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Fans of the National Geographic Channel's The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan will be grateful for Cesar's Way, an accessible guide to help new and current dog owners better understand the needs of their beloved pets. If you are not yet a fan, try to catch a couple of episodes of the remarkable show--you will be amazed, impressed, and motivated to create a healthier, more fulfilling relationship with your dog. In Cesar's Way, Cesar explains that dogs are not complicated, and despite what various owners think--not human. They rely on three key elements in their lives: exercise, discipline, and affection (in that order). "Problem dogs" can be attributed to "problem owners," owners who don't understand and misinterpret their dog's behavior. Cesar's Way is really a training program for dog owners, with chapters devoted to understanding the "power of the pack," taking responsibility for "how we screw up our dogs," and learning how to manage aggression. Cesar's book (a must-have for new and old dog owners) moves beyond basic obedience school techniques, and teaches owners how to change unwanted behavior by better understanding their "best friends." --Daphne Durham
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Watch Cesar in action in this clip of The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, courtesy of the National Geographic Channel. Or, tune in on Friday nights, at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Cesar Millan's Top 5 Tips for Going to the Dog Park
1. Make sure your dog is spayed or neutered, has all her shots, and is in good health. Under no circumstances should you bring a sick dog to a dog park!
2. Do not use the dog park as a substitute for the walk! If you drive to the park, leave your car a block away and take your dog on a vigorous walk of at least thirty-five minutes to drain some of her energy. Never take an over-excited dog to the park.
3. While at the park, don't "punch out" on your calm-assertive leadership. Be aware of your dog at all times, and take responsibility for her behavior.
4. A calm-submissive dog will not attract another dog's aggression--but an excited dog, a weak, timid dog, or an aggressive dog can become a fight-magnet.
5. Know your dog! If your dog has poor social skills, is overly fearful or is dog aggressive, or if you have not yet established your calm-assertive leadership with your dog, find a more controlled way to introduce her to the company of other dogs, such as "play dates" with one or two other dog owners.
Book Description
“I rehabilitate dogs. I train people.” —Cesar Millan
There are at least 68 million dogs in America, and their owners lavish billions of dollars on them every year. So why do so many pampered pets have problems? In this definitive and accessible guide, Cesar Millan—star of National Geographic Channel’s hit show Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan—reveals what dogs truly need to live a happy and fulfilled life.
From his appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show to his roster of celebrity clients to his reality television series, Cesar Millan is America’s most sought-after dog-behavior expert. But Cesar is not a trainer in the traditional sense—his expertise lies in his unique ability to comprehend dog psychology. Tracing his own amazing journey from a clay-walled farm in Mexico to the celebrity palaces of Los Angeles, Cesar recounts how he learned what makes dogs tick. In Cesar’s Way, he shares this wisdom, laying the groundwork for you to have stronger, more satisfying relationships with your canine companions.
Cesar’s formula for a contented and balanced dog seems impossibly simple: exercise, discipline, and affection, in that order. Taking readers through the basics of dog psychology and behavior, Cesar shares the inside details of some of his most fascinating cases, using them to illustrate how common behavior issues develop and, more important, how they can be corrected.
Whether you’re having issues with your dog or just want to make a good bond even stronger, this book will give you a deeper appreciation of how your dog sees the world, and it will help make your relationship with your beloved pet a richer and more rewarding one.
Learn what goes on inside your dog’s mind and develop a positive, fulfilling relationship with your best friend
In Cesar’s Way, Cesar Millan—nationally recognized dog expert and star of National Geographic Channel’s hit show Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan—helps you see the world through the eyes of your dog so you can finally eliminate problem behaviors. You’ll learn:
• What your dog really needs may not be what you’re giving him
• Why a dog’s natural pack instincts are the key to your happy relationship
• How to relate to your dog on a canine level
• There are no “problem breeds,” just problem owners
• Why every dog needs a job
• How to choose a dog who’s right for you and your family
• The difference between discipline and punishment
• And much more!
Filled with fascinating anecdotes about Cesar’s longtime clients, and including forewords by the president of the International Association of Canine Professionals and Jada Pinkett Smith, this is the only book you’ll need to forge a new, more rewarding connection with your four-legged companion.
Also available as a Random House AudioBook
Customer Reviews:
Are you kidding me?.......2007-10-12
I have 2 mutts.
So a few people told me I should read about this guy and I did. I'm sorry, but I don't understand how any dog owner/lover would agree to any of these methods. To me, it's about a power struggle and dominance. Sure, your dog should know you're in charge.. but making them run 6 hours a day is NOT training, it's downright abuse. Our dogs should be obedient because they respect and love us, not fear us. If that's the relationship you want with your pets, fine I guess.
