Interview with Gary (Gaz) Jackson

I am delighted to introduce readers to Gary (Gaz) Jackson.  I had the pleasure of meeting him during a recent professional gathering in Buderim, Queensland (AUS). Although the group focused a lot on the power of body language, and how to connect, communicate, and empower other humans, Gary’s unique experience highlights unique understanding of communcation with dogs. He kindly takes time to share key details and to offer us a glimpse of his new book.  We are grateful Gary, that you make yourself available.

Let’s begin with what compelled you to get into dog training?

My father was a dog trainer who ran a security company. My parents divorced, and mom started a dog training company. From childhood, I was connected to dogs and I trained dogs by age 14-15 assisting the hired dog trainer. I had experience with all kinds of varieties and species.  Every year, our family kennel business housed over 120 dogs. We also offered different kinds of dog training, including obedience training and security dog training.

How does insight into body language come into it?

We are not only talking about the signs and signals a human gives a dog to communicate and train, we are also referring to ability to read the body language and behaviour of animals here. It is vital to recognize humans can give mixed messages, when verbally giving instructions, your voice may not match your body language and confuse the dog.  Dogs are adept at reading human energy, feelings, emotions, body fluids, behaviour and so much more.  They respond to humans in more ways than we realize.

Would you all yourself an animal communicator?

I am an expert at reading dog body language. I run seminars on dog language, training and dog bite prevention. Reading energy. Display body language that matches kind. Dogs read internal. They look at scent, chemical changes in your body even your deodorant and the clothes you wear to predict your next move via past association. Dogs have so much more body language that they use. The dog is by far the greatest reader of human body language.

What a great reminder dogs have so much to teach us about ourselves, them and the world, provided we are open to that. So, your parents originally nurtured this professional dog passion?

No. My dad refused to train me, so I did it out of spite, it ended up been the greatest gift. The dogs themselves also really inspire me. Being around them affects me in a positive way. I feel a collaboration going on.

Feeling the way through life is what keeps us inspired, is it not? What kind of dog training have you been especially recognized for?

One big area of our original business was protection and guard dogs for the security industry, police, military, prisons, and other organizations. Among other things, we trained security dogs to bite; Rottweilers, German shepherds, Belgium Malinois and cross breed dogs. My main job was as a decoy to develop the dog’s confidence and aggression.

Teaching dogs to bite? Gosh! Sounds dangerous! How do you protect yourself?

I would wear a body bite suit that I have used since 1988 and before that I used arm pads.

Sounds a bit like a fully protected bee keeper, only more intense.  Apiarists however, do attempt to pacify bees to get to the honey whereas I imagine your dog trainer role is slightly different…

You are right! This takes dog training to a whole level. It is widely recognized. We have clients in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, as well as abroad and different companies.  We also scouted and located dogs, evaluated, train them with different skills. It is quite a process.

Can you share a specific example?

For a recent Papua New Guinea event, we evaluated 117 dogs and I also did Mc for 15000 spectators for a big Protection dog display. We had 4 dogs on one decoy, one on each limb and off lead bite into a car to take out the driver and the high flying back bites were a crowd favorite.

 Dog dealers can be breeders. I am dealer/trainer, I connect and communicate with breeders, dealers and trainers to select dogs on behalf of my clients.

Ah-ha! I sense an Equestrian analogy.  Horse experts scout, buy, train and sell horses as well. Horse trainers can be event judges, run riding schools, juggle many related tasks for their love of horses. 

Yes, like that, I act on behalf of dog clients.

Are you easing out of guard dog training? (You still have a live YouTube video expressing you are retiring from guard dog training in Australia back in 2012.)

I do this less now, but I consistently get requests to do decoy work so now I mostly work with apprentices and I instruct.

