeldevito258]

thank you! I've been floating around KZbin trying to find a "boots on the ground" expert, who actually does the work he/she preaches. I've found that in your videos and they are helping me with my dogs. However, this video gave me a look into your philosophy and it aligns with what I also believe makes sense when training animals (and life in general). By the way, I have one wild dog I adopted when stationed in Africa. It was rejected as a puppy from the pack that lived in the sugar chains near my house. It was not aggressive enough to get to mama's milk and was going to die. I watched it get thinner and thinner; then decided to bring it home to see if it could be a pet. No issues there, he has grown accustomed to airconditioning and not having to hunt or fight for food. So (wrong or right), I went against mother nature and took in a dog that mother nature did not intended for it to survive; so I expected that one to be a challenge. Other than being a fraidie-cat, he is fine and has not been a challenge at all. My other dog is a two time loser that was returned to the humane society twice, so I figured she would be perfect for me. (I'm a partially disabled combat vet, so I believe in second chances, or even third chances). She is also fine in my house, but fights my other dog for food and any chew toys that can be eaten, like cow ears, antlers, hooves, etc. Regular canvas and/or Kong type toys are fine. She only guards against other dogs, not against humans. I just kennel them during feeding and its fine, for the most part. Again, thanks for your help!

[@jax_08]

I've not read a single dog training book or gone to a conference because I don't find value in either. What I appreciate and see as a tool to help me solve problems are people like you and Cesar. I recently rescued a 2yo dog that walks so nicely, it prompted me to go down the rabbit hole of youtube to help me retrain my other dog to loose leash walk. I found your channel and I've used your methods for two days so far and holy shit, it's amazing. BTW, my pup (see what I did there) is 12. I know, I know...don't judge me for not doing it sooner. I also appreciate your no bullshit approach. It's refreshing. Thank you, Joel, for doing what you do!

[@tesstikles3225]

I just recently found your channel through the algorithms on YT and I will be honest. I was one of these people that thought you might be hard or harsh on these dogs with your methods but I recently adopted a stray GSD and he has a bit of anxiety and or aggressiveness in him even though he seems to be a great dog. I decided to try out some of your methods and lo an behold they have given me instant results .

[@rheagarcia9229]

Hey! Interested in knowing if your dog is reactive or struggles with being obedient? What methods helped you the most? I have a 3yro rescue gsd/husky mix. He's been with us for 3 weeks and has already learned to walk better on leash than just lunging at everything, but still working on things daily! I don't think he ever was properly socialized with how to meet other dogs/people in public. Other than his anxiousness, he's great with my other rescue pittie that I've had and trained for 2 years now. But this seems to be my first dog that clearly appears to have anxiety. I know going from his owner of 3 years to a shelter, and then to me, can be a lot for a dog. But trying to get him to just be outside more and comfortable and confident in his own skin in public.

[@torstenscott7571]

This is very insightful, I recently had to break up a fight between three of my dogs that left my old German Shepherd/Lab mix injured. I found this channel and immediately started applying the methods with great success. I work in education and found myself chuckling at the mention of the women focused on positive only reinforcement. They sound like many of the parents and "professionals" I deal with who insist on correcting horrible student behavior with heartfelt talks and candy from the Principal.

[@bobbycrosby9765]

This kinda reminds me. One of the things that really helped the relationship between two of our kids was when one had enough of the other person's constant purposeful pestering, so she kicked him pretty hard in the stomach. All the corrections in the world from us, the parents, didn't do what that one kick did. We're here to keep them safe and guide them to the best of our abilities. And if they won't listen to those in charge, bad things might happen to them. Sometimes people "get" it, sometimes they don't. Hopefully they get it before they run across someone who is really going to injure them.

[@gretareintam5499]

I'm a 30y old white childless woman :D Difference is I like rules. I also own horses and with them you also need rules, otherwise you're f*cked. Dogs and horses not as different as people think. I watch you and few other guys on youtube. But it began with CM. When I changed my self, my 10y old dog changed his behaivour in a blink of an eye(like on tv :D ). I still like to use treats to teach the basics and tricks- works well. I'm not a trainer, sometimes I kinda wish I would. It's sad to see those PP trained people with their dogs. Most problems so easy to fix. The technics vary a bit between you guys but the basic is the same. Kinda messed up comment and sorry for my bad english, not my first language.

