I am so happy you all are enjoying this series! It has barely begun and we have lots of surprises! Throughout this and countless other videos and series, and with my own dogs virtually exclusively, BarkBox treats, toys, and chews have been a staple. Getting fresh, fun options every month keeps things exciting for the dogs and super useful for training. ❤❤ They’ve also got an amazing deal where you can double your treats and toys when you sign up, all for under 30 bucks. No pressure, just making you aware!
I love Wallace, he's got such character! I have a dog similar to him who I trained early on using a lot of material from your Moria serious 🙂 Can you get barkbox in the UK?
During COVID, I got an Australian Shepherd. I would eat, sleep, breathe, and dream Zak George training videos and literally watched Inertia grow up❣️ I am SO grateful for all the free training Wrigley and I received. He is such a good boy! Thanks Zak ❤️🙏🏼
Oh wow! Fellow covid-time puppy parent here, and me too, I absorbed the Inertia series. Most of it, anyways; just watching it a second time around now. Zak's techniquest transformed my girl from a notoriously reactive "monster" who'd lunge at everything that moved to a very nicely-adapted calm (most-of-the-time) companion and guardian. She's an Estrela Mountain Dog, same age as Inertia and your boy Wrigley 🙂
I used this method to get my pup to leave it, especially in a “managed” environment. It worked great until I started trying to use it in more real world environments. He basically forgot ALL the hours training once we went outside and I tried to use it. Dogs are simply wired to be more motivated by their environment/the other dog/the squirrel/sniffing/etc than any treat we can offer as owners. I love the idea of positive reinforcement only training, but I’ve been trying more balanced training the last few weeks, and I’ve made so much more progress and my puppy is so so happy. No leash pulling, nipping, potty accidents. Nothing worth of note since the change. Love the energy here, but reality is…just like with my kids, it’s becoming clear to me that you have to know how weigh positive with negative when it comes to directing their behavior. Much love.
Oooo nice, a new Wallace episode! Saving this one for breakfast tomorrow morning 🙂 Wallace is amazing; maybe at some point in the future, we'll see a Malinois join the George family - you two certainly got along amazingly; the fun that was had during Wallace's time with you guys is infectious!
Hi Zac I have a adult kelpie now got her at 12 weeks and your videos on you tube were the ones I looked at into training “coco” she picked things up quick thanks to you your videos first off 🙂 😍
My female Pembroke Welsh Corgi has some "leave it" skills for certain items. In the morning, she takes two medications. When I let her out of her crate, I hold her collar before I attach her leash and she sits. She knows exactly where her meds are and she'll head for that area pulling on her leash. I stop until we have a loose leash. I'll put one of her meds in a pill pocket and the other one on a lid. With each one I put it down on the floor near her, on the floor in front of her, in a closed fist under her nose, and in my opened hand under her nose. She'll leave it at each position until I say take it. On the other hand if I don't take her out on a leash she'll find feces even under the snow and attempt to eat it. I try to pick up any feces, so she won't be tempted to eat it. "Leave it" doesn't work for this pica behavior. I guess that this is a common behavior.
While walking my rescue, Fezzik (adolescent Lab/Pit) yesterday, he came out from under a car bumper with what I recognized as a cat's horked-up HAIRBALL that was roughly 6" long 😮🤮 I got it away from him but OMG, how nasty! 😂 I'm working on getting him to not be so reactive, but honestly, IDK what I'm doing and I can't afford a real trainer... So I really appreciate these FREE helpful tips.
This is the only time and reason that I would use treats or food not for training but for creating distractions. Treats are great distractions for dogs and I don't consider them rewards because of the reason mentioned in the video, that dogs are scavengers and they get enough distractions and treasures naturally from what this beautiful earth has to offer them. I still feel the way to train dogs is treat-free and by using play and praise. I hope someday you will join my camp.
German Mali’s are such awesome dogs, but I am not brave enough for their adolescence! 🤣 Great tip that worked with my guy when he was younger was pairing a happy “Leave it!” with a cookie from my hand. The cue now means “Look at Mom, not the distraction, because she’s got reinforcement!” YMMV!
Agreed, and I wouldn't be brave enought for their adolescence either, lol! The next puppy we'll bring into our family will be a Golden Retriever. And that from someone who once trained working line German Shepherds and Malinois. At almost 50, I gravitate towards more mellow dogs with a little bit less "horse-power unter the hood".
@zakgeorge Hey, I am so thankful for this video. I am a student at Victoria Stilwell Academy. I have gone over the lesson on "leave it" and it's amazing. However, I love seeing the real world context you show through your videos. It's a great review for me with an amazing dog. I love Wallis! Also it came at a perfect time when I'll be helping a friend with their puppy, a 10 month old Berna doodle, who counter surfs for food and paper of any sort. Thanks so much for your amazing videos, for all the hard work you and your wife put into them and for your books. I really appreciate all your series too. I will be waiting with excited anticipation for the next Wallis video. Take care!
@@zakgeorge zak im trying to teach my adosolent dog to stay out of kitchen i have painters tape as a boundry line any tips for it? i give him treats when he waits outside the line and say uh uh when he crosses and bring him back behind the boundry i dont yell or punish its been 3 days and he now knows i want him to stay behind the line but purposely crosses cause he would rather get in kitchen then treat and theres no punishment for coming in i take him out he walks back in any tips for him knowing the rules but breaking them? hes a 1 year old lab pit mix loves food.
@@TomTheCat29 where do you feed him???. also you could also use some spacial pressure *walking into him* te let him know that that's not what you want *him walking/going into the kitchen*. you could also possibly use a gate aswell!!. and what colour is the tape that you've put down aswell seeing as dogs have limited colour vision
@Zack._.7 only part of the kitchen by the stove is off limits he eats in the other section of kitchen or dining room. the color tape is blue getting a gate is more exspensive then wed like. i use my body to guide him out and he backs up out but then does it either when im not looking or when he feels like it smart but stubborn. is it just more repitition needed? im just wondering with enough repitition of telling him coming in is wrong and when he is out treating him telling him its right he will get it ingrained and not do it due to routine? like a habit? the thing is i see it in his eyes he stops at the tape looking at it. he knows where to stop has done it many times but when he doesnt want to doesnt im being VERY consistent. thanks for the tips! im open to any other advice you have. i really would like him not to go in because the kitchen is very crowded and he gets underfoot.
