Communicates? No, I don’t necessarily mean he’s an animal communicator … there are many ways we communicate with the life-forms around us. Of course, I don’t mean that he isn’t communicating telepathically, either. I’m not in Zak’s head, after all, who knows what is being exchanged between the young man and his dogs?

However, I received a YouTube subscription update the other day, and when I clicked on the link, I was quite excited about what it led to. Apparently I’m not the only one (well, of course I’m not) who’s noticed Zak George’s dog training videos. Zak now has his own television show on Animal Planet!

SuperFetch premieres October 3rd (yes, that’s this weekend)! I’ve already headed in to the DirecTV website and set up our Tivo to record the entire series. I so enjoy Zak’s energy, and the positive methods he uses to train his canine companions, that I’m completely thrilled to see Animal Planet giving this young trainer the attention he deserves. Along with Victoria Stillwell, Animal Planet now has two top-notch dog trainers in prime spots.

This is so important to me, because we who believe that dogs should be trained with kindness instead of physical force and punishment really need to see major networks like Animal Planet supporting the most current behavioral and training science rather than archaic and often-cruel methods such as those promoted by people like Cesar Milan. (In case you can’t tell from past posts, I am NOT a fan of the self-appointed “Dog Whisperer”!)

Zak George is bright, funny, and it’s obvious that he whole-heartedly loves communicating with dogs and bringing out the best in them. Visit Zak’s videos on YouTube and Superfetch on AnimalPlanet.com to follow his activities and enjoy SuperFetch!

Related posts:

1. Guest Post: Why My Pets Could Have Used An Animal Communicator
2. Clicker Training E-book and Online Course
3. A Little Background on ‘Corpse’

Josh Hanagarne, the World's Strongest Librarian

Josh Hanagarne is one very cool librarian.  In fact, he’s The World’s Strongest Librarian.  I’ve been following his blog for some time now.  No, I’m not a librarian, nor do I do a lot of strength training … I simply love the way he writes, his great attitude, and his sense of humor.  Please visit his blog via the links in this post … I think you’ll enjoy his words, too.

A couple weeks ago, Josh invited anyone who would like a guest post from him to write.  I did, Josh visited, and here are his memories of pets gone by, and why an animal communicator might have been an asset to their lives!  (I’ll be responding to Josh’s question in a comment to his post.)

Why My Pets Could Have Used An Animal Communicator

By Josh Hanagarne

If there had been someone around to talk to my pets in Nevada, they would have communicated two essential truths:

1. Josh’s mom is going to run over you eventually
2. If she doesn’t, a coyote will grab you

My mom loved to give us puppies for Christmas. They’d crawl out of the stocking on Christmas morning and we’d all scream and run around before settling down to the serious business of letting my parents take care of “our” new pets.

Without fail, by April of the next year, those dogs would have either been run over by my mother or coyotes would carry them off.

I was raised in a religious family, but the first time I really remember wondering about the concept of resurrection was when I noticed how many Popsicle stick crosses there were getting to be in our backyard.

“Am I going to see my dogs in Heaven?” I asked my mother.

“Sure!” she said, possibly asking herself if there would be cars in Heaven to mow them down with.

Honestly, it wasn’t her fault. We had some exceptionally bone-headed dogs. Rather than wagging their tails, they got the notion that the best way to express affection was to dive under the wheels of any car that came near.

And I’m not being entirely fair to my mother—it tore the woman up. She is that rare person so tenderhearted that she makes Mother Teresa look like a Grand Inquisitor from a few hundred years back.

So my question to the animal communicators is:

Could these dogs have been helped? If so, what would you have told them?

About the Author: Josh Hanagarne is the twitchy giant behind World’s Strongest Librarian, a blog with advice about coping with Tourette’s Syndrome, kettlebells, book recommendations, buying pants when you’re 6’8”, old-time strongman training, and much more. Please subscribe to Josh’s RSS Updates to stay in touch.

Related posts:

1. Help for Lost Pets: FindToto.com
2. New AnimalPlanet Show, Superfetch
3. Infinite Maybes (Reflections On Human Nature)

Bestselling Clickertraining Book For Dog Owners,
Written By Norwegian Top Trainers
Morten Egtvedt And Cecilie Koeste.
Click Here!

A little over a year ago, I stumbled across the website of Morten Egtvedt and Cecilie Koeste, and discovered that they offered an email newsletter/beginners clicker training course.  I signed up for the course, and Kai and I had a fun time following the lessons for quite a while.  Even though we’d been clicker training for years, it was interesting to go back to basics and follow this well-known pair’s slightly different approach. We enjoyed a nice review of skills already learned, from a new perspective, and we went on to learn new tasks as well.

Egtvedt and Koeste also have a very popular e-book on the market, Clickertraining: The 4 Secrets Of Becoming A Supertrainer, which you can preview and purchase through the above link.  It covers their methods, from introduction to some fairly sophisticated skills, in a unique and entertaining way that you and your dogs … and cats, and horses and birds, and rabbits, and (as you choose to adapt) will be sure to enjoy.

This pair, who run Canis Clickertraining, are well-respected in the dog training community.  They’ve  helped many dog owners  through their classes, their website, and teaching at past Clicker Expo seminars.

Related links:

• CanisClickertraining.com
• ClickerExpo
• Clickertraining: The 4 Secrets Of Becoming A Supertrainer

Related posts:

1. Book Recommendation: Animal-Speak
2. New AnimalPlanet Show, Superfetch
3. Review: The New Natural Cat, by Anitra Frazier and Norma Eckroate

Just a very brief note … to share an article I feel every dog owner should read.

Thanks!

Related posts:

1. New AnimalPlanet Show, Superfetch