Moreover, the entire book is about how great he thinks he is and the writing's terrible. Don't waste your money. Spend it on treats for your fur-kids.
great book.......2007-10-07
Very interesting book. I recommend it. It is more in depth than the television show and he also talks about his life in it.
Cesar shows how naive most pet owners are.......2007-10-06
From the sympathetic crocodile lover neighborhood in Florida that got a gardener killed because they passed laws against extracting crocs from their neighborhood to the San Francisco mother that got her child killed by her pitbull, Cesar shows the naive and stupid world of pet lovers and owners that these beasts are still amoral creatures, not moral understanding humans. As Cesar said in the Oprah Winfrey show, the biggest mistake most pet owners make is to humanize their animals and that's what gets them in trouble. According to Cesar, it's not that animals are better or lesser than humans, it's just they are not human.
I love Cesar!.......2007-10-04
This book is an easy read. It gives a fair amount of background as to how Cesar Millan got his start as well as the method behind his madness. Anecdotes and straight-forward advice give the reader some general ideas as to how they might curb certain pet behavior issues. You can agree or disagree with Cesar's training methods, but you have to admit the guy genuinely cares about AND has a way with both dogs and people.
vague.......2007-10-02
Though his basic ideas make sense, the book fails in that it never gets around to specifics. For example, Cesar tells you never to let your dog go in the door first. OK, fine...but how? Never let your dog walk ahead of you on the leash. OK, fine...but how? What can you actually do to stop the dog from going ahead of you? If you are like me, and are having problems with a dog that is physically stronger than you are, this book will not be very helpful. After reading this book I still have no idea how I'm supposed to hold back an exuberant and powerful animal so I can walk ahead of her.
Book Description
*The Culture Clash is special. Written in Jean's inimitably informal yet precise lecture style, the book races along on par with a good thriller. *The Culture Clash depicts dogs as they really are - stripped of their Hollywood fluff, with their loveable 'can I eat it, chew it, urinate on it, what's in it for me' philosophy. Jean's tremendous affection for dogs shines through at all times, as does her keen insight into the dog's mind. Relentlessly she champions the dog's point of view, always showing concern for their education and well being. Without a doubt, Jean's book is the hottest doggy item on the market. Best Training Book Of The Year! (Maxwell Award)
Customer Reviews:
positive dog training.......2007-10-09
Great book on positive dog training! It was a very fast read, very interesting and gave a lot of insight to how many people treat their dog and how people actually should treat their dogs. The book explained how people generally are interpreting what their dogs are thinking to mean the wrong thing, and how we actually should read those behaviors. There are a lot of examples throughout the book on ideas for training dogs, and then a chapter on basic behavioral training at the very end.
One of the best books on positive dog training.......2007-09-20
I see lots of controversy in the reviews, but I think many of the negative reviewers have missed some important points in this volume, or perhaps have reacted emotionally to them. This is an excellent book on positive dog training - one of the best. If you want a close, mutually-respectful relationship with a well-behaved dog, this is really the way to go.
Jean Donaldson fully acknowledges that we can build close relationships with our animals and that the use of classical and operant conditioning are not the only methods that can be used for training. She simply shows that these approaches are the most effective ways, and the most scientifically-validated approaches for socializing and training dogs using positive methods. If you want to teach your dog good behavior or new behaviors, socialize it well and use positive behavior methods. You can still be emotionally close with your dog, but don't use your (or your dog's) emotions as the primary TRAINING tool--we all tend to respond more readily to consequences when we're learning. When applied properly, Donaldson's methods really do work with a very wide range of dogs and problems. Some reviewers may be unhappy because the currently-popular "pack theory" is not supported in this book. In my reading of it, however, I did not see Donaldson "slamming" pack theory, but merely stating that there's a lack of scientific evidence that it really works, and she offers a noncoercive method that DOES have solid science behind it. Through effective use of behavioral methods, as explained in this book, you can create a most satisfying relationship with your dog, and your dog will respect you. But at the same time, the training takes into account the unique characteristics of dogs. Dogs do not need to be subjugated in order to follow our leadership. (Actually, when you watch some of the "leader of the pack" trainers work, you'll also see them using a LOT of what Donaldson talks about. What Donaldson avoids are the aversive control measures that are sometimes employed by others.)
As a psychologist, I thought Donaldson's explanations of behavioral methods were very good, although they might be a bit technical or detailed for some. I train therapy dogs to work with children, and I also train children to interact positively with therapy dogs, and I really have no choice but to use positive methods. The kids learn how to be the leader for the dog, but we do it via all-positive methods, such as defined in this book.