Yes, we work on this constantly with my "scarfador" retriever! Everything and anything on the ground - she is all in (or should I say everything is all in her). We're getting better at 18 mo. daily practice.
I got a 6 month danish swedish farmdog with lightspeed movement. This exercise takes well.. a bit longer to get it right. Easier with toys- things to eat are in the category of expert mode😂But dog ownera are not made to give up! At least not the good ones😊Nice to see Wallace, what kind of personality does he have? What is his biggest challenge?
I have your books and like your NEW Dog Training Revolution. Could you tell me the beautiful area that is in the background of Mountains? I have an 8 months old Malinois female.
The thing my new puppy WONT leave alone is my broom. And I know it’s MY fault bc one day I was sweeping and he loved chasing it so we played. But now every time I sweep he comes after it and I have to hide it bc he finds it. So just that ONE thing I did to encourage him was a BIG mistake. So I’m gonna work on that. But he’s really smart and learning so fast!
Hi Zak, concerning the difference between leave and wait, in what order would you teach them and how would they differ? At a basic level they are the same thing and me and my partner are struggling on how to differentiate.
@@WelshNareik leave is/would be more of kinda "leave it, your ant have it kinda situation" whereas wait would be more of a kinda "wait until I release you for you to go get that thing that you want" kinda thing I wouldn't say they're the same and I would also kind of classify wait as more of a self control thing as well whereas leave or leave it is more of a don't this thing kinda thing if that makes sense. I hope this helps!
@Zack._.7 I know they are different at the end goal but the learning process for them is very similar until they advance. I'm struggling with the difference in training, not the difference in what they entail.
@@HollyOly thanks Holly I thought it was a rough wear one too but it looks like it has some pattern on it and also three different straps not just around the neck or chest area and the barrel but further back as well. I bought a harness with three you know placements and one of them the back one was right in front of my boys you know what. I found an awesome one where I could put his service dog patches on and he was always peeing all over that third strap in the back because it had a you know the material went all the way through. Maybe he's just too small he's a miniature Schnauzer and something else who knows but he's only 18 lb so maybe he's too small for three or three way harness. Thank you for replying I appreciate it.
Not only on the ground, on the table, in the kitchen at all, in any room in the house, loves to shred paper and books, socks and underwear, just about anything he has within reach. He's 21 months old now, I originally hoped he would be my service dog...argggg!
Leaves! She is addicted. And if they are blowing, you are in big trouble! 11#'s of thrust! Still working on self-control. Loooonnnngggg ways to go when it comes to leaves. But lots of success concerning most everything else I need a leave it behavior for.
We're using a basket muzzle for street walks in litter infested areas. He's 2 now and wont stop grabbing chicken bones. There isnt a safe place in the city to teach leave it without a fence. Any recs?
Except you do need to reinforce the cue when the dog is more motivated by whatever you're trying to tell them to leave alone. Also there are quite a few force free and balanced trainers out there who would not recommend giving the treat that you say "leave it" with to the dog as the reward. This teaches the dog that they can have the thing they want instead of looking to you for a reward when you give your reward marker. For my dog for example he's smart so he would basically interpret "yes" as I can go chase that squirrel now"
@@JenDoodle I don't understand what if it's something that the dog like absolutely can NOT have like it can kill em why would you essentially make it so that when you say leave or leave it and then your marker word they can have it? Like that really just doesn't make like any fuckin sense like at all
@Zack._.7 you clearly did not read my post very closely. I was stating that the way Zak is rewarding "leave it" has the potential to teach the dog that they can have whatever it was that you did not want them to have. To be clear. I am stating a less confusing way to teach a dog to leave it is that you NEVER reward them with what you told them to leave it with. Even if it's a treat, the dog should NEVER have it.
Bro I have a Kombai puppy Kombai is meant to be a very aggressive and a top notch protective dog but mine is too friendly so how do i make it protective and bark at intruders its 3 months old pls help bro but it does not fear for another dog so Pls guve some advice bro
I think you need to adjust your thinking about dogs. It’s much more important that your dog receive love and nourishment and that you focus on the bond between you and your dog and giving him lots of great experiences.
Out of curiosity, do you find it counter-productive to introduce "leave it" as something he WILL eventually get? Later on, when you use "leave it" for cigarette butts, chicken bones, goose poop, etc... wouldn't your dog think they will eventually get those things? What makes this different from a "wait until I release you to have it" concept? Or you do you train leave it and wait in the same way?
Great question! In the beginning stages of teaching “leave it,” I might allow the dog to get the item after leaving it as a way to build understanding and motivation. This helps keep things simple while reinforcing the behavior. However, I quickly transition to making “leave it” mean the item is off-limits indefinitely. The key difference from “wait” is in the outcome: with “wait,” the dog learns they’ll eventually get the item after showing patience. With “leave it,” the expectation shifts to disengagement entirely, with no promise of getting the thing. Consistency in how these cues are practiced and rewarded helps dogs understand the difference and respond reliably in real-world situations.
Yes, I was going to comment on that, as well. What I do (and I'm not saying I'm right and Zak is wrong--there are often multiple ways to teach something and one is just as valid as the other if you're not hurting or scaring the dog), is that I have two treats. One is of lesser value (which is the thing I ask the dog to leave) and one of higher value. If they leave the lesser value treat, they get the higher value treat (and they never get the thing I've asked them to leave). As the dog learns what to do, I gradually increase the value of the the thing I'm asking them to leave (a treat) until they're leaving a treat equal in "value" to the one they'll be rewarded with.
@@zakgeorge wouldn't it just make more sense tho to just start of with teaching them to leave the thing in your your and not give it to them I feel like that would make more sense instead like a "sometimes you may have the thing I'm asking you to leave." instead of "no you must leave what I'm telling you to leave." Yk i feel like that would make alot more sense to both people and dogs /gen
My dog loves jumping on my for my mittens but the most annoying thing he won’t leave is lifting his leg on other dogs. I don’t know how to stop him. I’m at currently working on “leave it,” “look” and “come” to try to stop this behavior.
