Dog Training: Are You The Alpha? Are you the "Pack Leader"?

[sarabrzn]

Great video, Zak!

[dlsavidge]

i crated trained my dog 2 year old pit bull by making it a game for her to go in the crate... although she came back out for her ball reward eventually she learned to go in and lay down for her ball reward and it was always a game and fun for her... my dog listens to me because i make it fun for her to listen... i am her leader because she trusts me not because she fears me... and i am not claiming to be a dog trainer i just love my dog and i don't ever want her to doubt that.

[kaygosf]

i'm not the alpha, nor am i the pack leader. i'm just the fulcrum of a system that works.

[2zaci2]

"everything is" Sorry for the mistake.

[2zaci2]

So much of this is becoming the positive reinforcement crowd vs the CM crowd. I think its because he's mostly misunderstood. "I always say i'm a man of instincts" and "...it opened more my awareness when i moved into a modern society, you know, where everywhere is fast, artificial, time is everything..." Isn't this really at the base of every dog training? Taking the time, using what works, doing it with the best of intentions and with as much knowledge as we have?

[nataliabrooke22]

The day I see you with a "pack" of dogs that have all had very severe issues and would have otherwise had to be put to sleep. You teach dogs and people how to do people tricks for entertainment. Just because you dont agree/believe in Cesars way doesnt mean you have to slam him,lets see you go work with an agressive dog and keep him that way then...try 100...pssshhht not going to happen Zack

[SapphireM]

@nataliabrooke22 Not at all. If you watch a few of the videos, the whole point is that connection. I do believe that Cesar claims to train humans and I find it rather wierd that rather than finding a mutual understanding - he does teach humans...To be Dogs! I would also ask whether you would take on a damaged child and then go Sgt Major on their arse? I guess I don't get this 'beat down' approach when you can spend time, building a gentle loving relationship.

[EHowerow]

It's that 5% genetic dissimilarity that makes a world of difference between chimpanzees and humans.

[LulzInducer]

Hey man, just commenting to say I absolutely love your channel. Most dog trainers don't have this high level of intuition and level of respect for animals as you do. I'm really impressed. I never have been able to train my poodle in the ways that most trainers teach, because my dog isn't food motivated whatsoever and we found him when he was seven, and I have trouble finding out how to connect with him. I'm going to try out some of the techniques you recommend. Also, you look like Toby McGuire!

[EHowerow]

Do you believe that dogs form packs that have a hierarchy with one dog assuming a leadership role or becoming the alpha or pack leader? I am not advocating the alpha/dominance theory of dog training. I am also not championing the idea of basing our dog training methods on the behaviour of wolves. That to me makes about as much sense as studying chimpanzees to learn how to raise your children.

[tuguybear]

@EHowerow Trust me,there is very little to no difference between Chimps and humans.

[AlienXCherie]

@tuguy His dominance theory is just that, a theory proven wrong. Yes he's helped dogs and their owners, but usually at the cost of the dog. Cesar Millan is not a behavioralist. If he were, he would not have his train of self therory. All major behavioral schools denounce his methods ... and he is NOT a dog trainer? Then why is he registered with the Association of Pet Dog Trainers? But behavioral groups refuse him.

[AlienXCherie]

@tuguy He is NOT a behavioralist. Until he gets some schooling in animal behavior and the credentials to be a CAB, he shouldn't label himself as such. He does not deal with behavioral problem, which is finding the core reason why the dog is acting the way he does. He is told what the owners want him to do, he observes the dog for maybe 20 min and "fix it" without addressing the reason why the dog acts that way. His dominance theory is just that, a theory proven wrong. Yes he's helped dogs and t

[captmicha]

@AlienXCherie Unfortunately, anyone can call them self a behaviorist or trainer by law, whether they're qualified or not.

[tuguybear]

Cesar Millan is a "Behaviourist" not a dog trainer.There is a major difference.What would you do with a dog that has developed a bad behaviour problem.Try to teach it to sit?.

[ThePurewhitegoon]

@tuguybear well said, this KID does my head in. 

[captmicha]

We are almost as closely related to chimpanzees as dogs are related to wolves, yet we don't take behavior tips from chimpanzees. So even if the wolf study had been faultless, it still would be moot.

[ThePurewhitegoon]

@captmicha we didn't come from chimps we both evolved from the same link but dogs did actually come from wolves so your comment is moot.

[captmicha]

@ThePurewhitegoon Wow. What I wrote just went over your head.

[cookiefarrer]

@zakgeorge21 I found your video today, and I thought you might be able to help me. I just lost my pug of ten years, so a friend thought it might be nice to find a new dog for our family. We now have Frank, a dachshund that is two years old. He is a sweet dog, most of the time. I am having a problem with him, however. He nips at my two boys, once now making skin contact with my five year old. I never had a problem with any of my previous dogs, so I have no experience. In the interest of not maki

[shellylanette]

Thank you for talking about how dropping your dog off to be trained by someone else is not a good idea! I love the artwork in the background...did you do it? When you say "we are connecting" in the video, I don't think you also realize you are not just connecting, you are establishing yourself as the leader/dominant one. If that was NOT true, the dog would not comply with your request. Either way, u say leadership is important, and that is true in any situation working with animals. Cheers.