I've trained a lot of dogs through the years using a variety of methods, and I've recently reviewed many training books in preparation for a book I've written about using dogs in play therapy, and I wholeheartedly endorse positive training methods as the means of training dogs for a wide range of roles: well-behaved pets, obedience, therapy work, and traditional working dogs (such as herding or hunting). Donaldson makes it clear how and why this works.
Some may want an easy manual of the "10 steps to training a dog," and this book is not organized that way. I think its aim is to educate the owner or trainer in a process, and how to apply that process to a wide range of situations and behaviors. Ultimately, understanding the material in this book permits owners/trainers much more versatility in the work they do with dogs.
I strongly recommend this book. To get the most out of it, put your preconceived notions on a back burner and really try to see what she is saying. She provides the most effective way of helping dogs learn our human ways (by requiring us to learn about their canine ways!), and ultimately, having a well-socialized and well-mannered dog can only deepen the loving relationships we have with our pets. We have 4 dogs (2 are rescues who came with some problems), and I'm as attached as ever to all of them, and a lot less frustrated when I'm trying to teach them something new!
It helped me tremendously.......2007-08-18
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.......2007-07-07
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.......2007-06-25
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%.
Book Description
So much aggression in dogs results from fear, but fear-based problems can become worse if treated incorrectly. This booklet provides a step-by step explanation of desensitizing and counter classical conditioning. It can help you solve minor behavioral problems and prevent serious ones, whether your dog fears include the vacuum cleaner, people with hats, or the stranger at the door. The oh-so-important details related to identifying exactly what triggers your dog, creating a step-by-step treatment plan, monitoring your progress, and why you need to treat the fear and not just your dog's reaction to the fear are covered. This book is on the top ten of the Dogwise book catalog and has helped thousands of dogs and their owners around the country.
Customer Reviews:
Some good advice, but not applicable to me.......2007-09-10
I agree with other reviewers who say this little booklet is *way* overpriced for its size! $6.95? You can buy plenty of mutli-hundred page paperbacks for that price! Something like $2.99 seems like a more realistic price for something that is a small pamphlet at best.
However it is well organized, and not overwhelming. I recently adopted an extremely shy (though not the teeniest bit aggressive) rescue dog, and someone recommended this booklet to me.
But really it is not applicable to me. You are first told to figure out what your dog is fearful of. Not much help when the answer is "everything".
And then there are the desensitizing steps to help your dog overcome its fears. But in the case one of the things the new dog is most fearful of is *me*. This booklet starts out with the assumption that the owner is one thing that the dog trusts and accepts - so gives me no clues at all on how to win the trust of a new and shy dog who is fearful of its new owner more than anything!
informative but slightly impractical.......2007-07-05
I love all of Patricia's books but this one didn't really help us. She gives a lot of information but ultimately says you can't fix the separation anxiety unless you have several weeks, even months, that you can stay home with your dog and work on this training.
half of the book was missing.......2007-06-27
I bought this book several months ago, but never got around to reading it until recently. I read pages 1-6 thinking "This is good information. I flipped the page only to have the pages start over at page 1-6. Because of the way that this book was constructedstaped together, pages 23-30 also repeated. Even worse is the fact that pages 7-22 were COMPLETELY MISSING. I am VERY disappointed.
A fearless dog.......2007-05-14
This book provides step by step advice on how to help your dog overcome her fears. Following this approach, my dog is doing so much better in thunder storms after just a couple of "training sessions." While there's still work to be done, by the end of the summer, I am confident that my dog will be fearlessly begging for treats when the next storm rolls in.
Great beginner's guide.......2007-03-08
This is a great guide for learning the basics of how to counter-condition your anxious or fearful dog. It's short but concise, with clearly defined steps that are easy to follow. However, if you're looking for a really in-depth guide, or are already familiar with basic counter-conditioning, you would probably be better off with a more intensive guide. Still, for a quick refresher course or a foundation for future work, this booklet is great, and I do recommend it. (Plus it's cheap - what have you got to lose?)
Book Description
Yes, humans and canines are different species, but current research provides fascinating, irrefutable evidence that what we share with our dogs is greater than how we vary. As behaviorist and zoologist Dr. Patricia McConnell tells us in this remarkable new book about emotions in dogs and in people, more and more scientists accept the premise that dogs have rich emotional lives, exhibiting a wide range of feelings including fear, anger, surprise, sadness, and love.