I have a big problem, well my dog has a big problem with fireworks. So big she doesn't want to go on a walk wh it gets dark... That lasts about half a year, every year.. Do you have any tips to share.. (I call here my lille mini golden retriever, she's a mix of many)
This may sound flip, and I don't mean it to. The answer is--don't take her for walks when it gets dark. You may have to reshuffle your schedule, but maybe take her out early in the morning before you leave for work? Or have a dog walker come and walk her while you're at work (although be careful not to walk her when it's too hot during the summer months)? You could probably do some sort of desensitization and counterconditioning, but it would likely be difficult to realistically capture the light fading and the conditions that happen at night (the sound of insects and night birds, the stars, the moon, etc.). You could try something like a Thundershirt, a DAP collar, or some calming care (before putting anything on your dog's food, check with your vet to ensure it's okay for your dog's particular medical history), but those things probably won't be sufficient by themselves to make walking after dark a quality and calm experience. These things help some (but certainly not all) dogs and they probably won't do the trick as stand-alone interventions. If you have actual fireworks going off while trying to walk, please don't try to walk her then. She could pull away and run and she's in a panic and not "thinking" and she won't likely listen to anything you ask of her (like a recall). It could have a tragic ending and it sounds like you really love her.
@janhankins911 she does get I walk in the morning. And she has full access to the garden most of the day. We live in Denmark, it get drak early here doing winter time. I work part time, she is rarely home alone for long. She is trained to walk in shoes, when there is a lot of snow, and or of the roads are hot. Though we don't get it that hot in Denmark that offen. But she has shoes, and she doesn't hate walking in them.. (I should really make a film on my youtube Channel about her. She a mix of 6 dog types, about 35kg and the sweetened dog ever. kids, cat (Our cat), even baby's love here, they can give her traits and the will take it so jental of there small hands.. She is 6 years old now. (sorry about my English, I'm dyslexic and English is not my frist language)
@@FintaruS I really highly suggest doing some desensitisation her i.e. playing fireworks on your TV maybe start of with no sound at first and have her just observe them and if she interacts *going up to the tv* then mark with a yes, good or some clicker of some sorts and then reward her this is what you would call. Counterconditioning. Essentially reorganising her brain and allowing her to see and hear fireworks as something positive/neutral and thsi will take some time but work slow and go at her pace but with fireworks on the TV start with no sound and then slowly turn the volume up and if she reacts and starts acting scared and possible trying to run away or starts to look uncomfortable I would also suggest searching up dog body language as well but if she starts to get uncomfortable just go back down a level on the volume and just keep treating and rewarding even you could use her food this will also help with your bond ontop of that aswell and hey even possibly you could do some training with her aswell get her focused more so on you rather than the fireworks and just keep doing this until she's comfortable essentially when she doesn't care about the fireworks anymore and then start again yk turn up the volume fo the same and maybe aswell only put volume up to abt the level as you would hear it in rela life aswell so it's a bit more realistic as well and jsut keep doing that over and over again until she doesn't care abt them and she more focused on you than the fireworks!!!!!!. You could also set a routine for whenever the fireworks are going such when they're going we do training etc.etc the training that you've done prior to this tho aka the desensitisation/counterconditioning will also help with this part aswell. I hope this helps !!!!!!!!!.
We have a Havanese that loves shredding tissues (and paper towels). Does your puppy then try to eat the tissue? Our Havanese doesn't, he just shreds, so we allow him to do it (picking up and throwing out the shreds when he's done). Our vet has given her blessing, saying it's fine as long as he doesn't consume what he's shredded.
Well, ugh.... poop. That's the weirdest thing my dog would not leave alone. Seems to be a pretty common one for dogs, though. Not that this applies to most dogs; but it doesn't seem to be terribly uncommon.
1:35 - 1:36 what? I feel like this is fake-...... o.o i also feel like this was trianed pre filming ontop of that aswell-...... And yk j mean hey if its not/if it wanst then yk whatever cool but i feel like it was-.....
We actually film all of the training for the first time on camera so that the viewer can see how it’s done. It’s remarkable how modern training can work so much faster than traditional training. That’s what we are about here. Showing people how to do that! Great having you here!❤
@zakgeorge bro you literally had him leave an invisible treat and yk I mean unless you've somehow fuckin managed to make treats invisible then dayum but still please goddamn jsut fucking explain what and why you done what you doen in the time stamps I done in my first comments please
Interesting that this dog trainer thinks that he can train dogs to ignore their instincts, the only way to truly guarantee that your dog doesn't get into things he or she is not supposed to is to not leave stuff out
@@Iamnatashak Very true. But you cant train a genetic behaviour out of a thousand year old purpose. You can surely manage, but it will never dissapear 100%.
If your dog is sick, they may not be able to help where they go. Imagine if you are sick and I tell you you have to go to a place that's convenient for me (like the neighbor's house). You may not be physically able to do that.
No, we only have one room with carpet. Our dogs past owners didn't really care for her very well so she will always have stomach issues unrelated to food. She will be on the other side of the house and run to the carpet to barf. She got no front teeth other than canines, too. So, I don't even know how she manages to hold it in her mouth like that.
Well, I'm not sure that either Zak or I could say anything that will change your mind if you firmly believe this, despite the large body of evidence that proves you wrong. I will say to you, however, that you will NEVER touch one of my dogs. You will NEVER touch one of the fearful rescues (who often react by growling, snarling, and snapping at everything and everybody) I see. Those dogs are afraid you're going to hurt them. You just prove them right. You'll never have a relationship with those dogs, you'll never teach those dogs to trust people, and you'll have dogs that are a liability to place in most pet homes. You'll have a lot of dogs you cannot place into most homes. What are you going to do with all those dogs that are sacred out of their wits and you respond by scaring them even more and actually hurting them?
@@janhankins911 gen question what abt the dogs that ARE ACTUALLY AGGRESSIVE and no I don't mena because of fear pain etc. I mean genetics/bad breeding. What abt those dogs / gen / no hate / curious.
@Zack._.7 If you have a dog that is aggressive due to genetics/bad breeding, you have a hard decision to make. Does the dog indicate an impending aggressive act? If not, that's a dangerous dog and euthanasia needs to be considered.
@janhankins911 but what if let's yp7 CAN fix it how would you do would you throw treats at it what? Cause personally I would correct it but yk that's just me and also I don't have an aggressive dog
Im concerned the way you are teaching this mallinois shepherd mix. These dogs have such high prey drive and are very intelligent. Food is not going to distract them if they see a squirrel run out from the bushes. Im in no way saying positive reinforcement isnt useful but these kind of dogs need firm boundaries. The second that these dogs see something more valuable than a treat they will absolutely go for it. A balanced approach gives the dog more reason to listen to you. I would rather have my dog feel mild discomfort a few times than them getting run over potentially.
