Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 16-20 of 50
 It helped me tremendously August 18, 2007
squid45 (California)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
The most important thing to know is this: I like dogs, but I'm not a dog lover. I don't go to shows, I refuse to cook for dogs, and it disturbs me when people refer to dogs as their children. I live, however, with a partner who loves dogs and does all 3 things... We have two large, intelligent dogs from two different notoriously "willful" breeds. My partner's dog training coach loaned us a copy and I read it.
The book did a tremendous job of showing me how I was creating much of my own stress through my interactions with the dogs. The author's largest point is to not anthropomorphize dogs and assign motives to their behavior consistent with primate, rather than canine, drives and intelligence. It helped me tremedously understanding what was reasonable to expect and its helping us both in getting our dogs more consistently obedient.
It's a great book and since finishing it, I've realized that virtually everyone out there in the dog world (including me) romanticizes the behavior of dogs to the point that I'm amazed any dogs are successful as pets. If you decide to read this book, please give it a fair shot and read past the first time the author disagrees with one of your deeply held beliefs about dogs. I promise you that even if you disagree with the book, you will take away things worth considering.
 Very detailed! Excellent book for beginning dog trainers July 7, 2007
J. Ulschak (Tennessee)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book is very well-written. It gives LOTS of insight into the dog world. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that it is a little too detailed. People who are just wanting some basic information for why Spot won't come when he's called should not get this book. I found it very insightful as I begin to train my pugs in obedience.
 Some Good Info But Too Much Clutter June 25, 2007
Thomas Kraus
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
Frankly I wasn't able to read the book all the way through, I had trouble with the author spending a lot of effort unnecessarily slamming other training methods and theories, and in some instances talking down to the reader. Her theories should be able to stand on their own merits without bashing other theories. Organization is also lacking, often introducing things and then noting that follow up of the will occur later in the book. I tend to prefer starting on a subject and completing it within a given section. The chapters could generally stand some editing to allow the book to be used for easier reference by issue, given that this is for the most part a training guide.
While I agree with most of the author's training methods I also see the validity in other methods since there truly appears to no given method that out shines all of the others. I do like the positive reinforcement approach to dog training that most people are now practicing,and while the method presented is a good sound method of training dogs I don't see it being heads and shoulders above the rest. All in all this book could be a very good guide if it were made to be more positive, reorganized by content, and overall cut back by about 30%.
Great Book! June 12, 2007
Kathryn K. Ozimek
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Chock full of great ideas for working with your dog. Best dog training book I've read (and I've read a lot of them)! Creative, effective solutions to your dog behavior problems.
Inspiring and Insightful May 25, 2007
Catherine Moser
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
One of the most insightful and intelligent books I have ever read, especially on the subject of dogs. By cutting through all the sentimentality and anthropomorphic qualities we attribute to our dogs, Jean Donaldson raises them to a more beautiful and infinitely more impressive level. Once you understand an animal's behavior, you're more apt to work with it than to simply try to fight it. I was especially glad for all the specifics and examples given in this book.
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