[SkullBelt]

Hi zak! I have a 10 yr old medium sized mutt (abby) who is very calm and pretty well trained and loves to be with humans but when she sees a dog, she goes nuts. After she's seen a dog, she wont listen to anything I say. She knows and always obeys commands like "leave it" except when there is another dog. This aggressive behavior is hard to deal with outside and it is also stressful to both of us. Please let me know if there is a way to teach her that this is unacceptable behavior. Thank you!

[daudet1]

Have you ever noticed that people like Ian Dunbar are behind the podium most of the time in a suit and are rarely training a dog. When there is that rare video, it's the worst bit of dog training I have ever seen.

Oh and when Mr Dunbar takes on an aggression case, the story typically ends with, "yeah the dog was euthanized." I am sorry but this better way of training lacks a lot of elements. I am sure there are a lot of dead dogs that would agree. Oh yeah.....they are dead...they cant.

[daudet1]

Dogs and wolves are not identical, otherwise dogs would be called wolves.

I think you are trying to make a mockery of the suggestion that dominance exists.

You are wrong there. If you have multiple dogs in your household and have never seen any act of dominance, you haven't truly connected with your dogs.

One dog will push the other out of the way to get attention. One dog will wait while another drinks. Dominance is situation based and dynamic. To say it doesn't exist is wrong.

[mochulin96]

@daudet1 Do you know that scientists that test the wolves and the dogs DNA proven that their DNA DIFFERS by ONLY 2/10 of 1 percent? I used to think that domesticated dogs are totally unrelated to wolves, until i went and worked at the Zoo. My job was to take care of the wolves n i began to observe and study them. Surprisingly, they acted quite similar to dogs. After working, i went to see different wolves expert and they all say that dogs and wolves are related to each other one way or another.

[dlsavidge]

@mochulin96 watch the documentary called DOGS DECODED: NOVA its free if you subcribe to netflix

[MsZoraZ]

@dlsavidge I watched it, it's really good!

[dlsavidge]

@MsZoraZ :) glad you liked it...

[KJamesSr]

@mochulin96 Yes so that would make it what? 80% wolf??? No. The difference in DNA between chimp and human is only 2%, meaning chimps are 98% human (roughly). That does not make them the same species. So comparing your wolves to our dogs, is like comparing chimpanzees to humans. They're simply not the same species. It only takes that 1% - 2% difference to genetically alter DNA completely. Dogs are not wild animals. They are not wolves.

[youknownoyuno]

Holy cheese, this is revolutionary!

[josski32]

Also, some of the people that base their methods on alpha-dog training may not know about that it was proven wrong, as was the case with me.

[josski32]

I think you are amazing. I have to apologize because I thought the wolves did have an alpha, I based everything on it. Luckily I do not have a dog so no member of the canine society suffered from my misjudging. It's good to know that. Somebody (I forget who) said that you must choose one alpha in the family, and we had disagreements when trying to choose one. Do you think there should be one leader, or can many people train a family dog? Please respond!

[Cbig21]

Hey, I just wanted your opinion on this question, What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a border collie. And is your show "who let the dogs out" going to air in the U.S... If it is when?

[macgregrr]

Hey, I have two dogs, a 3 year old golden retriever and a 1 year old golden doodle. I am trying to get them interested in playing frisbee since they need some excercise, however if i take only one out the other starts crying and vice versa. And with both out it makes it very hard to keep either one interested when the other comes running full tilt at us. How might you suggest I go about getting my dogs more interested/easier to play with individually as you demonstrate with your dogs so well?

[Cbig21]

Hi Zak, All of your videos are great and I prefer your training method more than any other Pro. dog trainer (no offense to other dog trainers) and I was just wondering that by any chance can you make a video explaining how to train a dog to search for anything or anyone. Thank You

[n9u7enpower]

/watch?v=1NzQqwvp9IY CHALLENGE ACCEPTED?

[IanthWoW]

Ni kissing up, but I think that you are best dog Trener on youtube...:)

[suckittomcat]

Being rather a stickler for semantics, and also towards the end of making your videos shorter and/or more concise, I suggest that you edit videos such as this so that you can (1.) stop and check a thesaurus to find more appropriate words for what you are trying to convey and (2.) offer examples to back up some of your statements. Overall, you are a good speaker and of above average intelligence. Good stuff.

[PaulAndMuttley]

Wow, just went through all 117 comments. There are some good ones and some terrible. I think it's good to shift the focus off CM and onto some traditional dog trainers, who really are all about forced dominance and constant correction with little or no R+. Some of these people falsely claim to use CM's methods, and others do not, and are much worse. There is some misinformation presented in the video as absolute fact, and that is disturbing. But overall it was pretty good.

[triscleeire]

Great video!! I would like to add that training is not the only way of connecting. As a trainer that's your (Zak's) main focus in the vids but I'm sure you agree that there are other important things too? Cuddles (gentle - no beating on top of the head and thinking that's nice!), enjoying a walk together by paying attention to the dog rather than chatting away among humans and ignoring the dog until s/he "misbehaves", sleeping in the same room, nose-games, hide and seek (not in fear period)...