I hear your concern, and you’re absolutely right, high-drive dogs like Malinois mixes require intentional, thoughtful training to match their intelligence and prey drive. The goal of this video is to build a foundation of impulse control that we can scale up to real-world scenarios. Teaching “leave it” in a controlled setting is the first step toward making it reliable even in the face of major distractions, like a squirrel darting out. Firm boundaries don’t have to mean discomfort. Boundaries are about setting clear expectations and building trust so that your dog chooses you, even in moments of high temptation. By reinforcing behaviors consistently and introducing distractions gradually, we can teach dogs to pause and think before reacting, which is far more effective and humane than relying on discomfort to enforce behavior. It’s not about whether food can compete with a squirrel in the moment-it’s about conditioning the dog to know how to respond to you instinctively. This approach protects their safety while preserving their confidence and trust. High-drive dogs thrive when we work with their intelligence, not against it. That’s the focus here.
I don’t hear any concerns, all I hear is using constant punishment is considered ok as a highly intelligent dog that learns via association, what will the consequences of this punishment be?
@simonmitchell5801 Are you stupid? The point of a prong collar/slip leash is to communicate to the dog that you don't want them to repeat that behaviour. It is to be used as a reinforcer for unwanted behaviour.
Ditto to what Zak said--he said it much more eloquently that I would have. If you have worked with your dog a built a strong relationship with him, positive reinforcement methods will accomplish everything a "balanced" approach will, without the problems inherent in using punitive based methods (on top of all the usual problems, like dogs exhibiting signs of stress and fear, dogs exhibiting physiologic issues like a higher heart rate, increased release of "stress hormones" like cortisol which can stay in the system up to 48 hours AFTER a punitive training session, you add another punitive training session in that time, you just add more cortisol to the mix and soon you get a dog that is going to react to the slightest thing--a powder keg--aggression!; and it's your training method; not the dog at fault), is that you harm that relationship with your dog. You don't need punitive methods to set boundaries. Please don't fall into the trap that positive training means you let the dog get away with whatever they want. It does NOT. I have never seen a dog that responded BETTER to punitive methods than they did to positive methods. I have never seen a dog develop a better relationship with a person who scares and hurts them than they will to a person who treats them with kindness and respect.
@@janhankins911 So what am i meant to do with a dog that literally ignores my existence and ignores treats whenever she leaves the house. Its at that point i have to use an aversive when the dog is not even acknowledging my existence. If you think your "Scientifically correct methods" are correct then why are there still so many balanced trainers pleasing customers and making a liveable wage. I recommend you watch cherry hoggs, he walks 15-20 dogs offleash at a time using aversives. So if it causes aggression in a dog then why do these trainers exist in the first place. Why have i met people who used e collars and saved their dogs lives, Howcome ive met people who train positive only and have aggressive dogs? Obviously one persons experience doesnt mean as much as a trainer whos been training for years but the proof is in the results.
Not sure what a high frequency environment means. However, we will cover how to do off leash training with a dog like this. The series is only getting started. I assure you it will be epic!
Why is everyone so enamored with letting dogs go off lead? I have one little dog that will NEVER go off lead. She's not the least bit "aggressive". Quite the opposite, she's a very fearful dog. If something scares her and she's off leash, she's not going to stop and think. She goes into "fight, flight, or freeze or fidgit" and she's going to pick flight. She's not "thinking", she's "reacting". She could get herself into trouble if she's off leash when something scares her. She's come a long way in our care, but I cannot control everything and sometimes we do come across something that scares her (we stop and work in that right then and there). Now you can think I just haven't trained her adequately. Perhaps I haven't. But I love her enough not to take chances and if you don't think I've done an adequate job of training her, then don't allow me to train your dog. You won't hurt my feelings in the least.
@@janhankins911 because if your dog isn't off lead after about 3 months of ownership maximum then you've obviously done something wrong. Zak has only had this dog for a month so I get that. And not to be rude but you're trying to say your methods work better under my other comment but your dog can't even go off lead🤣🤣
@@Austinlorentzan5499 Perhaps I'm an utter failure as a trainer, but at the end of the day, I'll have a dog who is safe and alive because I recognized that she's fearful and not a candidate for "off leash". Think what you will of me as a trainer (I don't really care), but my dog will be safe and alive.
@@janhankins911 I don't have a problem with not letting your dogs off lead but when you're trying to say that positive training is the way and balanced training does nothing yet you're using the "correct" method and your dog is fearful is quite ironic
I am so happy you all are enjoying this series! It has barely begun and we have lots of surprises!
Throughout this and countless other videos and series, and with my own dogs virtually exclusively, BarkBox treats, toys, and chews have been a staple. Getting fresh, fun options every month keeps things exciting for the dogs and super useful for training.
❤❤
They’ve also got an amazing deal where you can double your treats and toys when you sign up, all for under 30 bucks. No pressure, just making you aware!
My 8 month old pit bull will NOT quit chasing my cats and/or whining when they are out of her reach.
You've been milking this same dog for 3 months.... when are we gonna see some of this "training "?
I would love to see more videos about training, with other dog breeds and mixed-breed dogs as well.🐾❤
How do you get Barkbox delivered to Alaska?
I love Wallace, he's got such character! I have a dog similar to him who I trained early on using a lot of material from your Moria serious 🙂 Can you get barkbox in the UK?
During COVID, I got an Australian Shepherd. I would eat, sleep, breathe, and dream Zak George training videos and literally watched Inertia grow up❣️ I am SO grateful for all the free training Wrigley and I received. He is such a good boy! Thanks Zak ❤️🙏🏼
@@karisalmon3234 I’m grateful to have you here!
Oh wow! Fellow covid-time puppy parent here, and me too, I absorbed the Inertia series. Most of it, anyways; just watching it a second time around now. Zak's techniquest transformed my girl from a notoriously reactive "monster" who'd lunge at everything that moved to a very nicely-adapted calm (most-of-the-time) companion and guardian. She's an Estrela Mountain Dog, same age as Inertia and your boy Wrigley 🙂
@ ❤️🙏🏼
@@alexandradittmann8588 ❤️🙏🏼
I love your videos! I have a very new adolescent pup who needs alot of training, and you vids have helped me tremendously! 🐶
I’m so happy to hear this!