[@sharonw912]

Also white childless woman here; and I also like rules! And dogs that I like to be around, and my friends and family like to be around. Thanks for teaching us how to have that!

[@SarahRaeH]

31yo white childless (so far) woman, and I am happy that when I am venturing into an area where I don't have experience (like dog training or raising kids) I listen to people who are experienced and successful at it!

[@haruszenko4362]

Hahahh im also a horse and dog person. Animals will RULE you if you LET them.

[@anneh1890]

I just realized I had not realized I'm a 32 yo white woman with no kids :')

[@Aylasuki]

There's plenty shitty parents who employ these same 'no punishment' tactics on their kids. I also don't have kids but my dog and cats know when to listen, since I don't believe I am a doormat nor do I think they are my children.

[@lindseydanger8622]

Snow flakes will be snow flakes. You've been a blessing to my family. You are now a household staple in our home! We all enjoy learning from you and we see real results. Thank you!!!

[@milkacone]

Thank you for clarifying! I am a fresh dogowner and my dog is like not motivated by food and I always struggle at the dogcourses (they are mandatory in my country) because my dog is not a labrador who values food over her stress she sometime goes through in certain situations. i realized she needs assertive directions, manners and discipline and after a long day of work a lot of cuddles and love of course as well! discipline works not on food or another positive reinforcement. thank you so much for claryfing and making me feel better, since the positive folks made me feel bad, that I set boundaries for my dog.

[@patrickmccarthy1307]

Love the relation to raising kids, here. We have a dog who is about 1 year now - went through a recent in-person training program and the cross-over between dog training and raising children was mindblowing to us. Cooper Pancake has proven to be a great and very trainable dog thus far, but we're still struggling with the nipping and jumping up on people when they come in the door. Your videos continue to help me in the training with Cooper. Thank you, Joel!

[@annmeacham5643]

How about “Boss Syndrome”? I’ve seen lots of dogs who run their households as the Boss! lol 😆

[@sundoesshine8800]

I like it! It's really "I don't give a fck" syndrome but boss is much more pc!

[@jennymunday7913]

Yes, the dog feels a lack of "Boss" and decides they're the boss now. Boss Syndrome it should be 100%.

[@skilifavas4016]

Imagine waiting for the dog to be not so "boss" to give him a treat 😅

[@walaafarhat3284]

My dog literally puts his teeth around my hand and pulls it toward the direction he wants to go to whenever i walk in different directions. I tried using treats to take his mind off of it. He was like cool I'll eat that then i will take u back to where i wanna go. Beckmann's off leash videos are the only ones that sorta helped (training in progress). So thank you. Dogs might not try to dominate us literally but they can be control freaks sometimes.

[@myranaam8562]

With treats, you’re basically rewarding the negative behavior

[@JustSomeGuyWithAMustache886]

You’re rewarding him with the treats, practice with the leash in a way that gets him used to following you and looking to you as a leader.

[@jthms_snapshots]

i love this honesty and straight talk, daaaaamn this man is amazing

[@gordonroberts9327]

Very late to this thread, but relatively new to learning how to train my rescue ACD. He's reactive as hell to EVERYTHING. We visited a few trainers, including a 'positive only.' If your dog responds well to 'positive only,' then use it. My advice, about advice or training, to anyone, for ANY topic is this: Take what you can use, and leave the rest. Beckman's style just resonates with us. We raised a couple kids, successfully I think. My father and I discussed child rearing 30 years ago when my first was born, and we mentioned it's not too different than training a dog. And vice versa. This idea that everyone gets a trophy, that every kid (or dog) shall be doused with constant praise and NO negative consequences . . . ludicrous. The result of positive only training is spoiled brats and uncontrollable dogs. Thanks to you, Beckman, we're seeing our ACD turn a corner. There's no magic bullet, no eureka-moments. Just constant and consistent progress. Akin to lighting a thousand candles, as opposed to a 'light-bulb-moment."