[skimble2]

Great video Zak. I have been thinking a lot about 'opening channels of communication' - through training (whether formal or informal) and all interactions we have with our dog. I feel you are talking about exactly the same idea here with referring to connections we make with our dog. If we can communicate clearly and helpfully to our dogs, and if we give them the opportunity to communicate with us, and are open to that communication then we have a relationship. Without that we have nothing.

[video5junkie]

I totally believe in your philosophies Zac, thanks for all you do!!

[Poettetree]

I just have to say that I love what you advocate. I am a first time dog owner. I've had people show me how to flip him on his back and hold him down... but that doesn't really fit well with me or my teaching style. So far we've worked through sitting, staying, and the prolonged stay. Next is walking on a lead without pulling. What you've taught me is painless and fun. My wonderful fluffy and silly dog thanks you :)

[thatoneguy2]

@grejotte I hate to bust your bubble, but in Dr. Yin's article on dominance she says, "My goal is to use whichever techniques will work best with the least likelihood of side effects in the pet. If that best technique involves a punishment such as, for dogs, a pinch collar "pop" or reprimand, or booby trap of some sort, or even an electronic collar, then I will use it."

[blackdogxx]

I learned that the person with the toys,food,water, house, crate and dog bed is the leader by any measure. Whether you are a humane and effective leader for your dog is up to you. The dog cannot be responsible and does not have human reasoning ability. You have to be the trainer and caregiver. But remember that dogs have been the only species that has a real relationship with another species in all of nature. For thousands of years, people have had dogs as companions. YOU are responsible!

[ABengelke]

I like Susan Garrett's saying about this: "Be your dog's TEAM leader, not pack leader!".

And also, is important for people to understand that POSITIVE IS NOT PERMISSIVE.

[jimlupi]

@ABengelke

isn't that semantics? LOL people are so politically correct its sickening

[ABengelke]

@jimlupi

It can be, but not necessarily. I don't believe dogs live in packs, so there is no such thing as a pack leader! Besides, it's not just pure terminology, I'm considering what comes attached to these words. When people think pack leader they usually think harsh, punitive, aversive. But when they think TEAM they remember partnership and teamwork. It changes the owner behavior and that's what is all about.

[Vogue69]

@ABengelke so roving wild dogs don't form packs?

[kokkeibunni07]

@fellyfell23 If you were enjoying a really yummy piece of cake and someone came up and yanked it out of your hand, wouldn't you be upset? Try, instead, to "trade" with him. At first you hold a treat to one side of his mouth and take the treat with the other, so he immediately gets a reward for giving it to you. Then work so the treat is further and further away until you have built up enough trust that he will drop it on command. Worked with my pit bull, will certainly work with an Aussie! :)

[mtjor156]

Zak, I enjoy all of your videos and I respect what you're saying, but I've yet to hear an actual explanation of how to correct a dog without using a leash correction, or any other correction that may be considered aversive. I'm open to any methods that would eliminate unnecessary physicality, but in my experience a dog has to at least have a reason to associate no with doing something wrong ie no - leash pop. Can you explain how you correct negative or unwanted behavior in a dog? Thanks

[AgilityFox]

@mtjor156 The thing is, if you do your positive training correctly, you'll never need to "correct unwanted behaviour".

Dogs are taught what to DO instead of unwanted behaviours.

[mtjor156]

@AgilityFox I just can't seem to completely connect the dots with this type of training I guess. I appreciate your response but I still don't understand. You make it seem as if dogs only perform actions that are taught to them and don't act on their own volition.

[AgilityFox]

@mtjor156 Of course the dogs act on their own will.

Your job as a trainer is to reinforce the behaviours you want, and not reinforce or allow self reinforcement of behaviours you don't want.

You will not need to "correct" unwanted behaviours, because you will prevent them from happening.

You will either redirect the unwanted behaviour, or manage the environement, or build more value for an alternative behaviour. In some cases, it could be necessary to do all 3.

[AgilityFox]

@mtjor156 I know it may seem difficult, but it can be done.

You need to change old habits, be pro-active, and think out of the box. :-)

[easyitsashley]

MY dogs follow behind me always, listen to my every command, and are super well behaved, also have a super strong bond. Idk if im pack leader, but they are "trained" well.

[MsJayree]

Hey Zak I just got a random question for you.. Do you let your dogs sit/sleep with you on the couch/bed? do you have an opinion on when people say that it makes the dog "think they're equal to us" in the whole wolf-hierarchy thing? just wondering!

[grejotte]

@MsJayree First thing you gotta know is that it is impossible to have a hierarchy between two different species, so it is impossible that your dog perceive you like a part of a "pack". Second is that, about that hierarchy and dominance theory, it was proven to be all wrong. Dogs aren't like wolves at all and they do not have a solid hierarchy between them. It has been proven that using dominance over them isn't effective. So, he can sleep in your bed if you want, it doesn't make any difference.

[MsJayree]

@grejotte i don't believe in it, i was just wondering if he has them sleep with him, lol

[fufaso1]

Hey Zak, just happened across your videos today and really like your approach. I'm currently volunteering at my local shelter as a dog walker and was wondering if you had any tips / ideas about working with shelter dogs?