Love your training it's helped me with my dogs, and I recommend you to everyone with training issues.
Word
I used this method to get my pup to leave it, especially in a “managed” environment. It worked great until I started trying to use it in more real world environments. He basically forgot ALL the hours training once we went outside and I tried to use it.
Dogs are simply wired to be more motivated by their environment/the other dog/the squirrel/sniffing/etc than any treat we can offer as owners.
I love the idea of positive reinforcement only training, but I’ve been trying more balanced training the last few weeks, and I’ve made so much more progress and my puppy is so so happy. No leash pulling, nipping, potty accidents. Nothing worth of note since the change.
Love the energy here, but reality is…just like with my kids, it’s becoming clear to me that you have to know how weigh positive with negative when it comes to directing their behavior.
Much love.
See my videos on teaching the “real life leave it”. We will be covering it in this series too. This is just the first step👍👍❤️
Oooo nice, a new Wallace episode! Saving this one for breakfast tomorrow morning 🙂 Wallace is amazing; maybe at some point in the future, we'll see a Malinois join the George family - you two certainly got along amazingly; the fun that was had during Wallace's time with you guys is infectious!
Enjoy! Thank you for the kind words!
Hi Zac I have a adult kelpie now got her at 12 weeks and your videos on you tube were the ones I looked at into training “coco” she picked things up quick thanks to you your videos first off 🙂 😍
So awesome to hear that she’s learning so well!
My female Pembroke Welsh Corgi has some "leave it" skills for certain items. In the morning, she takes two medications. When I let her out of her crate, I hold her collar before I attach her leash and she sits. She knows exactly where her meds are and she'll head for that area pulling on her leash. I stop until we have a loose leash. I'll put one of her meds in a pill pocket and the other one on a lid. With each one I put it down on the floor near her, on the floor in front of her, in a closed fist under her nose, and in my opened hand under her nose. She'll leave it at each position until I say take it. On the other hand if I don't take her out on a leash she'll find feces even under the snow and attempt to eat it. I try to pick up any feces, so she won't be tempted to eat it. "Leave it" doesn't work for this pica behavior. I guess that this is a common behavior.
While walking my rescue, Fezzik (adolescent Lab/Pit) yesterday, he came out from under a car bumper with what I recognized as a cat's horked-up HAIRBALL that was roughly 6" long 😮🤮 I got it away from him but OMG, how nasty! 😂
I'm working on getting him to not be so reactive, but honestly, IDK what I'm doing and I can't afford a real trainer... So I really appreciate these FREE helpful tips.
This is the only time and reason that I would use treats or food not for training but for creating distractions. Treats are great distractions for dogs and I don't consider them rewards because of the reason mentioned in the video, that dogs are scavengers and they get enough distractions and treasures naturally from what this beautiful earth has to offer them. I still feel the way to train dogs is treat-free and by using play and praise. I hope someday you will join my camp.
German Mali’s are such awesome dogs, but I am not brave enough for their adolescence! 🤣
Great tip that worked with my guy when he was younger was pairing a happy “Leave it!” with a cookie from my hand. The cue now means “Look at Mom, not the distraction, because she’s got reinforcement!” YMMV!
Agreed, and I wouldn't be brave enought for their adolescence either, lol! The next puppy we'll bring into our family will be a Golden Retriever. And that from someone who once trained working line German Shepherds and Malinois. At almost 50, I gravitate towards more mellow dogs with a little bit less "horse-power unter the hood".
@zakgeorge Hey, I am so thankful for this video. I am a student at Victoria Stilwell Academy. I have gone over the lesson on "leave it" and it's amazing. However, I love seeing the real world context you show through your videos. It's a great review for me with an amazing dog. I love Wallis! Also it came at a perfect time when I'll be helping a friend with their puppy, a 10 month old Berna doodle, who counter surfs for food and paper of any sort. Thanks so much for your amazing videos, for all the hard work you and your wife put into them and for your books. I really appreciate all your series too. I will be waiting with excited anticipation for the next Wallis video. Take care!
Thank you! Victoria Stilwell is fantastic! We need more modern trainers! Welcome aboard!
@zakgeorge You're most welcome. Victoria Stilwell is fantastic indeed. Thank you so much for the welcome. That means a lot. 😃🐕🐾
Ziggy and I love watching your videos!
What a cute baby !
He’s very special!
Oohh this is like Susan Garrets 'its yer choice' its a fantastic method of teaching leave it. Great video, thank you :)
She’s wonderful!
@@zakgeorge I agree! You two are my two favourite, ethical trainers. :)
@@zakgeorge zak im trying to teach my adosolent dog to stay out of kitchen i have painters tape as a boundry line any tips for it? i give him treats when he waits outside the line and say uh uh when he crosses and bring him back behind the boundry i dont yell or punish its been 3 days and he now knows i want him to stay behind the line but purposely crosses cause he would rather get in kitchen then treat and theres no punishment for coming in i take him out he walks back in any tips for him knowing the rules but breaking them? hes a 1 year old lab pit mix loves food.
@@TomTheCat29 where do you feed him???.
also you could also use some spacial pressure *walking into him* te let him know that that's not what you want *him walking/going into the kitchen*.
you could also possibly use a gate aswell!!.
and what colour is the tape that you've put down aswell seeing as dogs have limited colour vision
@Zack._.7 only part of the kitchen by the stove is off limits he eats in the other section of kitchen or dining room. the color tape is blue getting a gate is more exspensive then wed like. i use my body to guide him out and he backs up out but then does it either when im not looking or when he feels like it smart but stubborn. is it just more repitition needed? im just wondering with enough repitition of telling him coming in is wrong and when he is out treating him telling him its right he will get it ingrained and not do it due to routine? like a habit? the thing is i see it in his eyes he stops at the tape looking at it. he knows where to stop has done it many times but when he doesnt want to doesnt im being VERY consistent. thanks for the tips! im open to any other advice you have. i really would like him not to go in because the kitchen is very crowded and he gets underfoot.
Thank you.
You're welcome!
Yes, we work on this constantly with my "scarfador" retriever! Everything and anything on the ground - she is all in (or should I say everything is all in her). We're getting better at 18 mo. daily practice.
It is such a rewarding feeling when they finally "get it" isn't it?
I’m getting a dogi on Friday and I’ve watched like all ur videos
I love your training!!