In For the Love of a Dog, McConnell suggests that one of the reasons we love dogs so much is that they express emotions in ways similar to humans. After all, who can communicate joy better than a puppy? But not all emotional expressions are obvious, and McConnell teaches both beginning dog owners and experienced dog lovers how to read the more subtle expressions hidden behind fuzzy faces and floppy ears.
For those of us who deeply cherish our dogs but are sometimes baffled by their behavior, For the Love of a Dog will come as a revelation–a treasure trove of useful facts, informed speculation, and intriguing accounts of man’s best friend at his worst and at his very best. Readers will discover how fear, anger, and happiness underlie the lives of both people and dogs and, most important, how understanding emotion in both species can improve the relationship between them. Thus McConnell introduces us to the possibility of a richer, more rewarding relationship with our dogs.
While we may never be absolutely certain what our dogs are feeling, with the help of this riveting book we can understand more than we ever thought possible. Those who consider their dogs part of the family will find For the Love of a Dog engaging, enlightening, and utterly engrossing.
Customer Reviews:
sounds good to me.......2007-10-10
Not all the way thru yet but the book shares much of my own philosophy. Worth reading.
Excellent tool.......2007-09-30
This is one of the best tools I've found for helping me understand the world my dog lives in. As a sidebar - there is a series of photos including both humans and canines, showing expressions and pointing out what they mean. Having looked through it thoroughly, I was in hysterics after logging in to a blog and seeing a group of "happy party photos" - once I'd looked at her photos, the *real* message of the party shots was unavoidable, from the smile that said "take one more photo and I'll drown you in the gazpacho" to the frozen, fear-filled shy person, barring her teeth in one of the most uncomfortable smiles I've ever seen. So this is not only good for understanding your dog - but also for paying attention to the real messages on the people faces around you!
Terrific book - even if you don't have a dog!.......2007-09-29
This is a great book! I first purchased it as an audiobook, then purchased the hardcover. Now, I am listening to the audiobook for the second time, and am amazed all over again. If you are interested in the way your brain works, the way dogs learn, the way animals in general learn, this book is fascinating. It is not a how-to book, so you won't be able to train your dog after reading this book. But it will help you understand your dog (and yourself!)
Very analytical.......2007-09-27
I was expecting this audio to be something like a cross between dog psychology and "Marley and Me." It was exclusively the psychology of dog behavior, and is not easy listening.
Excellent book.......2007-09-26
This book gave me a very clear, interesting glimpse into the mind of dogs and enabled me to interpret their body language.
Book Description
Raising a happy, well-adjusted puppy is much like raising a child--owners have to listen to what their puppy's behavior is trying to tell them. And it's far simpler than people think. With the intuitive and step-by-step methods included in this invaluable book (with a bonus DVD featuring demonstrations of great training techniques) from experts Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson, puppies can be trained quickly and painlessly. Readers will learn: - The easy way to housebreak or paper-train your pup - Quick lessons in canine communication - Common problems and quick solutions, from barking to mouthing to chasing cars or people...and more! With humor, time-tested advice, and an arsenal of tricks, MY SMART PUPPY teaches new dog owners everything they need to know to raise a healthy, happy, and well-adjusted dog.
Customer Reviews:
Nice Combo.......2007-09-26
This combo is a nice resource. Some subject are very informative, other lacking. It's not the super book that some reviews might lead you to believe, but an adequate general resource to raising a puppy at a nice price. Video is a complement to the book. Be sure to also get a book specific to your puppies breed.
Not what I Was Looking For.......2007-09-18
In the domesticated animal world I have noticed that animals I want/need to train don't speak English. They speak who'sthebiggest. They use biting and kicking (horse, ouch)to communicate. I was looking for a book that would help me communicate to a very wily puppy that our family is ahead of him in the pecking order. This book was not suitable for us, as it did not cleary establish that the dog is a dog. This training method may work better for someone with a less willful breed. We found excellent results with training classes at our local Petsmart.
Very Helpful!.......2007-09-16
This book did wonders for my understanding of dogs' "thought process". i wish I read this book years ago. If I had, my dogs would have always been trained and well behaved. Everyone is surprised at how well behaved my 7 month old puppy is. This is a must!
Not to bad.......2007-08-23
I really like to DVD included, It was much more easier to visualise it
after to read it from the book
Great book.......2007-08-08
This is one of the better puppy books currently out. It gives not only background information on dog types and their tendencies..but a easy and fun way to train them and what works for certian peronality types. It tells why doing or not doing certian things effect the puppy's learning to be a good dog.
