Your dog doesn’t need you to train like Ivan Balabanov, Michael Ellis, Jay Jack, or Bart Bellon

Malakai The Great

Malakai The Great

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Something I’ve been thinking about lately after watching a lot of “big name” trainers.

If you watch Ivan Balabanov, you’ll see pressure, clarity, and accountability.
If you watch Michael Ellis, you’ll see play, mechanics, and clean communication.
If you watch Jay Jack, you’ll hear about relationship, consent, and emotional safety.
If you watch Bart Bellon, you’ll see structure, thresholds, specificity.

Different methods. Different philosophies. Different languages.

But here’s the part people miss:
None of these trainers are magic. None of them are transferable as is to your dog. The reason they look so good isn’t because they found “the one true method.” It’s because they understand timing, context, and the dog in front of them. Most handler frustration doesn’t come from “bad training.” It comes from trying to cosplay someone else’s system without understanding why it works. Your dog doesn’t need you to train like a famous trainer. Your dog needs you to be clear, fair, consistent, and present. Steal concepts. Steal ideas. Learn from the greats. But stop trying to be them.

That’s when things actually start to click.
 
The reason they're great is because they modify their approach based on the dog and they have 10s of thousands of hours working with all kinds of dogs. I fully agree though, it's not about one method or another. It's about learning enough to be able to have the best, most effective impact for the dog you're dealing with. Some dogs aren't food motivated, like my dog. However, he's extremely toy/play motivated. When I'm outdoors food does not work at all, even at the threshold of the door leaving the house. So instead we switch to using a stick as that's his favorite thing in the world. Basically same concept but deeper and that's what makes the the greats. They're open to learning from others and they pivot based on the dog they're working with. Is it a fear reactive dog that doesn't take pressure well or is it an extremely confident dog that has no problem showing you who's in charge if you don't show them you're the leader. They'll say as much themselves. The other thing I think people like to ignore is how much genetics play a role. Some dogs are just built different and not every dog can be trained to be some crazy level of obedience, protection, tracking etc. Those dogs a rare. A big frustration I think people have is they get a dog and expect it to be able to do what they see online and their dog just eventually tops out regardless of how hard and well you train. At some point a dogs natural instincts and abilities reach their limit. Lower your expectations of what's possible and start working with the dog you have instead.
 
Malakai The Great said:
Something I’ve been thinking about lately after watching a lot of “big name” trainers.

If you watch Ivan Balabanov, you’ll see pressure, clarity, and accountability.
If you watch Michael Ellis, you’ll see play, mechanics, and clean communication.
If you watch Jay Jack, you’ll hear about relationship, consent, and emotional safety.
If you watch Bart Bellon, you’ll see structure, thresholds, specificity.

Different methods. Different philosophies. Different languages.

But here’s the part people miss:
None of these trainers are magic. None of them are transferable as is to your dog. The reason they look so good isn’t because they found “the one true method.” It’s because they understand timing, context, and the dog in front of them. Most handler frustration doesn’t come from “bad training.” It comes from trying to cosplay someone else’s system without understanding why it works. Your dog doesn’t need you to train like a famous trainer. Your dog needs you to be clear, fair, consistent, and present. Steal concepts. Steal ideas. Learn from the greats. But stop trying to be them.

That’s when things actually start to click.
Click to expand...
Amazing advice, and is lovely write up to read after my own little realization on this topic not long ago! Your knowledge/posts have helped me tons malakai, so thanks!
 
So you’re saying I can’t just watch one Ivan clip and immediately become a master trainer? Disappointing.

But yeah, stealing ideas > stealing personalities. Dogs seem to notice when you’re pretending. Clear, fair, consistent, present… annoyingly effective.
 
MalikethGSD said:
Amazing advice, and is lovely write up to read after my own little realization on this topic not long ago! Your knowledge/posts have helped me tons malakai, so thanks!
Click to expand...
I’m really glad it helped and even more glad you came to that realization on your own. That’s usually when it actually sticks. Thanks for the kind words. If it helped you feel a bit more confident in what you’re already doing, then it did its job.
Mr. Schmucks said:
So you’re saying I can’t just watch one Ivan clip and immediately become a master trainer? Disappointing.

