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Zak George's Dog Training Revolution by Zak George & Dina Roth Port Review: A Comprehensive, Positive-Method Training Guide
Zak George's Dog Training Revolution is a thorough, chapter-by-chapter guide to raising and training a dog, co-written by YouTube personality and Animal Planet trainer Zak George and award-winning journalist Dina Roth Port, and published by Ten Speed Press in 2016. The book covers everything from choosing the right dog to troubleshooting common behavioral problems, all within a positive-reinforcement framework. This review is based on published sources and reception from named outlets, not hands-on use.
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for
New or prospective dog owners who want a single, organised positive-reinforcement resource covering the full arc of dog ownership — from breed selection through housetraining, behavioural troubleshooting, and ongoing health care — and who are comfortable supplementing the text with linked YouTube videos.
Worth it if
You want one comprehensive, accessible handbook built around a proven positive-reinforcement philosophy, endorsed by a credentialed behaviourist, and written in a practitioner's voice rather than an academic one.
Skip if
You already have an advanced training background or need deep specialist coverage of competition obedience, working-dog protocols, or clinical behavioural modification — the breadth-first approach leaves those areas at an introductory level.
What readers & critics say
Reader blogs highlight the book's philosophy as "revolutionary" in reshaping the human–dog relationship through trust and communication (motherofrescues.com), while a knitting-and-reading blogger reports that every technique tried with her puppy "worked like a charm" and praises the book as "so packed with great ideas" (yumiyarns.com).
Sources: Mother of Rescues, Yumi Yarns4.5from 9,481 Amazon ratings— reader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score
In This Review
- What Works & What Doesn't
- What the Book Actually Contains
- Significance and Place in the Genre
- Strengths Noted by Sources
- Genuine Limitations to Consider
- Who This Book Is For
What Works & What Doesn't
What Works
- Covers the full arc of dog ownership — from choosing a dog through health care, trick training, and troubleshooting behavioral issues — in a single organized volume
- Integrates corresponding YouTube videos by chapter, allowing readers to see advice demonstrated in action rather than relying on text alone
- Endorsed by Dr. Ian Dunbar, veterinarian and founder of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, as 'a must-read for dog lovers everywhere'
- Co-written with award-winning journalist Dina Roth Port, whose editorial background shapes the book's accessible, structured presentation
- Built on George's hands-on experience with thousands of dogs and the content of hundreds of training videos, consolidated here for the first time
What Doesn't
- The breadth of coverage means individual topics are treated at an introductory level — readers with advanced or highly specialized training needs may require supplementary resources
- The chapter-linked YouTube content creates a partial dependency on external video access, which may be a limitation for readers using the book as a fully standalone reference
A functional dog-training guide grounded in positive reinforcement, this book translates Zak George's extensive video-based expertise into a single comprehensive print resource.
What the Book Actually Contains
Zak George's Dog Training Revolution: The Complete Guide to Raising the Perfect Pet with Love by Zak George, Dina Roth Port front cover
Zak George's Dog Training Revolution is structured as a cradle-to-collar handbook, moving methodically from pre-arrival preparation through the full arc of dog ownership. Its chapter lineup — as catalogued in the book's own table of contents — runs from "Decisions, Decisions: Choosing the Right Dog for You" and "Before Your Dog Comes Home" through housetraining fundamentals, basic obedience skills, and a dedicated troubleshooting chapter addressing barking, chewing, leash pulling, puppy biting, aggression, and jumping up. Later sections extend into veterinary care essentials, trick training, travel, and exercise. The book also includes bibliographical references and an index, signalling its intent to function as a reference tool as well as a read-through guide.
“Decisions, Decisions: Choosing the Right Dog for You”
A notable structural feature is the integration of George's YouTube channel: specific topics are paired with corresponding videos, so readers can watch the advice demonstrated in real time rather than relying solely on the written text. Co-author Dina Roth Port, an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in Glamour, Self, Prevention, and The Huffington Post, brings editorial clarity to George's methodology — a collaboration that shapes the book's accessible, chapter-driven voice.
Significance and Place in the Genre
George arrived in print already carrying substantial platform weight: his YouTube channel, Zak George's Dog Training Revolution, is described as the number-one destination for dog training video content in the world. The 2016 Ten Speed Press release represented the first time George had consolidated the information from hundreds of videos and experience with thousands of dogs into a single comprehensive guide — a meaningful transition from episodic online content to a structured, book-length argument for a particular training philosophy.
That philosophy — tailoring training to a dog's unique traits and energy level rather than applying a one-size-fits-all regimen — is the book's animating premise. In a crowded dog-training field that includes everything from dominance-based manuals to academic behaviorist texts, this volume positions itself as a middle path: science-informed and positive, but written for general audiences rather than professionals.
Strengths Noted by Sources
Dr. Ian Dunbar, veterinarian, animal behaviorist, and founder of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, offered a direct endorsement: "Zak George's Dog Training Revolution is a must-read for dog lovers everywhere. It has a wealth of practical tips, tricks, and fun games that will enrich the lives of many dogs and their human companions." That commendation, from one of the most credentialed voices in applied animal behavior, speaks to the book's substantive coverage rather than merely its celebrity-driven appeal.
