# thoughts on Zak George training methods?



## Buddybudweiser (Jun 1, 2013)

Came across him on you tube last week and thought some of his training videos were good...what do people think? Good idea to try his tips or not worthy?


----------



## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

There's something about him I just don't like, can't quite put my finger on what. He seems very in your face to me and seems to think fetch is the answer to all problems  Least that's the impression I get from the videos I've seen of his. His slagging off of certain other dog trainers always strikes me as very unprofessional too.

Kikopup is a good one to watch if you're looking for videos.


----------



## Buddybudweiser (Jun 1, 2013)

Thanks, i did actually see some of Kikopup's and again thought some of the stuff was good.

I do wonder what all of them would do when they came across a real dog that isnt eager to be trained....Buddy would tear them apart!!


----------



## zedder (Aug 21, 2013)

Buddybudweiser said:


> Thanks, i did actually see some of Kikopup's and again thought some of the stuff was good.
> 
> I do wonder what all of them would do when they came across a real dog that isnt eager to be trained....Buddy would tear them apart!!


 Yes id of loved too see them take ike on when he was younger I think they'd have ran of crying lol.


----------



## Guest (Jun 14, 2014)

Not a fan. I agree with Sarah, the trash talk against other trainers is pretty unprofessional.

But what bothers me more is his demeanor with dogs, he uses some pretty aversive body language and body pressure, and its evident in many of the dogs behavior around him.
Either hes totally unschooled in dog body language, or hes so in to himself that hes not actually watching the dogs hes training, or maybe he just doesnt care. Whatever the reason, I find his training very unrefined and his thoughts on training very hypocritical. He spends a lot of time criticizing aversive tools, yet he is very aversive himself....


----------



## DizzyWhippet (Jun 7, 2014)

Had a go at getting poppy to look at me, but she just isn't a dog that looks you in the eye for more then a second.


----------



## Linda Weasel (Mar 5, 2014)

I looked at some of his vids to try to get an informed opinion, but wasn't able to watch any of them all the way through...because he's really annoyingly full of himself, because I couldn't bear all the promotional stuff ( both his sponsors and himself) and because I thought that using the word 'revolutionary' was a huge self-serving con. Nothing new here.

I think he possibly has more theory than hands on experience.


----------



## Jasper's Bloke (Oct 30, 2009)

I actually really like the fact that he is outspoken about positive training, especially his frequent condemnation of choke, prong and e-collars, if that is unproffesional then I wish more people would do it. He does talk a lot of sense, things like when he talks about a dogs 'currency' - what rewards they value and to what degree, and he has a great video that basically says that proper exercise and mental stimulation will get rid of most 'naughty dog' problems. These are basic things that people should know yet often don't.

He doesn't however, always practice what he preaches, he is very intense and 'in your face' in a very (apologies) American way. I was always taught that dog training was about calmness, a calm teacher means a calm student, and ZG Is anything but calm. His machine gun like, super happy, jumpy/bouncy style and body language might make for exciting YouTube videos, but its not much use for getting a dog to focus on the task at hand, to think about what you are trying to teach them, or even to just keep calm. Quiet mouth, quiet hands Mr George.


----------



## Bagrat (Jun 4, 2012)

Watched one about extreme leash pulling and lunging and tree biting. Wasn't very comfortable with it. Yes , he's irritating but also he seemed to be letting the dog practice the behaviours. He just didn't seem to have any empathy with the dog.


----------



## Nicky10 (Jan 11, 2010)

He has some good ideas but like the others said he's so over the top and hyper even his dogs seem uncomfortable. He looms over them, really jerky movements.






Compared to


----------



## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

It's not his speaking out against things like choke chains that strikes me as unprofessional, it's the fact he gets personal with his rants, attacking specific individuals and groups. There is absolutely no need for it. Other trainers manage to speak out against them without making personal attacks.


----------



## Guest (Jun 15, 2014)

And really, whats the point of eschewing prong collars if youre just going to turn around and teach LLW by crowding and looming over the dog while the poor thing throws calming signals like confetti? 

Its another one of those conversations of the dog deciding what is aversive and what isnt. I know plenty of dogs who, if given the choice, would rather a pinch of a prong than a looming human in their space. 

No, Im not advocating for the use of prongs, because neither the prong NOR the looming is necessary. 
What I am advocating for is really observing and listening to what the dog is saying and respecting the dogs opinion on what is aversive - something we so often fail to do in these conversations about tools and techniques.


----------



## Katherna (Feb 20, 2008)

I had to look him up ... turns out i knew who he was just not his name, lol. He hosted the kids programme 'who let the dogs out' on CBBC for the first few seasons before 'pudsey' the dog and his trainer. My little boy taught our old dog Katie to roll over on command from watching him. 
My views on him - the watch me command - I've been using this for over 30 years so nothing 'new' for me. The 'currency' also nothing new, once you know if your dog works for food, praise or toys it makes training easier. I've not watched the vids all the way through. Seems to have a lot of the promoting his sponsors but if they're paying for it then I guess he will do. I don't think he's anything out of the ordinary - apart from his eyes are sometimes a really pale blue / grey colour and then sometimes not, lol.


----------