Book Description
The gentle, nonviolent training methods and mysteries of "horse whisperers" have recently enlightened the world's consciousness of nonviolent training methods.
Now, in The Dog Whisperer, trainer Paul Owens offers a compassionate, nonviolent approach to dog training. His spiritual approach links sound training principles with intuitive and effective insights.
Owens' compassionate training methods will help you create an emotional bridge to "plug in" and create a deeper bond with your dog than you thought possible. The Dog Whisperer offers a truly humane, revolutionary, and common sense approach to raising and training your dog.
You will learn:
* Learn "dog speak" the body language and vocalizations needed to communicate with your dog.
* How to train your dog without jerking, hitting, kicking, shocking, or shaking
* How to turn affection, play, toys, praise, and social freedom into powerful rewards.
* Learn five ways to establish a leadership role so your dog will happily follow your lead.
* Eliminate behavioral problems such as jumping, barking, and digging.
* How easy and fun training can be when you use The Nine Ingredients of Reward-Based Dog Training and turn affection, play, toys, praise, and social freedom into powerful rewards.
Customer Reviews:
This book has half of the equation.......2007-09-20
This book fails to take into account that treats and rewards are only part of the equation for learning. Most of the good manners we want our dogs to learn can be taught by what we reward and what we ignore, but not all!
I have watched mother dogs interact with their puppies many times, and in addition to playing, licking, grooming and affection, she will also use strong body language, a lift of the lip to show teeth, a growl, a nip or pinning the puppy when appropriate. There ARE times when it is appropriate to use these techniques also, and using both rewards and consequences is what produces a well balanced dogs that are a pleasure to have around. Paul's book does not address this.
A different view of things.......2007-08-23
Still reading this book as I write this review, but as far as I am concerned it was well worth the money I spent on it. I have a miniature Beagle who had me at my wits end until I started using the techniques inside. Compassion has worked so much better at reinforcing his good behaviour than throwing my hands up in frustration or yelling ever did!
A terrific book!.......2007-08-06
I just finished Paul Owen's 6 week dog training course and was so pleased I then bought this book. His obvious love for animals and his desire to communicate what's best for dogs in every aspect comes through so
clearly in a very hands on, practical, easy to understand, way. I've bought about 8 other books since getting
my Shepherd mix puppy 5 months ago but this is the book I've settled on as a permanent guideline and
source. He thinks of the things between the lines. So it's easier to figure out how it actually applies to your unique situation.
Michele (and her dog Sara)
adequate.......2007-07-26
Cesar is famous , but isn't revolutionary. Some of his techniques are outdated and inhumane! He presents the idea that dog behavior can be changed - which is good. But his approach can be modified to make it less traumatic in some instances.
I agree that a tired dog is much easier to handle and train, but not every pet owner can start each day with a 4 hour hike in the mountains. That is a luxury afforded by associating with the rich and famous.
Some Good Training Concepts But..........2007-07-02
This book has some good concepts on training but nothing that I have not seen elsewhere. A few of the reasons for the low rating are the extra chapters in learning to breath, and how to speak dog. If I want to learn how to do meditation breathing I will buy a new age book. Also the diets recommended in this book for your dog are for those who have a 6 figure income and an organic grocery store available to them. The author(s) also assume that you do not have to work to have this income based on the recommended daily routine for caring for your dog. I also was misled by the title thinking that this was the Dog Whisperer from the television show; it is not. I found this out after I bought the book and I finally got to see the show. What an injustice this book does to his television shows' name. I do not recommend this book.
Book Description
Looking for some tips to create a little order out of the canine chaos in your home? Concerned that there might be some tension between two of the dogs in your pack? Not sure if all that growling during play means trouble or not? This booklet has the answers to those questions and many more. Written to help you maximize the joy of living in a multi-dog household, it emphasizes the use of Ethology and Positive Reinforcement to teach your dogs to be polite and patient instead of demanding and pushy. Filled with practical ideas about keeping life fun in houses that have two dogs or many more than that, Feeling Outnumbered is a great resource for all multiple dog owners, whether novice of professional.
Customer Reviews:
life saving book!!!!.......2007-09-04
I have a multi dog household and most of the books out there don't cover the things you have happen when you have a "pack" of dogs...this book is wonderful !!!!!!!!! I now have a bit of peace with my 4 dogs !!!! (2 - 4 month old plott hound pups , the momma plott hound and a great pyrenees)Training them is much easier after reading this book!!!!!It's a small easy to read pamphlet type book - so no excuse not read it!!!
Short and too the point.......2007-07-16
This is a very small booklet but full of good advice for those of us in multi-dog households.