What insight do you have into dog therapy? (i.e. people soothe anxiety/ depression with dogs)

I volunteered to assist with soldiers returning from active duty with PTSD with a wonderful support group called Little Diggers. Dogs have a happy, goofy, attitude and humor that helps more than anything else. Everything depends on relationships with owner. Dogs pick up on chemical component of fear, anxiety released by owner and respond by consoling, love, compassion.

Your pioneering approaches to dog training are unlike any I have ever heard of before. Share some rather unique examples of directions your dog training career is branching into.

In Australia I am e first trainer to train Cadaver dogs and Breast cancer detection dog training- the dog Chance detects cells in sweat,   I did a research trip to the UK to study the procedures of the medical alert dogs in training cancer, epileptic detection dogs, sugar diabetes sniffing dogs.There has also been several world firsts I did including environmental detection dogs for detection of Koalas, Quolls, Red Ear Slider Turtle, Cane Toads, Pigmy Blue Tongue lizards. Also, the first Archaeology detection dog and world’s oldest human remains find of 600 years old. Other detection dogs I trained were for explosives, narcotics, Tobacco contamination, Arson and fire arms.

Reminds me of what I know about St. Bernard dogs trained to rescue injured people in the snow.

Funny you would mention that. We did Search & Rescue dog training, working with bloodhounds and other dogs in the early 90’s.  We would help find missing bush walkers, we are also training building search dogs (used after building collapse to find survivors). It was a community service having these dogs available when needed. I also donated the searches with cadaver dogs to the families of missing persons.

All that you share certainly paints a picture. But what happened recently to turn your life upside down?

After been at the kennel complex for 25years. Due to massive family dispute. I had to split up with my girlfriend. Ended up homeless 50,000$ debt and homeless. I was living in the back of my 4wd. I stayed here 4 several months, felt hopeless. Saw who my real friends were and decided I had to make it or perish, but no one knew personally or professionally that I was homeless.

I recall similar stories of hitting financial, emotional and mental rock bottom shared about best-selling author Neal Donald Walsch from the Conversations with God series and Joe Vitale from The Secret collaboration compiled by Rhonda Bryne.  These stories also share the power of attitude to overcome challenges. Love that you consciously decided to turn things around. Tell us how things changed for the better…

Details are in my book to be released Australia wide in May 2019.  But, to be brief, I was completely broke. That is when I wrote my first book. I had an attitude change. I asked myself, “What am I going to do to get out of this?” I used affirmations, read self-help books from Hay House, Napoleon Hill, Zig Ziglar and many more. I sensed I first had to fix my brain. I felt sick, depressed, anxious, and betrayed. The catalyst was my will to live, decision to survive and thrive. My first decision was not to wallow in self-pity or hold on to all this anger. So, I meditated cleared my mind and, in my head, forgave everyone. I chose that I will always be happy, and I will now I will become the most successful I have ever been.

That is certainly very inspirational. What lesson stands out for you about all this?

Without tragedy, nothing would have changed. I was at a place where a Kennel complex with 120 dogs was running my life. I had dogs arriving in for training every day. This Kennel prison as I now see it lasted 25 years.  Media exposure led to becoming a victim of a new kind of success.

I recall a YouTube video 6 Month review you posted where you express gratitude so some of the clients who helped you begin to get out of your rut.

They did help me begin to change my life. I will never forget them or people since who continue to support me.

Describe the most challenging things that has ever happened to you (other than the recent family ordeal to be detailed in your new book). How did this make you feel?

I have known many challenges in my career. I was pioneer, always wanted to discover and create. Intelligence means to me doing things that have never been done before. Imagination and knowledge combined with action cannot fail. I created what was either the first in Australia orthe world on several projects.  I have trained over 20,000 dogs n my dog training career. Word of mouth travels fast. I am always looking for another dog, another project.  Details of this is included and more in my new tell all book.

What are you silently motivated by? What are you really asking?

