Zak The Dog Trainer

01/09/2025

Check out adoptdontshopwindsor’s video.

12/13/2024

Even Machu Picchu has good boys!

12/06/2024

🎯 The Value of Rewards in Dog Training 🐾

Rewards are an essential tool in dog training, but not all rewards are created equal. The value of the reward should match the level of difficulty for the behavior your dog is learning. For example, if your dog has mastered “sit” and can perform it anywhere, a simple praise or a pat might be enough to keep them motivated. However, for more challenging behaviors, like learning to heel walk, using a high-value reward—like your dog’s favorite treat—can help keep them encouraged and motivated. By adjusting the value of rewards to match the task, you set your dog up for success and help them stay engaged at every stage of training.

In this video, I’m working with Maya, a two-year-old mixed-breed dog. Maya is an energetic and lively pup who loves to run and explore, but she’s also sweet and cuddly once she gets to know you. She’s a great example of how rewards can make training fun and focused, helping even the most energetic dogs stay on track. Matching rewards to the difficulty of the task ensures that your dog feels supported and motivated to learn.

11/28/2024

🎯 Life Rewards: Using Everyday Moments in Dog Training 🐾

Life rewards are a powerful tool in dog training where you use everyday activities your dog naturally values—like going through a gate, playing, or going outside—as a reward for good behavior. By tying these moments to a specific behavior, like giving eye contact, sitting, or waiting, your dog learns that they must earn what they want through cooperation and focus. This method helps reinforce training in real-life situations and builds a stronger bond with your dog.

In this video, I’m working with Taz, a fun loving energetic 11 month old retriever mix puppy. He’s such a fun guy I love working with him! Here I’m getting him to give me eye contact before going through the gate. By asking for this small behavior first, I’m using the reward of going through the gate as a way to reinforce his training. Life rewards are useful because they make training a part of everyday life, keeping your dog engaged and reinforcing positive behavior in real-world situations.

11/21/2024

🎯 Redirection: Shaping Better Behavior in Dog Training 🐾

Redirection is a powerful tool for guiding your dog away from undesired behaviors and toward the ones you want to see instead. When a dog is overly excited or unfocused, they may engage in behaviors like jumping or barking. With redirection, you interrupt the undesired action by asking for a different behavior that is more appropriate, then reinforce it with praise or a reward.

In this video, I’m working with Nyla, a smart, eager to please, energetic 1-year-old mixed breed. Nyla is very excited and starts to jump toward me when I ask for a sit. Instead of letting her jump at me, I redirect her by asking her to come. Once she’s refocused, I ask for the sit again and reward her when she does it. This approach teaches her what’s expected and encourages her to channel her energy into positive behaviours with known outcomes.

Redirection is a great way to set your dog up for success by helping them learn what to do instead of what not to do. It keeps training positive and focused, no matter how excitable your dog may be!

11/14/2024

🎯 Cue Stacking in Dog Training 🐾

Cue stacking is a training technique where we ask our dog to perform a series of behaviors in a specific order before offering a reward. By stacking cues, we help our dog build focus, patience, and listening skills as they work through each step. Cue stacking is especially useful for teaching complex sequences and strengthening a dog’s ability to follow multiple commands in one session.

In this video, I’m working with Bandit, a six-year-old shepherd and Siberian husky mix. We go through a sequence of cues: sit, wait, come, and then touch, all before he receives a reward. Bandit may be a senior, but he doesn’t act like one at all! Bandit is smart, playful, cuddly, and has just a touch of that funny, husky talkativeness. He’s ready to bring joy, enthusiasm, and a lot of love to his new family.
https://adopt.adopets.com/pet/c1e08ed5-4268-477c-b6a7-188d006ce16c?tracking=e84e0083-bfb3-4ba4-b588-e8215c8ec6a1

11/08/2024

🎯 Generalization: Building Reliability in Dog Training 🐾

Generalization is an essential part of dog training that helps ensure your dog can perform a behavior reliably in different environments, situations, and with various distractions. It’s not enough for a dog to learn a behavior in just one place—like your living room. To make sure your dog understands that “sit” means sit anywhere, we practice the behavior in new settings, from the backyard to busy streets or parks. Generalizing behaviors builds confidence, focus, and adaptability, making your dog’s training consistent and reliable wherever you go.

In this video, I’m working with Roxy, a one-year-old Cane Corso mix, to generalize her sit behavior in an outdoor environment. Roxy is one of my absolute favorites at the shelter—she’s such a loving, cuddly girl with a heart of gold. Eager to please and full of that fun, young puppy energy, Roxy will make an amazing companion for the right family. If you’re looking for a sweet, loyal friend, Roxy could be the perfect match! https://adopt.adopets.com/pet/b613f00d-8852-481e-b773-7ae652e56dd2?tracking=25859aec-e445-48ba-9b0a-085000926e80

10/31/2024

🎉 Play as a Reward 🐾

Using play as a reward is a fantastic way to keep training sessions fun and engaging for your dog! For dogs that are toy-driven or enjoy playtime, using activities like fetch, tug-of-war, or chase as a reward can be just as effective as treats. Play reinforces positive behavior and helps build a stronger bond between you and your dog by making training enjoyable.

In this video, I’m working with Lego, a three-year-old Husky-German Shepherd mix. Lego is smart, energetic, and loves playtime, making her the perfect example of how using play as a reward can keep training exciting and motivating. By incorporating play into training, you encourage your dog to stay engaged and have fun, which ultimately leads to better learning and a happier pup! To find out more about Lego, click here: https://adopt.adopets.com/pet/eb5bc3c7-0dba-4cf4-a58c-527b882309e6?tracking=62ba64a3-c637-4d74-8fa9-f4f9221eccb6

10/25/2024

🎯 Targeting: A Key Skill in Dog Training 🐾

Targeting is a fundamental technique in dog training where your dog learns to touch a specific object or part of your body, like your hand, with their nose. In this video, Scooby does a touch, a version of hand targeting, before moving into a sit. Targeting helps your dog focus, gives them a clear goal, and is incredibly useful for guiding your dog into different positions or teaching new behaviors. It’s also a great way to build engagement and improve communication between you and your dog.