Thanks.

[fufaso1]

@fufaso1

Thought it may be an easier question to answer with a specific example.

There is a coon hound that came in last week, and he is very scared to walk up the laneway behind the shelter. He will go a few steps then crouch low to the ground, ears back, turns around and leaves the area as fast as he can pull.

Any thoughts on how to help him from the perspective of a volunteer dog walker?

[stephboo92]

@fufaso1 i also just started volunteering at my countys shelter. they have a lot of pits that we arent allowd to walk i feel bad but theres nothing i can do. from ur thing abou tthe coonhound it seems like hes just scared nd its gonna take some time to adjus to the new environment. be careful around him bc if he is scared and is approached in a way he isnt comfortable with he can respond in many dfiferent ways.

[vanessaluvsranden]

at first when training my dog, I tried to take on a dominant approach, b/c i heard ppl say you have to be the Alpha.. but it didnt really work for me. I found being friendly and loving towards my dog made her do commands and stuff easier. I would just kinda coax her into doing stuff and reward her with hugs haha worked for me and now I couldn't ask for a better behaved dog.

[NVJessicaLV]

Zak I was wanting to know if you could make a video on teaching a dog to wipe its feet before coming in the house. I live in Las Vegas and its very hot here so I have a small pool for them to play in. They play chase threw the water and my garden. Then we have muddy paws! I think this would be an awesome trick.

[MarchOfThePenguins44]

a week ago we got a new toy poodle puppy and he is only 3 months old and he has already peed on the carpet 3 times. We take him out regularly (1 hour) and when he did he didn't even go to the door or give any sign. Do you have any tips on getting him to stop peeing on the carped. thanks! (when he goes outside we give him a treat)

[sdsunshiness]

@MarchOfThePenguins44 have u gone to zaks channel and watched his videos? there are a bunch, if u have a puppy, watching more of his videos will do you some good...he has most questions already answered in his videos if people would just watch them before asking questions. it is very kind and generous of zak to post his videos which offer a lot of information for free that a lot of people have to pay for else where b/c they wont take initiative to learn from his videos

[krystlejade]

Why would you consider clicker/treat training to be an improper way to teach a dog new commands?

[zakgeorge21]

@krystlejade I don't. I am a heavy advocate of clicker training! I find that many get stuck on this tool and interact with their dog on such a mechanical level. In my view, the clicker is a great tool, but should not be the main method for teaching.

[smith45acp]

@zakgeorge21 Well said. I'm a big Cesar fan but like anything, I use a general model but make it my own. You have some really good info on your channel Zak. Keep it up.

[jimlupi]

Zak, I know you are against most aversives in training. Is that also true in dog specialized dog sports? Not a lot of protection dogs trained all pos or world class retrievers.

[zakgeorge21]

@jimlupi I'm happy to answer your question, but please proofread your question. How am I supposed to know what you are asking?

[jimlupi]

@zakgeorge21

Ex. Most world class retrievers are trained w E-collars due to the distances involved. Are you against this obviosly aversive technique used in the hands of profesionals trained in there use, or just the general public?

[AgilityFox]

@jimlupi Retrievers have been trained at a distance long before the existance of E-collars !

Some "pro's" use them to save time, but the same job can be achieved with positive methods.

[jimlupi]

@AgilityFox

thanks Zak???????

I know some in this field and their is virtually none, if any, top retrievers trained w No aversive. Most heavily use marker training but basically NONE use it exclusively. Same goes for working dogs.

[2Fast4Mellow]

@jimlupi Let's talk flyball for a moment. Dogs that are scared don't perform as well as dogs that are having fun!

I have said it very often training ('owning') a dog is like raising a child. You need to start training (teaching) as soon as possible. After the initial dog training sessions most people tend to say with the dog school and take part of (amateur) dog sports like Treibball or Flyball. Also on the professional level the dog gets a reward, even if something did go wrong..

[kurguzy]

Give up bringing up Cesar. I know it has only been the past 4 or 5 videos or so, but it is ridiculous. Spend your time making quality, informative videos instead of giving opinions why you are right and Cesar is wrong. He got to where he is at because of informative, quality shows.

[jimlupi]

Dr. mech is being taken out of context here as he states that a pecking order will emerge w wolves in non familial groups and that its entirely appropriate to use alpha then.

[jimlupi]

@jimlupi not saying that training should be baced on the concept but, maybe it has its place?

[1967mjc]

There's a really good book written by a man who I think shines a new light on the dog--wolf--human--pack--alpha debate.

'The Man Who Lives With Wolves' by Shaun Ellis

[DestinyAnn1]

Completely agree, YOU have to train your dog and take the time to make them a good dog!

[breyercrazy789]

In my opinion dogs need a friend to look up to for a form of leadership and not an Alpha. Dogs are not wolves.

[COCOBFAM]

Hey zak i want to thank you for the "teach to come" vid, thanks to that is easy for me to call my dog when shes far instead of going to her. Theres one problem that i have with her, shes a siberian husky 7 months old and every time i train her with food she confuses any other comand with the bark comand, ive teached her to drop, sit, come and bark but she usually stares at me and then barks if i have food and if she doesnt get the food she starts leaning. Any suggestion.