The breadth of the guide is a genuine asset: rather than addressing only puppies or only obedience commands, it spans the full lifecycle of dog ownership — from the selection process before the dog arrives home to ongoing health care, enrichment activities, and behavioral troubleshooting. The book is designed so that new owners who have never trained a dog and readers dealing with a specific problem (aggression, excessive barking) can both find a relevant entry point.
Genuine Limitations to Consider
The book's comprehensive scope is also the source of its primary tension: a guide designed to cover everything from breed selection to trick training necessarily treats some topics at an introductory level. Readers seeking deep dives into advanced obedience competition, specialized working-dog training, or clinical behavioral modification may find the coverage of those areas less exhaustive than dedicated specialist texts. The book is explicitly pitched as a complete guide for the general pet owner, and readers with more specific or advanced needs should calibrate expectations accordingly.
Additionally, while the YouTube integration is a structural strength for most readers, it creates a mild dependency on external content remaining accessible — a consideration for anyone relying on the book as a standalone printed reference years after publication.
Who This Book Is For
Zak George's Dog Training Revolution is designed primarily for new or prospective dog owners who want a single, organized resource covering the full scope of responsible dog ownership and positive-reinforcement training. Readers who enjoy a trainer's voice — energetic, practitioner-driven, supplemented by video — rather than a strictly academic or purely text-based approach are the natural audience. Those who already follow George's YouTube content will find the book a useful consolidation of his method; those entirely new to his work will encounter a training philosophy that Dr. Ian Dunbar has publicly described as enriching for both dogs and their human companions.
Frequently Asked Questions
is Zak George's Dog Training Revolution: The Complete Guide to Raising the Perfect Pet by Zak George, Dina Roth Port worth reading for a first-time dog owner
Yes — the book is designed specifically for new or prospective dog owners who want a single, organized resource covering the full scope of responsible dog ownership and positive-reinforcement training. It moves from pre-arrival preparation all the way through housetraining, basic obedience, behavioral troubleshooting, veterinary care, and even trick training, so a first-time owner has one structured place to land instead of searching across dozens of videos.
What is this book actually about
It's a cradle-to-collar handbook that walks you through the entire arc of dog ownership — chapters run from 'Decisions, Decisions: Choosing the Right Dog for You' and 'Before Your Dog Comes Home' through housetraining, basic commands, and a dedicated troubleshooting chapter covering barking, chewing, leash pulling, puppy biting, aggression, and jumping up. The book's animating philosophy is tailoring training to a dog's unique traits and energy level rather than applying a one-size-fits-all regimen.
Does this book actually work as a training method
The positive-reinforcement approach in the book carries a notable endorsement from Dr. Ian Dunbar — veterinarian, animal behaviorist, and founder of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers — who called it 'a must-read for dog lovers everywhere' with 'a wealth of practical tips, tricks, and fun games that will enrich the lives of many dogs and their human companions.' That commendation from one of the most credentialed voices in applied animal behavior speaks to the book's substantive coverage rather than merely its celebrity-driven appeal.
Is this book good for people who already watch his youtube channel
Readers who already follow Zak George's YouTube channel — described in the review as the number-one destination for dog training video content in the world — will find the book a useful consolidation of his method, since the 2016 Ten Speed Press release was the first time George gathered information from hundreds of videos and experience with thousands of dogs into a single comprehensive guide. The book also integrates links to specific YouTube videos paired with relevant topics, so existing fans get a structured framework around content they may already know in episodic form.
Does this book cover advanced dog training or is it just for beginners
The book is explicitly pitched as a complete guide for the general pet owner, so readers looking for deep dives into advanced obedience competition, specialized working-dog training, or clinical behavioral modification may find the coverage of those areas less exhaustive than dedicated specialist texts. It's genuinely comprehensive for everyday dog ownership — including a troubleshooting chapter on aggression and a section on trick training — but the breadth of the guide means some topics are treated at an introductory level.
Who is dina roth port and what does she add to this book
Dina Roth Port is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in Glamour, Self, Prevention, and The Huffington Post, and she brings editorial clarity to Zak George's methodology. The review notes this collaboration shapes the book's accessible, chapter-driven voice — meaning you get a practitioner's hands-on expertise structured and written with the readability of professional journalism.
Is there anything to watch out for before buying this book
The main caveat is that the book integrates links to George's YouTube channel as a structural feature, which creates a mild dependency on that external content remaining accessible — something to consider if you want a fully self-contained printed reference years after publication. The other limitation is scope: because the book covers everything from breed selection to veterinary care to trick training, readers with very specific or advanced needs should calibrate their expectations and may want a specialist text alongside it.
Sources & Further Reading
The key facts and claims in this review are grounded in the retrieved, verified sources listed below.
- Cited in this review
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- Further reading
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