By mastering targeting, your dog can learn more complex commands and navigate new environments with confidence. Whether you’re teaching them to follow your hand for loose leash walking or to interact with specific objects, targeting is a versatile and valuable skill.
In this video, I’m working with Scooby, an 11-month-old mixed breed. Scooby is a happy pup who enjoys doing his own thing, but once he warms up to you, he’s incredibly affectionate and loves being close. He’s smart and fun to work with, especially when he’s feeling playful and engaged! Click here to see Scooby! https://adopt.adopets.com/pet/59782d7b-9d1f-432e-a57d-255fe7f29fc3?tracking=8690fe30-dfc1-43ed-8585-f069919cedab

10/17/2024

🎯 Success in the Bank: Building Confidence in Dog Training 🐾

In dog training, “success in the bank” means consistently building up your dog’s confidence by rewarding small wins. Every time your dog successfully performs a behavior and is rewarded, it’s like adding a “deposit” into their confidence bank. Over time, these small successes add up, helping your dog become more confident and reliable in their training. The more success your dog experiences, the more motivated they are to keep learning and trying new things.

In this video, I’m spending time with Squiggles, a 2-year-old boxer mix. While this video doesn’t directly demonstrate the concept of success in the bank, you’ll still get to see just how cute and lovable Squiggles is! If you’re looking for a fun and loyal companion, Squiggles might be the perfect fit for your family. You can find more information about him here. https://adopt.adopets.com/pet/671367d5-402c-4d59-82c1-bb7e26f6ffc8?tracking=702df5d9-0bd0-4b03-802c-0a605b44d00b

10/10/2024

🎯 Jackpot Rewarding: A Powerful Tool in Dog Training 🐾

Jackpot rewarding is a great technique to use when your dog performs an exceptional behavior or makes a breakthrough in training. Instead of giving a single treat, you offer a “jackpot” of rewards—several treats at once or extra playtime. This sudden, larger reward lets your dog know that what they did was really special, making them more likely to repeat the behavior in the future. It’s a great way to keep your dog motivated and reinforce those big wins!

In this video, I’m spending some time with Joe, an 8-month-old mixed-breed. While we didn’t catch his training session on video, here’s a clip of Joe being his playful, cuddly self! He’s a sweet and energetic pup who’s always ready for love and fun. If you think Joe might be the perfect addition to your family, you can find more information about him here. https://adopt.adopets.com/pet/b8ecb036-5c16-49b7-bc12-4762fa99b2a9?tracking=8fb8293c-76ca-4836-b693-f47948a77e45

10/03/2024

🎯 Generalization in Dog Training 🐾

Generalization is the process of helping your dog understand that a behavior applies in different environments, situations, and with different people. It’s not enough for a dog to know how to sit in your living room; they need to understand that “sit” means the same thing at the park, in the backyard, or even at the vet’s office! Generalizing behaviors ensures that your dog can perform their training reliably, no matter where they are.

In this video, I’m working with Nyla, a 1-year-old mixed breed, to reinforce behaviors she’s learned in new settings. By practicing commands in various environments, we’re helping Nyla understand that the same rules apply no matter where she goes. This builds her confidence and helps her stay consistent.

Nyla is a bright and eager learner who’s full of energy and curiosity. She’s ready for a family that will keep her mentally and physically stimulated. If you’re looking for a fun-loving companion, Nyla is ready to meet you! 🏡💕 Check her out here. https://adopt.adopets.com/pet/e396e07a-f92b-4ab4-ae8f-82b59e0fd8e3?tracking=f1cd2346-956a-4e3b-bdbf-61359f496cc7

09/26/2024

🎯 Behavioral Momentum in Dog Training 🐾

Behavioral momentum is a great strategy for building your dog’s confidence and motivation by stacking small successes. The idea is to start with behaviors your dog already knows well, which creates a positive flow of success. Then, you introduce a more challenging behavior, and all that momentum can help your dog stay motivated to keep trying and succeed.

In this video, I’m working with Chocolate Lava Cake, an incredibly smart and loving 3-year-old shepherd mix. First, we go through behaviors she knows, like sitting and doing a hand target. Then, we attempt something she’s still learning—getting into a down position. By building up her success with things she’s confident in, we’re giving her the motivation to tackle the more difficult behavior.

Chocolate Lava Cake is as sweet as her name suggests! She’s playful, cuddly, and loves to learn. If you’re looking for a fun and affectionate companion, she’s ready to meet you! 🏡💕 Check her out here. https://adopt.adopets.com/pet/4b1d836b-da90-4f87-97f3-61afec7656a3?tracking=5f8c54fc-2706-4bcb-93c6-db5c0c86ba70

09/01/2024

Hey everyone!

Our September and October training classes are here, and it’s the perfect time to jump into training or continue your dog’s progress! Whether you have a playful pup or a seasoned dog, we’ve got a class that’s just right.

Unsure about which class your dog should join? I offer free 15-minute evaluations to help you pick the perfect fit.

📍 For more info and to sign up, just shoot me a message or visit https://services.petsmart.ca/training/3289.

Let’s make training fun and rewarding this fall! 🐾✨

08/28/2024

ITS THAT SIMPLE! Pain or no pain!

Check out this informative article by industry leader Victoria Stilwell

Either you’re ok using methods and equipment when working with dogs that cause pain, fear, and purposeful discomfort, or you’re not. I am not.