Great book, fast read.......2007-06-02
This book was very informational. I learned alot about the multiple dog household. It also confirmed things I had thought but didn't really know, such as; having a group name for your animals to respond to, training the dogs individually to get basic commands first before expecting them to respond in a group.... And just getting over your guilt of trying to always make things fair and equal for all of them. Its a great book that I will read and reread.
Family Dog Dynamics.......2007-05-07
I found this very usefull in understanding why my dogs inter-related the way they did. It also gives useful information on how to correct problems within your pack.
wish there was more details........2007-02-19
I found the book to have many common sense points. but not enough direction for unique group situations. I wanted more information, not just a booklet. The overall impression was that it was a good review of common sense points, which many people don't have with their pets. If you have not information about dogs, dog packs or dog behavior this will work for you. if you do have that basic information you may be disapointed with this book.
Product Description
On Talking Terms with Dogs second edition with three additional chapters, color photos and descriptive captions. Turid Rugaas is a noted expert on canine body language, notably "calming signals" which are signals dogs give to other dogs and humans to denote stress and to attempt defuse situations that otherwise might result in fights or aggression. Written in practical, down-to-earth, logical language.
Customer Reviews:
30?.......2007-09-30
The signals are interesting and the pictures illustrate the behaviors well, but the book as a whole is poorly organized and provides very little context. The sections just seem to bump into one another. Almost all of the signals are described as having the same effect or purpose. To be fair I suppose that's the point of the book: calming. But really that's just too thin a topic without going into more detail on each behavior. There must be some difference between licking and curving, for example. What is it? I believe she also claims there are 30 signals, but only discusses about 13.
No dog owner should be without it.......2007-09-28
Turid Rugaas has done a great service for dog owners, and students of dog behavior ... and especially for the dogs themselves. Can you imagine being able to tell what your dog is feeling, and when he is becoming uncomfortable, at a glance? With "Calming Signals", you can do just that. You'll have a clear and concise guide to canine body language that will always give you an edge to helping your dog move though life with clear communication and canine comfort.
Do you think that a dog licking his lips must be hungry? Or that he's always happy when he wags his tail? Or averting his eyes and refusing to meet your or another dog's gaze is a sign of shyness? Think again, and pick up a copy of this book!
It's a brief text, which takes no more than a few hours to read, but will give back a lifetime of understanding between you and your canine friend. "On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals" is a title that should be found on every dog lover's bookshelf.
Interesting but useless, from a practical sense.......2007-09-20
Interesting to understand dog behavior BUT she doesn't explain how to apply it to teaching your dog, she only explains how to watch for signs that you are overwhelming your dog. My dog ignores my yawning, licking, blinking and looking to the side. I guess if a strange dog attacks me I know to sit down with my back to it (yeah, sure). I'd love to attend her classes but this book is NOT worth owning. Borrow it and read it.
Extremely useful Information.......2007-08-27
I have a couple of unusual dogs-one horrifically abused and the other feral. The clear photos and simple text made reading their "dog language" very easy. I've had dogs all my life and I learned a lot from this little book.
Newbie interest only..........2007-08-08
A tiny book and you may feel disappointed over the cost for that volume. I don't believe that the purpose of the book was truly reached because it wasn't explained from the start. It meanders over the different physical cues that dogs use with each other in order to calm other dogs. It suggests if you watch for these cues and perhaps mimic them that you too will be able to communicate the need for a calm behavior from the dog. I suppose if someone were completely new to observing animals and humans that this could be considered inspirational. But I don't find that many people who are so inclined to learn more about communication between species will be greatly rewarded.
Book Description
Top Working Dogs : A Training Manual covers procedures, problems, solutions for tracking, obedience and protection. It is the most comprehensive, most useful, most practical, most detailed Schutzhund training guide available. It presents in detail the secret training methods used by experts, and chapters on training psychology, puppy training, selecting the right instructor, etc., benefit novice, experienced and professional trainers alike. The book is easy to understand and virtually guarantees results. (Don't lend it to anyone, they won't return it!)
Customer Reviews:
All-inclusive working dog reveiw.......2006-08-18
This book covers many different possible 'occupations' of a working dog, and is written clearly. Not many pictures, it is full of information. If you are considering raising a working dog, this book outlines the various levels and certifications you (the handler) and the dog will need to complete. If you are interested in learning about a particular aspect more, this book will provide a description of that occupation and what that occupation entails.
Top Working Dogs.......2006-03-09
Found the font size small, not that easy to read. However, the content is superb, if there is an updated version (training methods etc. change)I would be first in line.