You are so kind
I got a 6 month danish swedish farmdog with lightspeed movement. This exercise takes well.. a bit longer to get it right. Easier with toys- things to eat are in the category of expert mode😂But dog ownera are not made to give up! At least not the good ones😊Nice to see Wallace, what kind of personality does he have? What is his biggest challenge?
I have your books and like your NEW Dog Training Revolution. Could you tell me the beautiful area that is in the background of Mountains? I have an 8 months old Malinois female.
The thing my new puppy WONT leave alone is my broom. And I know it’s MY fault bc one day I was sweeping and he loved chasing it so we played. But now every time I sweep he comes after it and I have to hide it bc he finds it. So just that ONE thing I did to encourage him was a BIG mistake. So I’m gonna work on that. But he’s really smart and learning so fast!
Hi Zak, concerning the difference between leave and wait, in what order would you teach them and how would they differ? At a basic level they are the same thing and me and my partner are struggling on how to differentiate.
@@WelshNareik leave is/would be more of kinda "leave it, your ant have it kinda situation" whereas wait would be more of a kinda "wait until I release you for you to go get that thing that you want" kinda thing I wouldn't say they're the same and I would also kind of classify wait as more of a self control thing as well whereas leave or leave it is more of a don't this thing kinda thing if that makes sense.
I hope this helps!
@Zack._.7 I know they are different at the end goal but the learning process for them is very similar until they advance. I'm struggling with the difference in training, not the difference in what they entail.
Zak, PLEASE share where you got that awesome harness. BTW thats how I taught
leave it. My boy Loves to Leave it!!
I’m not sure! My partner/wife usually buys everything we need for the series. I think it may be a lightweight ruffwear harness?
Definitely a Ruffwear. I can see the logo, but I forget the name of that one.
@ thanks!
@@HollyOly thanks Holly I thought it was a rough wear one too but it looks like it has some pattern on it and also three different straps not just around the neck or chest area and the barrel but further back as well. I bought a harness with three you know placements and one of them the back one was right in front of my boys you know what. I found an awesome one where I could put his service dog patches on and he was always peeing all over that third strap in the back because it had a you know the material went all the way through. Maybe he's just too small he's a miniature Schnauzer and something else who knows but he's only 18 lb so maybe he's too small for three or three way harness. Thank you for replying I appreciate it.
@@zakgeorge thanks Zak. Hope Bree is well. Hope I spelled your wife's name right.
❤❤❤
Not only on the ground, on the table, in the kitchen at all, in any room in the house, loves to shred paper and books, socks and underwear, just about anything he has within reach. He's 21 months old now, I originally hoped he would be my service dog...argggg!
Weirdest thing my dog will not leave alone?... Poop. 😝
Any poop. His, deer, turkey, rabbit.😝
Not weird. Definitely gross! Our last dog was an enthusiastic connoisseur. 💩 🤮
This is pretty normal for many dogs.
Normal, but disgustingly gross & not good for the tummy!
Leaves! She is addicted. And if they are blowing, you are in big trouble! 11#'s of thrust! Still working on self-control. Loooonnnngggg ways to go when it comes to leaves. But lots of success concerning most everything else I need a leave it behavior for.
We're using a basket muzzle for street walks in litter infested areas. He's 2 now and wont stop grabbing chicken bones. There isnt a safe place in the city to teach leave it without a fence. Any recs?
Except you do need to reinforce the cue when the dog is more motivated by whatever you're trying to tell them to leave alone. Also there are quite a few force free and balanced trainers out there who would not recommend giving the treat that you say "leave it" with to the dog as the reward. This teaches the dog that they can have the thing they want instead of looking to you for a reward when you give your reward marker. For my dog for example he's smart so he would basically interpret "yes" as I can go chase that squirrel now"
@@JenDoodle I don't understand what if it's something that the dog like absolutely can NOT have like it can kill em why would you essentially make it so that when you say leave or leave it and then your marker word they can have it? Like that really just doesn't make like any fuckin sense like at all
@Zack._.7 you clearly did not read my post very closely. I was stating that the way Zak is rewarding "leave it" has the potential to teach the dog that they can have whatever it was that you did not want them to have.
To be clear. I am stating a less confusing way to teach a dog to leave it is that you NEVER reward them with what you told them to leave it with. Even if it's a treat, the dog should NEVER have it.
😊
Bro I have a Kombai puppy Kombai is meant to be a very aggressive and a top notch protective dog but mine is too friendly so how do i make it protective and bark at intruders its 3 months old pls help bro but it does not fear for another dog so Pls guve some advice bro
I think you need to adjust your thinking about dogs. It’s much more important that your dog receive love and nourishment and that you focus on the bond between you and your dog and giving him lots of great experiences.
Out of curiosity, do you find it counter-productive to introduce "leave it" as something he WILL eventually get? Later on, when you use "leave it" for cigarette butts, chicken bones, goose poop, etc... wouldn't your dog think they will eventually get those things? What makes this different from a "wait until I release you to have it" concept? Or you do you train leave it and wait in the same way?
Great question! In the beginning stages of teaching “leave it,” I might allow the dog to get the item after leaving it as a way to build understanding and motivation. This helps keep things simple while reinforcing the behavior. However, I quickly transition to making “leave it” mean the item is off-limits indefinitely.
The key difference from “wait” is in the outcome: with “wait,” the dog learns they’ll eventually get the item after showing patience. With “leave it,” the expectation shifts to disengagement entirely, with no promise of getting the thing. Consistency in how these cues are practiced and rewarded helps dogs understand the difference and respond reliably in real-world situations.
Yes, I was going to comment on that, as well. What I do (and I'm not saying I'm right and Zak is wrong--there are often multiple ways to teach something and one is just as valid as the other if you're not hurting or scaring the dog), is that I have two treats. One is of lesser value (which is the thing I ask the dog to leave) and one of higher value. If they leave the lesser value treat, they get the higher value treat (and they never get the thing I've asked them to leave). As the dog learns what to do, I gradually increase the value of the the thing I'm asking them to leave (a treat) until they're leaving a treat equal in "value" to the one they'll be rewarded with.
@@zakgeorge wouldn't it just make more sense tho to just start of with teaching them to leave the thing in your your and not give it to them I feel like that would make more sense instead like a "sometimes you may have the thing I'm asking you to leave." instead of "no you must leave what I'm telling you to leave." Yk i feel like that would make alot more sense to both people and dogs /gen
My dog loves jumping on my for my mittens but the most annoying thing he won’t leave is lifting his leg on other dogs. I don’t know how to stop him. I’m at currently working on “leave it,” “look” and “come” to try to stop this behavior.