But yeah, stealing ideas > stealing personalities. Dogs seem to notice when you’re pretending. Clear, fair, consistent, present… annoyingly effective.
Click to expand...
Tragically, no. One Ivan clip does not unlock mastery. I checked.

You nailed it though. Dogs are brutally honest lie detectors. The moment you start performing instead of communicating, they feel it. Steal concepts, not personas, and keep it clear, fair, and consistent. Boring to say, annoyingly effective to do.
JettySpaghetti said:
The reason they're great is because they modify their approach based on the dog and they have 10s of thousands of hours working with all kinds of dogs. I fully agree though, it's not about one method or another. It's about learning enough to be able to have the best, most effective impact for the dog you're dealing with. Some dogs aren't food motivated, like my dog. However, he's extremely toy/play motivated. When I'm outdoors food does not work at all, even at the threshold of the door leaving the house. So instead we switch to using a stick as that's his favorite thing in the world. Basically same concept but deeper and that's what makes the the greats. They're open to learning from others and they pivot based on the dog they're working with. Is it a fear reactive dog that doesn't take pressure well or is it an extremely confident dog that has no problem showing you who's in charge if you don't show them you're the leader. They'll say as much themselves. The other thing I think people like to ignore is how much genetics play a role. Some dogs are just built different and not every dog can be trained to be some crazy level of obedience, protection, tracking etc. Those dogs a rare. A big frustration I think people have is they get a dog and expect it to be able to do what they see online and their dog just eventually tops out regardless of how hard and well you train. At some point a dogs natural instincts and abilities reach their limit. Lower your expectations of what's possible and start working with the dog you have instead.
Click to expand...
Exactly. The great trainers aren’t loyal to methods they’re loyal to the dog in front of them. Food, toys, pressure, space… it’s all just tools, and good handlers switch tools without ego. Genetics is the uncomfortable truth people love to skip. Not every dog is built for elite-level anything, no matter how good the training is. That’s not failure, that’s biology. Once people stop training the dog they wish they had and start training the one on the leash, everything gets easier. Expectations drop, clarity goes up, and the dog actually starts winning.
 
Malakai The Great said:
Something I’ve been thinking about lately after watching a lot of “big name” trainers.

If you watch Ivan Balabanov, you’ll see pressure, clarity, and accountability.
If you watch Michael Ellis, you’ll see play, mechanics, and clean communication.
If you watch Jay Jack, you’ll hear about relationship, consent, and emotional safety.
If you watch Bart Bellon, you’ll see structure, thresholds, specificity.

Different methods. Different philosophies. Different languages.

But here’s the part people miss:
None of these trainers are magic. None of them are transferable as is to your dog. The reason they look so good isn’t because they found “the one true method.” It’s because they understand timing, context, and the dog in front of them. Most handler frustration doesn’t come from “bad training.” It comes from trying to cosplay someone else’s system without understanding why it works. Your dog doesn’t need you to train like a famous trainer. Your dog needs you to be clear, fair, consistent, and present. Steal concepts. Steal ideas. Learn from the greats. But stop trying to be them.

That’s when things actually start to clickI
Click to expand...

Malakai The Great said:
Something I’ve been thinking about lately after watching a lot of “big name” trainers.

If you watch Ivan Balabanov, you’ll see pressure, clarity, and accountability.
If you watch Michael Ellis, you’ll see play, mechanics, and clean communication.
If you watch Jay Jack, you’ll hear about relationship, consent, and emotional safety.
If you watch Bart Bellon, you’ll see structure, thresholds, specificity.

Different methods. Different philosophies. Different languages.

But here’s the part people miss:
None of these trainers are magic. None of them are transferable as is to your dog. The reason they look so good isn’t because they found “the one true method.” It’s because they understand timing, context, and the dog in front of them. Most handler frustration doesn’t come from “bad training.” It comes from trying to cosplay someone else’s system without understanding why it works. Your dog doesn’t need you to train like a famous trainer. Your dog needs you to be clear, fair, consistent, and present. Steal concepts. Steal ideas. Learn from the greats. But stop trying to be them.