It is so good to get a book from a pro, someone who's been there, done that, got the T shirt at the very highest level.
For Serious Schutzhund Enthusiasts.......2005-07-27
After purchasing many dog training manuals and finding them not quite up to snuff, I was very pleased to finally find a book which was comprehensive and authoritative. It breaks each area of the sport down and is easy to follow. The book is intelligently written.
Great information IF you can read it!.......2004-06-24
The 3rd edition (1994) of this book is VERY HARD TO READ. The font set is about 5 or 6 points, single spaced, very tightly packed. You need great eyesight and still must be ready for eyestrain. I can read anything up close, but this is the worst book, PHYSICALLY, I've ever had to read. Still, you can't fault the quantity of information and the first (brief) perusal makes me want to read more. I was dismayed when I opened the book so I'm giving you a heads up. I'm going to buy a magnifying glass.
A great all-rounder.......2000-06-24
I have owned this book since shortly after it was published, except for the short period of time when a local police dog-man "borrowed" it. I ended up repurchasing it! This book is solid and sound in content, and has information that will appeal to beginners and experts alike in the fields of tracking, obedience and man-work. I review it as a resource book whenever I need a fresh training idea for a dog or a group of trainers. I no longer loan it - I recommend you buy your own.
Book Description
Combining two popular titles in one value-priced edition, Before and After Getting Your Puppy is a simple, practical guide for anyone bringing a new puppy into the home. In clear steps, with helpful photos and easy-to-follow training deadlines, Dr. Ian Dunbar, who pioneered puppy classes and a loving style of dog training in the 1970s, presents a structured yet playful and humorous plan for raising a wonderful dog. The guide is based on six developmental deadlines: completing owner education and preparation, assessing a puppy's prior socialization and education, teaching errorless house-training and chewtoy-training, completing a socialization program of meeting strange dogs and people, learning bite inhibition, and continuing a program of ongoing training. In the first half of the book, Dr. Dunbar focuses on what the owner needs to know to select a great puppy. In the second half, he presents the crucial lessons the puppy must be taught during its impressionable early development — using a kind, positive approach that, over time, has been proven the most effective.
Customer Reviews:
A bit overwhelming.......2007-09-13
This book made me feel a bit overwhelmed. It has been a while since I had a puppy and a dog trainer recommended this book. Dr. Dunbar says you need your puppy to do so many things before the puppy is three to four months old ( ex. Introduce the puppy to 100 people before its three months old ). My puppy was two months old. To make myself less overwhelmed I'm taking one thing at a time and as for the people, there trickling in. I think he means well, he just comes across the wrong way.
Must read for all considering a puppy.......2007-07-20
Dogs and humans alike would benefit greatly if potential dog owners would all read this book! Lots of vital information, well presented, a good read.
Very helpful for 1st time puppy owner.......2007-06-02
I bought this book after reading several recommendations on AMAZON. The book was very informative as to painting a picture of what to expect with a new puppy. Some of Dunbar's recommendations are very unrealistic though. Such has having your dog introduced to many different people every day. Overall, I found it very useful.
Essential Help for You and Your New Puppy.......2007-05-30
I bought this book after reviewing some of the articles on the [...]website, which offers a preview of some of the key points of the book. I did read many of the reviews here and felt that the negative comments were somewhat over-reactive.
From my perspective, the book not only makes sense about how to raise a puppy, but also about how to raise a child! Why waste time trying to teach kids or dogs what is wrong, until they eventually figure out what is right? That seems really inefficient, now that I know the "lure-reward" technique. This technique lets you use the essential nature of the dog to train it to do what you want it to do: pee, chew, and poop where you want it to, for instance. Walk calmly on leash, for another. The trick is to not fall into the trap of thinking that a few weeks of short and long-term confinement is somehow cruel to the dog. Like children, dogs respond quickly to a consistent routine. It DOES require YOU to be consistent and to have discipline, and I definitely figured out where I was being lazy and too lax, and whenever I went back to the tighter crate schedule, things improved immediately. I realized that I confused a few days of successful potty events with "success" in overall training and went from confinement to total lack of restraint, so I referred to the book again and made some corrections.