[@rehabilitatingbuzzy3281]

"When I first started I read books. Now I train dogs." Love it. Pure positive works great as long as you don't deal with real dogs. Lots and lots of angry dogs who want a piece of you. Isn't there something stronger and bigger than the LIKE button? Can I LIKE this 40 times?

[@gailhunter2179]

I am in the UK and have 10 rescue dogs. If i just used positive only methods I would be in a right mess! Dogs need rules and boundaries. Have found your videos invaluable. You are real and honest and show situations as they are.

[@user-xg9js9bo6x]

This is so true. I apprenticed with a CPDT trainer from the time I was 16-18. I did learn a LOT of information that helped me become a more effective trainer, but I never quite understood why I could not even say no to my dog. As a young, impressionable child, I was very convinced +R was the only way. I started questioning things when I got a job at the doggy daycare they ran. The staff there funnily enough were most certainly NOT all positive reinforcement and I got to see all the dogs that came in from her training classes. They basically all pulled on a leash, jumped, barked and were overall just nuts. When I discussed with Shelley that in the daycare environment things weren’t positive reinforcement like they were supposed to be, she wasn’t at all concerned about it. It took me like 10 years to not feel guilty about setting a boundary for my dogs. That’s way more dangerous than training someone to properly use a correction IMO. Trainers locally think I’m that Karen because that’s what I was taught and I had a hard time not feeling guilty about saying no to my dog, but it was because that guilt was instilled into me. Such a ridiculous thing to have emotional baggage about but here we are. What I’ve learned is that each dog is an individual and has their own needs. It might only take a sharp word to get a more sensitive poodle to cower in fear and another dog might not even care about the exact same thing making it non aversive to that dog. There are different limits for aversion.

[@alenvire]

I had a dog a few years back. Was a Mastiff mix. I knew what I was getting into, and I took on the lead roll with him. Great dog. But, he got real big. And he had puppy hyper-ness. And, I'm not a professional trainer. At the time, I had a 4 year old, and we were thinking of having another. The problem was, he would get hyper and could hurt the 4 year old. Not on purpose, he would just jump on the couch and squish him. Or run by and knock him down. We made the decision to find a new home for him. I knew a co worker who had 3 much older kids and they had 2 older dogs. We had them all meet and he did really well. I had told them the reason why we were rehoming them, and they said it should work out fine. However, they were the only positive sort. For a couple months, everything was fine. But, then I started to hear about 'aggressive behavior'. They told me not to worry, they were taking him to a trainer. Later I found out, that they were using a e collar with him. And the trainer had said he had a mental disorder similar to bi polar. I told them I would take him back and see if I could find a better home. They said no because I had a 4 year old and they were worried about that. But that they were fine and that he was doing better... Ok..... They put him on meds. About a month later I was able to catch up with them again. They had put him down because he had backed the wife into a closet and apparently bit their son, though it did not require stitches or anything. (this was in the span of about 4 months) They said his trainer said he was a danger to all humans, and that there was no choice. I told them they should have called me and let me decide since I never would have let them have him if they could not handle him.... I was told that if their trainer could not handle him, then I could not either. I had him for over a year before they did. Not one aggressive instance other then growling which was easy to handle for me, or my wife. He was 160 pounds and I never worried about my wife or child. (other then accidental injuries from his size) He was kennel trained and would take direction. Positive only BS killed a dog that I loved, and could handle. I should have realized quicker they were in over their head. I blame myself every time I think of him (For getting a dog too big for my family, and rehoming him). And I hate them to this day. A firm hand, and corrections is not abuse. Abuse is abuse and you don't need someone to tell you its abuse to recognize it. Abusers know its abuse and choose for some reason to do it. I'm sure All the positive only people see Beckman as a abuser, but if it had been his training, Badger, would be here today. Happy and everyone would be safe. (of course its possible he did have a mental disorder that would have made things difficult) But we will never know since they just believed the woke crowd and found it easier on their conscious to kill a dog, then try corrective training. Or using a firm hand. Its hard to respect the choice to kill a problem over trying something new that might seem harsh to the people who advocated his death.