[nicknozzy]

hello zak, i like your style and teaching..i have a well balanced male border collie cross. he has run of after girls dos 3 times in his life since puppy hood. i am starting agility training. the trainer recomends that i will have nicer dog, if i castrate him.

do you have any veiws on this. i am mostly interested in his long term well being. thanks nick

[mysecretscankill]

any parts of his training or situations involving certain dogs that you agree with him. Thanks a bunch for reading :)

[mysecretscankill]

I am kinda relating this to both your video about cesar milan and this one at the same time hope ya don't mind. But, as much as I understand your side of the topic and completely agree in some cases, I do believe that some dogs, especially those who have not been raised in as stable an environment as yours such as dogs who have already developed issues do require a trainer such as cesar and he's shown time and time again that his method is also successful. Basically I'm just curious if there are

[MihzSaxon]

Omg can you PLEEEEEASE do a video on :

How to teach your dog to bring you the mail :)!!

[clydefav]

Your ideas in this video make so much sense, you explain your theory well, thank you

[DannyChizza]

Hey zak just letting you know your vids are great and I appreciate the time and effort you put into them. You do a fantastic job in remaining so diplomatic for the good of the community. People don't seem to understand just how hard it is to remain composed among the swarms of ungrateful internet morons, who wield misinformation and spread it like a deadly biological weapon. Keep up the good fight mate, people's views are changing, one at a time.

[k9DaAV]

Wooo! Answered my Question :p

[jercommm]

Well, not to change the subject but I can’t watch the Animal Planet with my Sheltie Alex in the room because he gets too excited and barks at the dogs on it. I always buy calendars with pictures of wolves on it. The first of each month when I change the picture, he barks at it for a day or two. He barks at pictures of himself. Is he neurotic?

[bloodashenfire]

I teach my dogs like I do the kids I babysit. You reward good behavior and if there is bad behavior you find an alternate behavior that you CAN reward. Funny how the kids and animals around me are well behaved...

[sdsunshiness]

@bloodashenfire ha! i'm a preschool teacher & i feel the same way, and have the same results! so many people are just too insecure or ignorant or egotistical to treat kids and animals w/the respect they deserve, which is more than most humans b/c kids and animals are innocents. everyone has always commented on how in love w/me my pets are & parents often come into my class to say they appreciate how thier kids talk about me at home saying they love me! i treat them w/loving guidance & respect

[geedunk13]

I have posted your past two videos on dogforums . com and gotten good discussion!

But for some odd reason people don't understand you, their crazy

[jercommm]

Yes it makes sense. I am NOT blaming the dog Zak, I am blaming the training of them.

If these dogs had a loving home from the start, they would never be aggressive. I trust my dog more then humans. Does that make sense? A lot of people don't think it does :)

[bpop518]

Hi Zak! I saw you on the Dogs 101 puppy special and I agree with you 100% when you said rubbing your dog's nose in their accident, spanking them or shouting at them is completely ineffective. Anyways, my question is can you make a short video to get across that spanking them is absolutely unnecessary and stupid?

[jercommm]

Sorry about the misspelling of Rottweilers. But yes, seriously. Why do I constantly read about these types of dogs killing humans if there is not a connection to the way they were trained? They sometimes kill people simply for sport?

[zakgeorge21]

@jercommm Because you are one of the victims of a very bias media in this arena. Rotties, and Pits, and Shepherds are fantastic animals that, overall, are as sweet and loving as any other breed. It's the thugs that abuse them that gives the dogs that reputation. It's kind of like saying that sports cars are dangerous, even though it's the drivers that make the mistakes. Make sense?

[manvsbush]

@zakgeorge21, you're right, Rotties, Pitts and GSDs are fantastic dogs, as are BCs (I have a 2 year old named Teva), though they high rank on dog bite lists.

That being said, most lists only consider serious bites. However, when considering total bites, regardless of severity, a recent study has ranked Pits 8th, Rotties 15th and GSDs 17th. Interestingly, BCs ranked 7th, ahead of Pits. The most agressive? Dach, Chias, Beagles and JRTs.

[manvsbush]

Many dogs get labeled as killers not because they truly are, but because they can. Smaller, more aggressive dogs just can't cause fatalities, and run of the mill bites don't make for good media coverage. Now I do believe that dogs such as Pits have a greater propensity to harm/hill, and from a genetic stand point. Of course they do, they were selectively bred for that purpose, but that doesn't mean that with proper care, handling and training that they can't make great pets.

[manvsbush]

As a pet owner with 4 dogs (a BC, Cavalier King Charles, Cockapoo and terrier/Dachshund mix) and a 15 month old child, I found it best to handle dogs on a case by case basis. At the park, on the trail, or when we're out and about (all of our dogs are involved in many activities... therapy, disc competitions, dock jumping, treibball, agility, rally, etc.), we're observant of other dogs and their owners. Most often, dog issues I encounter, regardless of breed, begins with the owner. Period.

[Zresponder]

@jercommm Pitbulls and Rots are different animals. Rots are meant for protection and depending on the strain show varying amounts of people aggression. Usually Rots from German working lines tend to be more human aggressive and American strains are usually pet grade. Now pits who knows, lots of times attacks that are not even done by pits are attributed to them. They can be people aggressive but usually they prefer to kill your dogs as fast as you can put them down.