How can what I do be a benefit to mankind? I exist to make a difference, the big question you have to ask yourself “Is the world a better place because you lived? My answer is yes, when I reflect on the many people the dogs I supplied or trained have saved them from break ins or physical violence or the 1000’s of endangered species alive today due to the detection dogs. Criminals tracked down, bodies of loved ones located for the families. And the 1000’s of dogs that became new loved family members or training and education for a closer bond with the owner. As well as this the many 1000’s of people that have learnt dog bite prevention from animal control officers in Australia and NZ to the school children in India. I also volunteer to many organizations and am proud to have saved countless dogs from death row.

What are some of the dog-related training endeavors you engage in these days?

Lots of on-line videos. I will over the next few years transition into a full-time author on dog education books and do more public speaking gigs. I will also be adding a heap of video down load content with eBooks etc.

You can watch How to train a dog on a lead in 60 seconds and others...

Love feeling you are self-directed.  The dramatic shifts going on in your life are very noticeable. Share your dream. What is it that means the most to you and how do you do it?

My dream is to create new industries, things that have never been done. Medic alert dogs, environmental detection dogs, etc. I was able to re-evaluate my whole life by focusing how to enrich the lives of others by using my dog insight and expertise. Toxic people are no longer part of my life.  I focus on what I want, invest in personal happiness. 

What was the turning point?

Something in me turned around while living in car- sleeping at a park in Dakabin.  I did some meditation. I was an emotional wreck. I said to myself: “you will never destroy me!” From that moment, I started laughing at stress. I had the very clear focus I would survive. I advertised private dog training lessons on Facebook. Put Ads on FB. Next thing I am driving around Australia doing private lessons. I initially charged 200$ per lesson.  This led to $4-5000 for dog training. I decided I would not go bankrupt. Ended up paying out ATO and kennel debts that were not mine based on giving private lessons. Finally got a payment thru from unemployment and invested the entire lot on airfares to India and volunteered with street dogs in India, dog bite prevention training for kids w/dogs in India.

I love the message echoing from your story. Regardless of our conditions at any point in time, we can always help others, give back, donate time, money or some aspect of ourselves to enrich the world. Altruism takes us everywhere.

It hits I have been applying the RAS thing from The Answer book by Allan and Barbara Pease without knowing I was doing it. I said, one day, I am going to fly in for a seminar via helicopter. I did it.  My first book was released in 2015. Got eBook and audiobook done. Negotiated with publisher, got a payment plan. People inspired by me helped me out. Allan invited me to use studio video equipment. Everything came together.

Any memorable experiences stand out?

I was key note speaker for the national conference of animal control officers New Zealand. I booked a one-way ticket and hire car. At the gig I advised I can go to your council and run a 4-hour seminar and straight away I started taking bookings then it continued by phone. I then had about nine seminars booked, and I drove around the north and South Island doing a seminar each day.

I would arrive the night before and sleep in the car, then have a pommy shower get changed and head in. I had no plan B so when the first payment came in I was able to book my flight home and pay the extra on the hire car.

 Every day I went to a different place, I wrote a new chapter of the book

Funny- what jumps to mind is Pursuit of Happiness movie with actor Will Smith.

“Don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you got to protect it. When people can’t do something themselves, they’re going to tell you that you can’t do it. You want something go get it Period” - Will Smith

Love the message and quote: Dress for the job you want not the job you have

Why write The Dog Trainer? What is the purpose in sharing your story? Why publish overseas?

Schwarzenegger quote- he says, ‘you must have laser focus to get what you want.’ I went into this flotation tank for mediation.  It deprives you of everything-pitch black and silent. I booked an hour session to see what I wanted.  Big inspiration came- to create a private lesson to downloadon line plus give them eBook and audiobook for 49$.  I managed to raise funds for production. 2.5 hours of video in the studio and field. Normally a lesson to teach your dog to walk on a loose lead, not to jump up and fix a whole stack of behavior problems is $300. But I can create an on-line package covering all this including my first book as an audio and eBook included in the package. Duplicated private lesson in the studio with step by step instruction- why is dog doing this? What caused this and how to fix problem.? So, with nearly 3 hours of video and 5hr audio book an eBook all for $49. We anticipate a huge success, and this will give me the freedom to work on my next projects of on line content and books.