[@alenvire]

@@terrykingpin1452 Thank you for the thoughts. After watching the video I just wanted to get my story out there so that others can see some of the dangers of purely positive. I doubt it will change the minds of one of the die hards but maybe someone will see what happened to my dog and not allow it to happen to another. I still say in the end, its my fault. They just share some of the blame and the ultimate choice is all theirs since they chose to leave me out of it.

[@spamsucker132]

"Cesar Milan broke their brains" Classic. And totally true. A helper at a shelter once told me what she thought of Cesar and I can't write it here. I walked away. Dogs don't read books.

[@skilifavas4016]

Very fucking true. I love that I just found a whole community speaking about this. Refreshing.

[@leashr]

The word is, Cesar smacks dogs off-screen, correctional... Not by the book, pun intended.

[@iheartjbgccb]

I remember being furious when I just found out about the pure positive reinforcement people. Calling these trainers abusers and trying to end their careers from ignorance. Then WE also get called abusers yet we have better behaved dogs than them- they literally think we make our dogs afraid of us

[@osirusj275]

@@leashr so it was just a rumour no video recordings evidence rit... And smack is how hard or just a hand touch..?

[@leashr]

@@osirusj275 I'd say a hand touch but they wouldn't mind filming that. I don't think it's anything bad.

[@melissabell141]

As someone who’s just got their first foster with aggressive tics, I really appreciate your content. I’ve trained many dogs, but none like this. Positive reinforcement works for basic tricks and commands, not for letting your dog know it can’t attack your current two for existing 😅

[@oceangolf3076]

Oh my gosh! I have a niece just like this! Her feelings were so hurt when we firmly said “NO” to her mom’s dog who was jumping up all over us because it “hurts the dog’s feelings”.

[@pennyburke4156]

Thank you so much for this! I've started my journey with dogs and have always used the techniques that I needed to in the situation, lately positive only was quite inviting until the shaming starting when using even negative punishment. I work in a dog daycare and it is impossible to use only positive with every dog all the time. You are so right, these people aren't in the trenches actually working with different and challenging breeds, they think their tiny dog is exactly like every other breed without actually working with these dogs, they would otherwise give up on. Most of these so called problem dogs are salvageable and can keep living happy lives but people are willing to take action and help because it makes them uncomfortable. That's not to say there aren't good people out their doing their best but it makes it a whole lot harder for them and their dog to live a happy life because they don't/can't/won't use all the methods they have available to them

[@nyleah411]

I’m not gonna read anymore books…I laughed out loud:) You’re so right, these folks that have never raised children acting like a juvenile dog is completely different. If I raised my kids off of treats they’d be in jail.

[@matt566]

i was raised on rewards because it was too much to deal with me and my brothers because we’re all abnormally sharp compared to our parents and can confirm there’s issues directly related to this in all of our lives. My middle brother who learned boxing and jiu hitsu learned proper leadership and respect with other men and what do you know he’s by far the most well adjusted of us.

[@adamm5054]

As a dog trainer who utilizes all different tools and methods to train my dogs, this deserves a big THANK YOU and a round of applause. I run into so many Karens during my training sessions and I have come to realize that the people with the largest mouths are the people with the least amount of experience actually working with dogs and packs of dogs. I have been in a yard of 100 plus dogs all behaving not because of MAGIC but because they know who the boss is and where all the decisions are coming from. Just like humans, dogs do not pick sensitive insecure dogs to be leaders. The leader of the pack is the strongest one and sometimes they have to fight in order to prove who is strongest. Its very important to act as a confident, strong, and firm leader when you are with that many dogs. I LOVE MY JOB! Thanks again Joel!

[@jlanderson21257]

You are so right about the raising a child (especially between the ages of 18 months and 4 years old) process and dog training. My father was a gentle soul. Far more empathetic and gentle a parent than my mother. NEVER raised his voice in all my years of being blessed with him in my life. But he was filled with common sense. He drummed into me that raising dogs is like raising children, they MUST know who is the boss. This gentle man was the boss of our lives without ever raising his voice, or raising his hand against his children.