I have a big problem, well my dog has a big problem with fireworks. So big she doesn't want to go on a walk wh it gets dark... That lasts about half a year, every year.. Do you have any tips to share.. (I call here my lille mini golden retriever, she's a mix of many)
This may sound flip, and I don't mean it to. The answer is--don't take her for walks when it gets dark. You may have to reshuffle your schedule, but maybe take her out early in the morning before you leave for work? Or have a dog walker come and walk her while you're at work (although be careful not to walk her when it's too hot during the summer months)? You could probably do some sort of desensitization and counterconditioning, but it would likely be difficult to realistically capture the light fading and the conditions that happen at night (the sound of insects and night birds, the stars, the moon, etc.). You could try something like a Thundershirt, a DAP collar, or some calming care (before putting anything on your dog's food, check with your vet to ensure it's okay for your dog's particular medical history), but those things probably won't be sufficient by themselves to make walking after dark a quality and calm experience. These things help some (but certainly not all) dogs and they probably won't do the trick as stand-alone interventions. If you have actual fireworks going off while trying to walk, please don't try to walk her then. She could pull away and run and she's in a panic and not "thinking" and she won't likely listen to anything you ask of her (like a recall). It could have a tragic ending and it sounds like you really love her.
@janhankins911 she does get I walk in the morning. And she has full access to the garden most of the day. We live in Denmark, it get drak early here doing winter time. I work part time, she is rarely home alone for long. She is trained to walk in shoes, when there is a lot of snow, and or of the roads are hot. Though we don't get it that hot in Denmark that offen. But she has shoes, and she doesn't hate walking in them.. (I should really make a film on my youtube Channel about her. She a mix of 6 dog types, about 35kg and the sweetened dog ever. kids, cat (Our cat), even baby's love here, they can give her traits and the will take it so jental of there small hands.. She is 6 years old now. (sorry about my English, I'm dyslexic and English is not my frist language)
Allso in Denmark is illegal to uses fireworks unless it's new years eve.. But people are people.. Teens I guess
@@FintaruS I really highly suggest doing some desensitisation her i.e. playing fireworks on your TV maybe start of with no sound at first and have her just observe them and if she interacts *going up to the tv* then mark with a yes, good or some clicker of some sorts and then reward her this is what you would call. Counterconditioning. Essentially reorganising her brain and allowing her to see and hear fireworks as something positive/neutral and thsi will take some time but work slow and go at her pace but with fireworks on the TV start with no sound and then slowly turn the volume up and if she reacts and starts acting scared and possible trying to run away or starts to look uncomfortable I would also suggest searching up dog body language as well but if she starts to get uncomfortable just go back down a level on the volume and just keep treating and rewarding even you could use her food this will also help with your bond ontop of that aswell and hey even possibly you could do some training with her aswell get her focused more so on you rather than the fireworks and just keep doing this until she's comfortable essentially when she doesn't care about the fireworks anymore and then start again yk turn up the volume fo the same and maybe aswell only put volume up to abt the level as you would hear it in rela life aswell so it's a bit more realistic as well and jsut keep doing that over and over again until she doesn't care abt them and she more focused on you than the fireworks!!!!!!.
You could also set a routine for whenever the fireworks are going such when they're going we do training etc.etc the training that you've done prior to this tho aka the desensitisation/counterconditioning will also help with this part aswell.
I hope this helps !!!!!!!!!.
@Zack._.7 Okay got it. I like this way more then what else I have read online. We will give it a try.
Dry tiger 66
Turkey jerky
Tissues, my golden retriever puppy LOVES shredding tissues. Gods I have touched and taken away so many tissues these last two weeks since I got him..
We have a Havanese that loves shredding tissues (and paper towels). Does your puppy then try to eat the tissue? Our Havanese doesn't, he just shreds, so we allow him to do it (picking up and throwing out the shreds when he's done). Our vet has given her blessing, saying it's fine as long as he doesn't consume what he's shredded.
Well, ugh.... poop. That's the weirdest thing my dog would not leave alone. Seems to be a pretty common one for dogs, though. Not that this applies to most dogs; but it doesn't seem to be terribly uncommon.
1:35 - 1:36 what?
I feel like this is fake-......
o.o i also feel like this was trianed pre filming ontop of that aswell-......
And yk j mean hey if its not/if it wanst then yk whatever cool but i feel like it was-.....
We actually film all of the training for the first time on camera so that the viewer can see how it’s done. It’s remarkable how modern training can work so much faster than traditional training. That’s what we are about here. Showing people how to do that! Great having you here!❤
@zakgeorge bro you literally had him leave an invisible treat and yk I mean unless you've somehow fuckin managed to make treats invisible then dayum but still please goddamn jsut fucking explain what and why you done what you doen in the time stamps I done in my first comments please
Interesting that this dog trainer thinks that he can train dogs to ignore their instincts, the only way to truly guarantee that your dog doesn't get into things he or she is not supposed to is to not leave stuff out
Management of the environment certainly is required.
Well you train your dogs to leave cats and squirls right?
What? 😂 have you never had a puppy? They will chew anything. You have to teach them to control themselves.
@@Iamnatashak Very true. But you cant train a genetic behaviour out of a thousand year old purpose.
You can surely manage, but it will never dissapear 100%.
@DisforDogs1 who said it disappeared? Just nitpicking and oversimplifying.
His poo is the weirdest thing he won't leave alone. Or the coffee table
Now show us how to teach them to go to hard floor instead of carpet if they get sick.
If your dog is sick, they may not be able to help where they go. Imagine if you are sick and I tell you you have to go to a place that's convenient for me (like the neighbor's house). You may not be physically able to do that.
No, we only have one room with carpet. Our dogs past owners didn't really care for her very well so she will always have stomach issues unrelated to food. She will be on the other side of the house and run to the carpet to barf.
She got no front teeth other than canines, too. So, I don't even know how she manages to hold it in her mouth like that.
It's works with a few dogs, not with the majority of dogs and never be as efficient as other more real life methods
Hmmm actually, this method is designed to work with all dogs and make it pretty full proof.