[sdsunshiness]

@Zresponder wow, funny u say pit bulls prefer to kill dogs as soon as they're put down because when i'm out w/my pit bull he only wants to play w/other dogs, not fight, in fact, he'll avoid an agressive dog. the most agressive dogs towards my pit bull are little dogs who'll get under him & bite him, while he just looks at me like "get this dumb ass off me!".the other day another ZAK utube watcher was saying he's upset that his pit bull let a chiwawa(whatever) "attack" him.APBT's are not killers!

[Shadowhumonoid483]

@sdsunshiness I totally agree!!! I have never met an aggressive pit bull. The only reason why people are afraid of them is because of their reputation. Pit bulls who have not been trained to be aggressive are usually very sweet.

[blazingkitten]

@jercommm Like Zac said its is generally the people's fault. Sometimes the dogs have genetic issues and have mental conditions, but again that is probably due to something a human did with bad breeding. Usually these dogs have had some horrible training, if you could ever call it that. People are usually to blame for most dog attacks.

[EvelineUK]

@jercommm So called bite incidents I'm willing to bet happen more with smaller dogs than with larger dogs. The problem is that lager dogs get themselves in trouble when they nip because it tends to make more damage. You could 'train' any dog to be agressive, unfortunately ppl. who are interested in doing so are often drawn to certain (impressive, big!) breeds.

[babylushful]

Thanks so much for this video

[MrSafety18]

I cant find the right term for this but, i think my dogs obey me (ive 3 border collies), they respect me, they see me as some kind of leader, i have raised them with the same style you use and promote zack, they dont see me as a dictator or with fear when they do as i say, The thing is, then why do dogs obey us, or respect and defend us if we are not theyre leaders? I think they do follow us, but then what creates this, i think to them we are superior in some way dont you think?

[sdsunshiness]

@MrSafety18

there's a difference between "dominating" & training as the "alpha" verses treating ur dog w/respect & taking time to train the dog in a positive way, which will create trust & the dog will naturally look to u as its leader. there are many leaders in the world who don't lead by dominance & fear, but rather by engaging w/a person or animal so there's a genuine respectful relationship. if i teach preschool, i'm thier leader,they follow my directions, am I dominating them?or superior?

[sdsunshiness]

@MrSafety18 they obey you, respect you & love you b/c u are their leader, and u just proved that we dont have to dominate or be an alpha as zak says for our dogs to obey, respect, love, protect and see us as their leader. they see us as their leaders b/c we house them, feed them, provide for them, love them, treat them w/love & respect, take time to play w/them, train them. they do follow us & what creates that is the love, respect & time we give them.they see us more like parents than alphas

[MrSafety18]

@sdsunshiness I totally agree with you, Thanks!

[stephboo92]

for him reading the comments that are posted in the first couple days hasnt done me any good lately. ive left comments asking zak and on his twitter for some type of advice/help on teaching my dog to not bite/pull/tug the leash,, and to "drop". he went to obediance class at the local petsmart and did no good. not i have to spend more money on a retired k9 officer for help. so w.e thanx for not helpng zak

[zakgeorge21]

@stephboo92 Are you kidding me? I have a combined audience of 50 thousand plus. I have probably answered every single one of your questions if you would go through my videos.

[stephboo92]

@zakgeorge21 nope i never got a response it would have showed up in my inbox. i understand that you have many many many followers bc u know what your doing and are respectful about doing it. the only reason i even said anything is bc u said u read the comments for the frist few days the vid is up and i usually come on the same time everyday and see ur vids after like an hr or 2 being up and ask a question.

[sdsunshiness]

@stephboo92 as zak said, if u actually watch his videos u'll find answers to ur questions...u're looking in the wrong place for personal training help, u need to pay for that. this is a place for zak to share his videos on training & share information. this is not his free advice service. if someone asked me to answer a personal question w/the attitude u gave zak, i wouldn't reply at all. try watching his videos&then if u still have questions, look into hiring zak, rather than bitching at him!

[stephboo92]

@sdsunshiness for your information i did look through all of his videos for suggestions on all channels and nothing was there. i didnt have an attitude or bitch at him at first but he said he answers questions and all i said was that i have left a few questions and never got an answer and i usully watch his vids like in the first few hrs they are uploaded. im not gonna hire and pay someone thousansds of dollars caus hes famous whn i can hire a reitred k9 sheriff from my county.so dont come at me

[jercommm]

@zakgeorge21 I think If you purchase a dog when a puppy and show it love and understanding there is absolutely no need to show dominance. However, if you adopt a police dog or any other breed that has been trained to attack or dominate a human then you may have to show you are the alpha. Also, dogs like German Sheppard’s, rot welders or pit bulls, have been bred so long to be aggressive that on occasion even when adopted as puppies they need to be shown who is boss, but that is the exception.

[zakgeorge21]

@jercommm Your comments are misinformed. And "Rot welders"? Seriously?

Anyway, no dog needs to be dominated

[EvelineUK]

@zakgeorge21 Lovely, dissing someone just because they can't spell a certain word.