[@charleshaberl7563]

Same type of people around me are exactly what you are describing. And I have been socially distanced from by those people. I keep asking why but doesn't seem like any of them can handle their dogs off leash or give any answers. So now I'm starting to reach out to people like you because I'm tired of being disregarded in the cold hearted dog community.

[@domj2389]

I don't care what people say but your videos are definitely helped my rescue dog!!! I am really appreciate dog trainer like you!

[@ktmal1681]

The person they are talking about is called David Mech. He spent time studying the behaviour of wolves and published his findings talking about the structure and dynamic of the pack. He coined the phrase "Alpha Wolf". The people who are siting him as proof against dominance training don't understand what he actually was talking about or what he was correcting in his republish. Basically after a few years David Mech spent more time with wolves and collected more data. He realized that the "Alpha Wolf" roll/ behaviour he wrote about was incorrect and that the strongest and most aggressive wolf was not the leader. Instead he found that it was just the most senior wolf (i.e the parent). The people who are saying dominance has been discredited are getting dominance and aggression mixed up. Likely most of them have never read the actual story about this guy and only heard that someone coined a phrase and then went back on it; which didn't happen how they think.

[@akasha1779]

Agree. I think they mix up those two terms too

[@ktmal1681]

@@SimonWoodburyForget As far as i understand, they don't think punishment causes true obedience in any way because the animal only listens if it gets punished... at least thats what i am getting from them, though it is complete bs. That being said, from my experience and training, prong collars should not be the go-to training method; there are many options before that which must be tried first. If you were just using that as an example then don't take what i said personally, i just know some people who jump right in to that and wanted to clarify thats not the best way.

[@WeMissDimebag]

Not sure what point you’re trying to make here? The point of the story is that wolf packs are not led by some domineering male. They operate under family dynamics. Domestic dogs also are not wolves, and don’t operate under a pack dynamic. The whole idea of being an alpha and pack leader is completely inapplicable with your dog. You can ‘dominate’ into submission but that’s not the natural dynamic people like to pretend it is. In how it’s usually portrayed, it just means being overly physical and aggressive towards your dog to teach it to stop a behavior through fear of being physically handled. Ruling through fear is very volatile, can lead to harm/unwanted side effects, and often not effective in the long term. There is absolutely a healthy way to apply rules and enforce boundaries (which is obviously necessary) but you will not see that from most people preaching dominance training.

[@ktmal1681]

@@WeMissDimebag I suggest you go back and re-read my comment because clearly you misunderstood what i said. Also, if i'm reading your comment correctly, it appears you are doing exactly what i said people do, mix up dominance with aggression.

[@WeMissDimebag]

@@ktmal1681 This is the issue though: There is no dominance dynamic between dogs. It is not how they operate. 'Dominance" does not exist, unless you mean bullying a dog into or out of a behavior. That's intimidation, which creates anxiety or fear, which is, in its most charitable definition, one step away from aggression. It doesn't look as bad, and it isn't, but it's in the same direction. In the case of things like yanking/popping a dog with a leash, or holding a dog in place until it quits doing something, that's controlled aggression. If father forcibly held his 5 year-old down until they stopped struggling, or yanked them around by their hair every time they walked too far away, they wouldn't feel 'submissive', they'd feel threatened and scared. You can call it 'dominance' if you like but it's ultimately just the threat of an aggressive behavior being used to intimidate. You not being angry or sadistic when you do it doesn't make it non-aggressive. You aren't exactly the dog's father but it's a much closer parallel than the 'alpha' BS.

[@marcusbusekrus8966]

My dad lived by the philosophy that discipline (when needed) is absolutely a form of love, because: (1) it takes effort to for the parent to impose and follow through on the punishment, and (2) it teaches the kid healthy boundaries they need to learn.

[@sgordon8123]

Oh thanks for this video. I meet people like this. One recently was a man with a very badly behaved dog who lunged snarling and growling at two ladies and got rewarded by him with praise and biscuits to "calm the dog down" ... which once he did and stopped pulling on the leash the dog did. It just learned "when I leap and snarl at people I get rewarded". My advice was thrown back at me with swearing! I was only there to try a safe space with a new rescue of mine. I know where not to go now!

