Ideologies Running Amok. What About The Dog?

Zak George reposted something that Shay Kelly posted, and I found it absolutely disgusting.

And it was followed up by this post.

Thank you @shaykellymsc for this strikingly relatable chart. In animal behavior, the four quadrants often come up in discussions about training methods. Some trainers argue for ‘balance,’ using all quadrants, but this graphic lays bare the human implications and ethical considerations of such an approach.

The overlap between toxic masculinity and the justification for harm under the guise of control is undeniable here. For many, this will be a lightbulb moment, illustrating how some methods prioritize domination over logic and empathy. Women, especially, may find this resonates deeply, as it mirrors broader societal patterns of male violence and control.

A quick review of the quadrants here: In dog training, the four quadrants break down like this: Positive Reinforcement (R+) adds something good to encourage behavior (like giving treats, play or access to a desirable environment/situation), Negative Punishment (P-) takes something good away to discourage behavior (like ending playtime), Positive Punishment (P+) adds something bad to stop behavior (like leash pops and shock collars ), and Negative Reinforcement (R-) takes something bad away to encourage behavior (like releasing pressure from a prong collar or shock collar). This chart shows how those concepts feel when applied to humans, and why we might not want to use them all.

This is called dragging ideologies that don’t belong into dog training. Just what does toxic masculinity and feminism have to do with the dog? And yet – people still don’t believe that people like Zak George are simply social media influencers – not dog trainers? Please – help me understand that?

Dog trainers are making up their own psychology – and I can prove all this. They all blame B.F Skinner – but they are preaching Konrad Most – and they simply won’t admit it. Linn Boyke on Instagram with his school of dog psychology – but when asked what psychology he’s preaching? You can’t get an answer – cause making it up as I go along isn’t a response that’ll go over well. But it’s sad, people are cheering him on – and they don’t understand what they are watching.

I ask again, what about the dog? Does anyone truly care about the dog? Or is it all about ego’s and icons?