[Keiko8383]

@EvelineUK It's not so much that they can't spell it, but that they don't even know what the word is supposed to be and didn't bother to look it up. It shows their ignorance and that they probably have no authority on the subject.

[sdsunshiness]

@EvelineUK he's not "dissing" anyone, what he's saying is fact, opposed to the other persons ignorant comment. why are you watchings zaks videos & reading comments if your gonna talk shit to zak? if ur not a fan, don't watch his videos! u really sound like an instigater, how is zaks comment a "dis"? the fact is the person he's replying to is misinformed and no dog needs to be dominated. the whole ""Rot welders"? Seriously?" comment zak said is more of a clairification than a dis.

[EvelineUK]

@sdsunshiness the 'Seriously?' makes it dissing. He could have said, 'Whether a dog is a German Shepherd or a Rottweiler, I still feel they don't need dominating. No dog does'. The he would have shown the proper spelling and made his point without being negative about the person commenting.

[EvelineUK]

@stephboo92 I'm taught my pup 'drop' by having 2 similar toys. I throw the tennisball, she brings it back, and gets a click and food, or 'gooood girl' and food reward when she drops it. (having the other ball makes her want that one more than the one she already has!) When she started doing that a couple of times in a row, I added the command 'drop' to the behaviour. Later I phased out the food, and the throwing of the 2nd ball became the reward for the 'drop'.

[blazingkitten]

@stephboo92 Sounds like to me you just aren't putting the time and correct training method for your dog. Obviously your response to the dog has been reinforcing enough for him to continue. You can't expect something to get solved overnight because habits developed over many months that are like that, take time to fix.

[ProNils]

Hi Zak, I have a little Boxer puppy and he always try to bite me and goes crazy.

What should I do? I tried to hold him on the ground for 5-10 sec. but after this he continue biting me. Pls help I dont want to torture him.

Greeting from Germany

[grejotte]

@ProNils Hey it's great that you don't want to torture him. First step on the right path! Puppies always bites! So try giving him toys when he tries to bite you. Keep him busy so he doesn'T even think to bite you! Puppies require a LOT of supervision and attention. Be patient and begin to train him tricks already so you start to create a relationship of trust with him, and to keep him busy. :)

And, you don't have to hold him to the ground. It's better if you don't!

[wingsNpaws]

Zak, as a positive reinforcement trainer, I am very glad you made this video. The idea that we have to enforce without force can never be overemphasized. It really sickens me when I'm out with my dog and see someone walking their dog with a choke collar, prong collar, or for lack of a better word, other BS that they think are "tools" to train their dog. Your video makes very clear that these are unnecessary. Keep up the good work.

[TheCelticlion]

@zakgeorge21 Very Important Points. I have seen 'dog trainers?' punishing a dog in a Millanesque way for what they wrongly percieved as 'dominating' behaviour. When the dog was just wanting to interact or was just being curious in a new situation. The Alpha mentality seems to have gone as far as infecting 'dog trainers?' to the extent they now believe they can go up to someone and punish a dog without the owners permissions, for what they wrongly think is inappropriate behaviour.

[thewhitewingedwolf]

to respond to your title:Yes,I am the pack leader:) and i did not achieve that by beating my dog/intimidating him or anything!You must gain your dog's trust,make him your best friend,I get angry when people say that : Look my dog is pulling me on the leash,he is dominant he thinks he is the alfa male,I'm gonna show him,etc...I just believe that the respective dog can't wait to get somewhere or he has not been exercised enough...am I wrong?

[mydogkanskidrums]

@zakgeorge21 These behaviours aren't even submissive- as submission implies that something has forced (physically or psychologically) to 'submit' to them. The word generally used now is 'deference', which is basically politeness in human terms. We are deferent to our parents; or I am deferent to someone in the gym wanting to get on the treadmill because I'm absolutely knackered and don't value the resource as much. 'Dominance' has a lot of problems, but so does 'submission'.

[zakgeorge21]

@mydogkanskidrums You are correct. I have modified the language:)

[catnai2008]

do you know even in wolf communities, there is no alpha etc. its usually a mother a father and the pups.

[rebeccaboo18]

Hi Zak, Offtopic question from the video, but I am trying to teach my dog to do a "beg" style trick but she doesnt seem to be holding herself up, just dropping straight back down with no balance. Indi is a Rhodesian ridgeback, is it possible to larger heavier dogs to balance and sit/stand on the back legs for a while or is their size and weight limiting to this type of trick?

Thanks

[zakgeorge21]

@rebeccaboo18 Yup. It takes time for the muscles to acquire the proper muscle memory.

[helsinkisuomi]

LOVE the picture of Venus on the wall!

[danijel57]

I like what you're saying, but what I don't understand is how you deal with a dog trying to dominate you (puppies especially test limits all the time and have it their way). Am I wrong in believing that in these situationa one of you has no choice but to come out as the dominant one? For example, I don't let any dog (not just my dog) lean on me, sit on me, jump on me, take something from me without permission, etc. This I feel does have a lot to do with dominance...