My first book was 50000 words “The Dog Trainer” is around 140000 and in parts. Part 1 is The K9 files on the training of many of the detection dogs including the training program and successes and failures. Part 2 is on the secret life of a dog trainer. This covers the full story on what was happening behind the scenes and is very confronting covering everything from attempted murder to greed and Narcissists Part 3 is the doghouse to the penthouse which is wild ride of heroes and villains going from a server train wreck to great success in 3 years finishing with the birth of my first grandchild due Dec 27, 2018.

Which blessings and lessons can you extract from your pain and suffering? Why did you create this scenario? Do you believe in karma? (past-future life cause-effect consequences for actions)

The story is to inspire people to decide and go for it, don't worry about how just make the decision to do it. It’s your dream, your life. Karma is my best friend, I will never do anything to deliberately hurt a person so if I can’t help them I’m not going to hurt them. I am one of these people that love to see people succeed. I have been a mentor for so many even though at the time I was going through hell. I will always project a happy caring energy around people but been an Empath I seem to absorb this negative energy, so I need time regularly in solitude to rejuvenate.

How do you project yourself into your future? Who is Gary becoming? Where is he going to be?

I am traveling the world ticking things off my bucket list, I already spent a heap of time traveling and exploring different countries including PNG, Thailand, Dubai, NZ and USA. With the success of the online content I do not have to be geographically committed based on work. In the next year I will be taking people I love to place they want to see such as my adult children and close friends. When I want a break, I can go to Bali which is where I am right now or elsewhere. I redefine freedom. I will call a close friend and say what you doing next week? Nothing great pack your bags flight is booked to Vietnam, lets hang out.

Can you share specific lessons you have learned from travel and your life?

I grow more tolerant and understanding as I explore the unfamiliar. During my plight, I volunteered for meals on wheels, dog rescue groups, Cancer charity days, Game shaper at the commonwealth games and many more, what you do as a human being- donate money and if you can’t then donate time and if you can’t donate products and to charity work. It goes unnoticed. Doesn’t matter. You will meet some of the most beautiful caring people and make a difference, treat everyone with great respect and a smile. When you are at peace with yourself, that’s a beautiful thing.

If you have a piece of advice or insight to leave with our audience, what would it be?

Invest in personal happiness. Don’t be a slave to work. You need to have fun, get out a live life.  Sometimes adversity must happen to prompt change. Greatest gift is travel so check out 3^rdworld places to travel to where people have nothing. They have no materialistic stuff, but they are happy with what they have and all love and care for each other.

Allan Pease told me this great quote when he checked out my first book “How to select and raise your Ultimate Dog” This is a great book for credibility and he described some of his early books that was excellent but didn’t sell well. He decided he would only write best sellers which was a great piece of advice.

“Be a marketeer not an author Write a book people want to read Not a book you want to write” This advice was instrumental in the creation of the Ultimate Dog Training private lesson download and the upcoming book “The Dog Trainer”

Share anything else you wish to add (i.e. website, upcoming events, how to contact you, get your book).

My first book “How to Select and Raise your Ultimate Dog” Soft-copy, eBook and Audio is available at www.gazjackson.com or Amazon.

The Ultimate Dog Training Private Lesson featuring how to teach a dog to walk on lead in 60 seconds and stop jumping on people in one session, stay under distractions. Fix dependency, barking, and many other problems. 2:40 of video studio and field, 5 hours of audio and an eBook all for $49

Available at www.gazjackson.com from Dec 1, 2018

“The Dog Trainer” From dog training firsts to murder and mayhem Australia wide release May 2019

Put your email address down and be the first to get a copy of the pre-release www.gazjackson.com