That’s when things actually start to click.
Click to expand...
Precisely, over a decade ago summer of 2015. My dog and I went to a Micheal Ellis training session, 2 days. Moved forward and realized Riley my Labradoodle was not a fit for Michael Ellis training, nor I. He was crate trained positively, but we do not like being away from for a second in unfamiliar environments. I didn't either. When stopped at rest stops or Starbucks on long road trips we equally got anxious being apart for a few minutes while using the restroom. Another issue for another topic, still my vulnerablilty. So we quit Michael Ellis and went for a more independent approach. Worked perfectly for us!
 
What you don’t see is how they break things down into incremental training and spending hours or days on one increment. In our fast paced world we might not even realize some of the increments the dogs move through to give you what you want. Just a thought.
 
Riopool24 said:
Precisely, over a decade ago summer of 2015. My dog and I went to a Micheal Ellis training session, 2 days. Moved forward and realized Riley my Labradoodle was not a fit for Michael Ellis training, nor I. He was crate trained positively, but we do not like being away from for a second in unfamiliar environments. I didn't either. When stopped at rest stops or Starbucks on long road trips we equally got anxious being apart for a few minutes while using the restroom. Another issue for another topic, still my vulnerablilty. So we quit Michael Ellis and went for a more independent approach. Worked perfectly for us!
Click to expand...
That’s a great example of self-awareness, honestly. Not every great trainer or system is a great fit, and realizing that early saves a lot of frustration on both ends. You read your dog, read yourself, adjusted course, and it worked, that’s good handling. The “right” approach is the one that actually serves the team in front of you.
JBB said:
What you don’t see is how they break things down into incremental training and spending hours or days on one increment. In our fast paced world we might not even realize some of the increments the dogs move through to give you what you want. Just a thought.
Click to expand...
Exactly. The finished behavior looks effortless, but it’s built on a pile of tiny, unglamorous increments that never make it into a clip. Most of the real work happens slowly, off-camera, and over time, that’s the part people miss.
 
JBB said:
What you don’t see is how they break things down into incremental training and spending hours or days on one increment. In our fast paced world we might not even realize some of the increments the dogs move through to give you what you want. Just a thought.
Click to expand...
Right, but neither of us were good in fast paced environments.
 
Malakai The Great said:
Something I’ve been thinking about lately after watching a lot of “big name” trainers.

If you watch Ivan Balabanov, you’ll see pressure, clarity, and accountability.
If you watch Michael Ellis, you’ll see play, mechanics, and clean communication.
If you watch Jay Jack, you’ll hear about relationship, consent, and emotional safety.
If you watch Bart Bellon, you’ll see structure, thresholds, specificity.

Different methods. Different philosophies. Different languages.

But here’s the part people miss:
None of these trainers are magic. None of them are transferable as is to your dog. The reason they look so good isn’t because they found “the one true method.” It’s because they understand timing, context, and the dog in front of them. Most handler frustration doesn’t come from “bad training.” It comes from trying to cosplay someone else’s system without understanding why it works. Your dog doesn’t need you to train like a famous trainer. Your dog needs you to be clear, fair, consistent, and present. Steal concepts. Steal ideas. Learn from the greats. But stop trying to be them.

That’s when things actually start to click.
Click to expand...
I love this post. It took me a little bit to understand this for myself at the beginning of training my GSD. I just stopped watching videos all together, gathered what I learned and modified it to meet my dog. Most importantly I watched my dog during training to see how I needed to adjust to better understand him and communicate what I needed from him better. Thank you so much for sharing this
 
Lizwells said:
I love this post. It took me a little bit to understand this for myself at the beginning of training my GSD. I just stopped watching videos all together, gathered what I learned and modified it to meet my dog. Most importantly I watched my dog during training to see how I needed to adjust to better understand him and communicate what I needed from him better. Thank you so much for sharing this
Click to expand...
This is exactly it. At some point the videos stop teaching and the dog starts teaching. Once you shift from “how should this look?” to “what is my dog telling me right now?” everything gets clearer.
 
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