[mydogkanskidrums]

@danijel57 But what has leaning on you and sitting on you have to do with dominance? Dominance rank in canid packs is pre-formed, so it is not shown through 'dominating' behaviours. In fact, the way in which a pack stays a cohesive unit is through deference (not submission- like Zak has used on a number of times), which are politeness gestures to those higher rank. But this is off-topic with humans, as there does not seem to be any evidence to assume dogs form hierarchies with us.

[grejotte]

@mydogkanskidrums You are right, hierarchy is impossible between two different species.

[zakgeorge21]

@danijel57 You're confusing dogs "dominating" you with dogs wanting to INTERACT with you. Leaning, jumping, "taking something from you" (a dog's way of trying to engage in play very often) are all genuine behaviors that suggest a desire to be social with you. These are not behaviors that indicate a desire from your dog to be "in charge".

[grejotte]

@danijel57 You have to know also that all that theory about dogs trying to dominate us or being the alpha is wrong. Dogs and humans cannot create a hierarchy. Dogs do not born as Dominent one or Submissive one. It's not genetic.

I think you didn't understand what Zak said. Look for Dominance philosophy and Sophia Yin on google.

She wrote an article that explains what is dominance and how it applies to dogs.

[EvelineUK]

Wait, did you change the title of this video? I swear this morning it was 'Train or connect', and I left a comment agreeing that it's not a 'you have to do this first in order to...' is nowhere to be found now. :(

[zakgeorge21]

@EvelineUK I made a few changes and reposted the video.

[EvelineUK]

@zakgeorge21 I'm so glad you've cleared that up. I thought I was going mad.

[SalsaTiger83]

In a pack there is no Alpha. It is more about who influences whom, which is more a kind of a network, and different networks in different aspect. Basically all "dominance" is, that one dog doesn't want another dog to kick his ass....

[CanadianAnimalLuver]

All I'm going to say today is that the trainer that helped me with my dog's aggression. Did not use ANY physical punishments. The aggression did not occur because the dog had been abused in the past, my dog was well socialized, but my dog was very insecure and felt the need to protect myself and my house from strange men. Positive reinforcement alone does not always prevent such problems. Nor can it always fix them. Just because a trainer uses "dominance" theory doesn't make them wrong or bad.

[grejotte]

@CanadianAnimalLuver So what did he do to solve the problem?

[CanadianAnimalLuver]

@grejotte Like I say it was "dominance" theory based. Basically she explained that my dog should look to me to protect the house and trust me to do so. So using only body language and correction sounds (a very low and deep "no") Mixed with not letting him get away with the little things that may lead him to think that he's in charge, so getting strict with heeling on leash and not just loose leash walking, not letting him rush ahead of me through up stairs etc. Giving attention on my terms....

[EvelineUK]

@CanadianAnimalLuver Proper leash manners and not rushing ahead are more safety issues IMO than a 'dominance' thing. I don't want my dog rushing out the door because I live on a bus route, and her running into a bus will kill her. Same with leash pulling. If she pulls me over, I'll get hurt, and she might get hurt too.

[CanadianAnimalLuver]

@grejotte Cont...Mixed with always praising good behavior and taking baby steps. Practicing with men coming in the yard, eventually moving to men in the house. We would literally set it up with to practicing instead of waiting for someone to ring the bell and attempt to train him in a real life situation with the stress of having someone waiting for you to get control of your dog. It is so much easier to prevent aggression though. By knowing the warning signs and not letting it escalate.

[hend6475]

Zac, I've read that too, that wolf packs have only formed due to wolfs being forced into smaller areas in North America than is natural. Packs are simply a coping mechanism that is not normal in wolf behavior.

[AquaticZissou]

Great video. And informative. I was a beliver of the Cesar way, but in the end it became a sort of military dictatorship of my dogs. And they stopped developing. They would just behave and never be creative. So I stopped doing it and started looking at Zak's videos. It takes a little more effort sometimes, but the end result is much better with Zak's approach. Good video again. It makes you think. No one likes the boss that is bashing everything. That goes for dogs too. Communication is key.

[jook00]

Zac, you have such great videos! My dog used to snarl at me when I reached out and tried to take his chewing stick away from him. Isn't this him trying to establish he's the "alpha" male (what's a better term here)? Is this how all dogs will be throwing the whole alpha myth aside?

[sdsunshiness]

@jook00

sounds like ur dog is saying dont take my stick away, why would u take a chewing stick away from ur dog? isn't it his? would u want him taking ur food? dog training & ownership is not about being in charge, its about having a loving relationship, respect him, he'll respect u. he's not trying to establish he's the alpha, he's doing what comes naturally to protect his food. dogs can be like kids, they'll test, but its not about being the alpha, its about seeing what they can get away with

[grejotte]

I'd like to cite Dr.Sophia Yin: "Some choose to lead like a dictator others choose to lead like ghandi, without force."

I just love that citation. :)

[sonypower159]

Yeah...I don get it how can people listen to a " Trainer" that uses harsh training with a reasoning often related to wolf behaviour?....

[BabyGirlxBina]

I agree. Leadership isn't about being firm and in control all the time. Leadership through fear is just fear alone.

[123fritz123123]

I think this is the first video I ever watched of yours that I actually agree with about 99%. of what you said.

[TesselAndSybil]

2 vids on a day :D