Well, I'm not sure that either Zak or I could say anything that will change your mind if you firmly believe this, despite the large body of evidence that proves you wrong. I will say to you, however, that you will NEVER touch one of my dogs. You will NEVER touch one of the fearful rescues (who often react by growling, snarling, and snapping at everything and everybody) I see. Those dogs are afraid you're going to hurt them. You just prove them right. You'll never have a relationship with those dogs, you'll never teach those dogs to trust people, and you'll have dogs that are a liability to place in most pet homes. You'll have a lot of dogs you cannot place into most homes. What are you going to do with all those dogs that are sacred out of their wits and you respond by scaring them even more and actually hurting them?
@@janhankins911 gen question what abt the dogs that ARE ACTUALLY AGGRESSIVE and no I don't mena because of fear pain etc. I mean genetics/bad breeding. What abt those dogs / gen / no hate / curious.
@Zack._.7 If you have a dog that is aggressive due to genetics/bad breeding, you have a hard decision to make. Does the dog indicate an impending aggressive act? If not, that's a dangerous dog and euthanasia needs to be considered.
@janhankins911 but what if let's yp7 CAN fix it how would you do would you throw treats at it what? Cause personally I would correct it but yk that's just me and also I don't have an aggressive dog
Im concerned the way you are teaching this mallinois shepherd mix. These dogs have such high prey drive and are very intelligent. Food is not going to distract them if they see a squirrel run out from the bushes. Im in no way saying positive reinforcement isnt useful but these kind of dogs need firm boundaries. The second that these dogs see something more valuable than a treat they will absolutely go for it. A balanced approach gives the dog more reason to listen to you. I would rather have my dog feel mild discomfort a few times than them getting run over potentially.
I hear your concern, and you’re absolutely right, high-drive dogs like Malinois mixes require intentional, thoughtful training to match their intelligence and prey drive. The goal of this video is to build a foundation of impulse control that we can scale up to real-world scenarios. Teaching “leave it” in a controlled setting is the first step toward making it reliable even in the face of major distractions, like a squirrel darting out.
Firm boundaries don’t have to mean discomfort. Boundaries are about setting clear expectations and building trust so that your dog chooses you, even in moments of high temptation. By reinforcing behaviors consistently and introducing distractions gradually, we can teach dogs to pause and think before reacting, which is far more effective and humane than relying on discomfort to enforce behavior.
It’s not about whether food can compete with a squirrel in the moment-it’s about conditioning the dog to know how to respond to you instinctively. This approach protects their safety while preserving their confidence and trust. High-drive dogs thrive when we work with their intelligence, not against it. That’s the focus here.
I don’t hear any concerns, all I hear is using constant punishment is considered ok as a highly intelligent dog that learns via association, what will the consequences of this punishment be?
@simonmitchell5801 Are you stupid? The point of a prong collar/slip leash is to communicate to the dog that you don't want them to repeat that behaviour. It is to be used as a reinforcer for unwanted behaviour.
Ditto to what Zak said--he said it much more eloquently that I would have. If you have worked with your dog a built a strong relationship with him, positive reinforcement methods will accomplish everything a "balanced" approach will, without the problems inherent in using punitive based methods (on top of all the usual problems, like dogs exhibiting signs of stress and fear, dogs exhibiting physiologic issues like a higher heart rate, increased release of "stress hormones" like cortisol which can stay in the system up to 48 hours AFTER a punitive training session, you add another punitive training session in that time, you just add more cortisol to the mix and soon you get a dog that is going to react to the slightest thing--a powder keg--aggression!; and it's your training method; not the dog at fault), is that you harm that relationship with your dog. You don't need punitive methods to set boundaries. Please don't fall into the trap that positive training means you let the dog get away with whatever they want. It does NOT. I have never seen a dog that responded BETTER to punitive methods than they did to positive methods. I have never seen a dog develop a better relationship with a person who scares and hurts them than they will to a person who treats them with kindness and respect.
@@janhankins911 So what am i meant to do with a dog that literally ignores my existence and ignores treats whenever she leaves the house. Its at that point i have to use an aversive when the dog is not even acknowledging my existence. If you think your "Scientifically correct methods" are correct then why are there still so many balanced trainers pleasing customers and making a liveable wage. I recommend you watch cherry hoggs, he walks 15-20 dogs offleash at a time using aversives. So if it causes aggression in a dog then why do these trainers exist in the first place. Why have i met people who used e collars and saved their dogs lives, Howcome ive met people who train positive only and have aggressive dogs? Obviously one persons experience doesnt mean as much as a trainer whos been training for years but the proof is in the results.
First
Michael Ellis recently posted him and a dog similar to Wallace. Zak couldn't hold Ellis' leash. No comparison in training skills.
You talk so much shite. 😆🤣 why not take uk shieldk9’s challenge and make 50k ? We both know you can’t train dogs
When are you going to let him off lead in a high frequency environment
Not sure what a high frequency environment means. However, we will cover how to do off leash training with a dog like this. The series is only getting started. I assure you it will be epic!
Why is everyone so enamored with letting dogs go off lead? I have one little dog that will NEVER go off lead. She's not the least bit "aggressive". Quite the opposite, she's a very fearful dog. If something scares her and she's off leash, she's not going to stop and think. She goes into "fight, flight, or freeze or fidgit" and she's going to pick flight. She's not "thinking", she's "reacting". She could get herself into trouble if she's off leash when something scares her. She's come a long way in our care, but I cannot control everything and sometimes we do come across something that scares her (we stop and work in that right then and there). Now you can think I just haven't trained her adequately. Perhaps I haven't. But I love her enough not to take chances and if you don't think I've done an adequate job of training her, then don't allow me to train your dog. You won't hurt my feelings in the least.
@@janhankins911 because if your dog isn't off lead after about 3 months of ownership maximum then you've obviously done something wrong. Zak has only had this dog for a month so I get that. And not to be rude but you're trying to say your methods work better under my other comment but your dog can't even go off lead🤣🤣
@@Austinlorentzan5499 Perhaps I'm an utter failure as a trainer, but at the end of the day, I'll have a dog who is safe and alive because I recognized that she's fearful and not a candidate for "off leash". Think what you will of me as a trainer (I don't really care), but my dog will be safe and alive.
@@janhankins911 I don't have a problem with not letting your dogs off lead but when you're trying to say that positive training is the way and balanced training does nothing yet you're using the "correct" method and your dog is fearful is quite ironic
First