[@kait4034]

I tried a trainer last year that was 100% positive reinforcement. Our dog was a rescue with a lot of reactivity problems on walks and we were desperate for help. The trainer came to our home and showed us some mat training and gave us this huge packet on training with treats, that was it. We tried and tried and it really wasn't working; when we didn't have treats he completely stopped listening. Watching your videos has been the biggest help to us and we are seeing major changes in our dog's behavior. Funny enough, that trainer's name was actually Karen...

[@ellamay6405]

please tell me that's true, if her name is karen i will literally burst into tears lmao, that name has become so ironic now and it holds true in most cases haha, i'm glad you got rid of her. what kind of dog do you have? i know you said it's a rescue but i was just wondering what breeds it may be! just curious, i have two rescues of my own :) and what kind of training methods do you use? any types of collars or special methods? i just got my 4th addition to my pack a month and a half ago and i've been trying out a few different methods which have all worked, i'm guessing i just got a really smart pup lol

[@User7688.--_]

@@ellamay6405, I'm sure she used the training method on the channel you asked your question of. That would be Beckman’s Dog Training.

[@kait4034]

@@ellamay6405 it truly was Karen! Lol what has really helped us is the Beckman method of not letting our dog rush out the door (he has to wait for us to go out first), and the quick turn arounds or "pops" as Joel says when he starts to walk ahead. Also, a gentle leader/headlead has helped a ton on walks. We started our dog at daycare once a week and that's helped him get a lot of energy out. Our dog is a husky, pittbull, and lab mix.

[@drewd2]

Joel pulling receipts now? I am definitely interested in more of this. LOVED IT! Remember, we have to deal with these purely positive people, too.

[@andyrules999]

You are amazing at this! I learn more in 1 youtube video than reading a book. The slow motion frame by frame analysis shows things I would never notice. Please never stop!

[@Trident023]

This is just awesome. Thank you for sharing the story. 😆When you mentioned the “raising a child” part, I suddenly remembered a story my mother told me years ago, about how our dog having puppies, influenced her on how to raise me and my sister. The dog was loving those puppies, playing grooming feeding and simply loving them. One day, after she fed the pups, she got up, went to her bowl and took out a bone she kept there for whenever she would have time to eat. One of the puppies got up, approached her and sniffed the bone. She let him have a sniff licked his head and started eating the marrow. At this point, the little one decided that he wanted the bone, and GROWLED at her. She looked at him, took a deep breath and gave him a single loud bark! The pupp tumbled backward and just sat there, stunned. She then got up, liked over his head, picked him up and brought him back to the litter. He never tried something silly like that again. My mother applied that concept to us pretty well. And I try to do the same for my kids. I know there will be Karens out there telling me that “raising a dog and a child are completely different things,” But it is not. Humans and dogs are pack animals. The same basic principles apply to all mammals that live in groups. When I see some of the kids in daycare and preschool who just dominate their parents, I think to myself “man I am so glad I learned the proper mammalian behaviour when I was a child…” One morning I saw a child kicking his mother because he wanted to play video games instead of going to the kindergarten and the mothers reaction was to ASK the child “could you please stop kicking me…?” To which the child answered “No!” And kept on kicking. My then 3 year old saw that, looked at me a little confused and said “he can’t do that…!” I was so proud of him at that moment 😊 And as a last remark to any Karen reading this and hyperventilating into their smartphone. No! I never got beaten by my parents nor would I ever do that to my children, because 1. it is simply not necessary and just shows your child how helpless YOU are, and 2. would be a felony where I live!

[@lovesees4320]

I loved this comment! Many years ago I watch a Wolf, babysitting siblings whilst the pack went out hunting. The level of calm patients s/he showed was beyond belief. Even when administering required correct, it was never aggressive or out of control. As a mother, I have tried my best to emulate that creature & though I have failed often, I continue to strive to behave as that 🐺 🕊️