Here are a couple of tips that helped make this book so useful for me. First, I had a consultation with a pet dog trainer who knew about (and recommended) Dunbar's technique. This really helped me when addressing the issues that I felt were not explained in the book (more on that later). Secondly, while I took Dunbar's stern advice as the kind of advice someone gives to people who might not pay attention...that is, I didn't take him quite so seriously. So, when he says that your dog needs to meet over 100 people in his first month (or whatever), I took that as the general message: socialize your dog as much as you possibly can. We have a really small house and we aren't hugely social, but I was surprised to find that I could make a list of 100 people pretty easily. They haven't all been over to my house, but I've been out and about and exposed my pup to a lot of different people, and I could see the change in about 2 weeks! And, I realized too that this socialization has to continue through adolescence, the difficult stage (again, think of children). I also found that "training" your dog to be OK when you are not around was particularly practical and helpful. It not only reduced my dog's anxiety, but mine as well, since it gave me a method to work with the dog to gradually introduce him to "alone" time, which will definitely be a part of his life. It also helped me to be aware of where I might be inadvertently feeding into the dog's anxious attitude when I returned home (or got him out of his crate).
The sit, lay down trick is a snap and I even successfully tried it on an adult pitbull that wouldn't lay down for its owner!
What I also found interesting was that the tips I learned in the book and shared with my other dog-owning friends helped them when it came to their adult dogs! I think that the Cesar Milan method can be quite effective, but it is based solely on dominance, and the lure-reward method can work wonderfully too in many situations (such as getting your dog to be calm when going on leash and learning to happily sit when greeting people).
Now, for some things that come to mind that I found lacking in the book. First, I happen to have a toy poodle who is bizarrely un-food motivated, and Dunbar doesn't mention that at all. I did learn from other poodle owners that this breed isn't the most food motivated one. I wish he would cover that situation in the book. So, for instance, Dunbar recommends putting all of the dog's kibble in Kong toys, yet if I put all of Buck's food in his bowl, he *still* wouldn't eat even half of it. So, if the open dish doesn't work, the Kong toy is like locking it away! And, freeze dried liver didn't work for Buck either. Advice: get those beef jerky sticks for dogs. Or try cheese. And strangely: Wheat Thins (even my cat loves them). Small bits of hot dog too. (I use this for the poop reward). Even so, all of these favorite items stuffed into a Kong toy won't work for my dog. Maybe when he gets a little older/bigger and I can try it out again, but for now I'm mystified about turning him into a chew-toy-aholic.
Secondly, I would have appreciated more information on the puppy interaction when you have a really small dog, or a really large dog. I think the problems you encounter as a dog owner do vary when you have a "non-average" sized breed. How do you keep your little dog from being completely frightened of huge dogs (and then later turning into one of those yappy jerks)? How do you keep your rambunctious, lovey Great Dane from bowling over the chihuaha? And, when you do finally take your dog to the dog park, how can you as an owner to a better job of evaluating other dogs as potential problems? Most people don't even bother to socialize their dogs, so how do you evaluate?
Finally, while I initially started asking people to offer a treat to my dog to get him to sit, I quickly learned that most every person will use a different visual method in asking the dog to sit, while only using the word "sit." So, it's really too onerous in my opinion to try to get every person to get the dog to sit, since the lure/reward technique of holding the treat over the head works, but most people don't know the signal! So, my dog dances on its hind legs while people say "sit!" and give it the treat because he's so cute. This pretty much has de-sensitized "sit" as a keyword so I quickly dropped the idea of asking people to make him "sit." What *does* work is asking people to offer the dog a treat, since then they naturally great the dog with a lowered hand, palm up, which is far less threatening to the dog and not a dominance display. I am really not going to burden every human social interaction with an instruction on the sit technique that is required. Later, when the dog learns the word itself, maybe then. I feel that in this respect, Dunbar's advice is a bit impractical.
Overall, I am very glad that I bought this book, and it's been an essential tool in my working with my puppy and understanding the nature of dogs.
Thinking about getting a puppy, get this book.......2007-05-09
I read this book twice before even getting my puppy it has been a godsend. Right now my puppy is napping quietly in his doggy den. It has great information for new dog owners and for people who have had dogs for years. The training methods are a lot different from when I had my last dog. The lure/reward way is much easier on the dog and owner. My puppy was a little undersocialized, and information in this book has really helped me to build his confidence. I highly recommend this book, get it if you are even thinking about getting a puppy. It prepared me for all the work you have to do to be a dog owner.
Books:
- Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems
- Cognition, Evolution, and Behavior
- Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials: Concepts and Methodologies (Wiley Series in Probability and Statistics)
- Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook (Howell Reference Books)
- Dolphin Chronicles
- Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time (BK Life)
- Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time (BK Life)
- Elk's Run
- Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants
- Encyclopedia of the Horse
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany
- Box Lunch: The Layperson's Guide to Cunnilingus
- The Home Office and Small Business Answer Book: Solutions to the Most Frequently Asked Questions Abo
- The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography
- Unto the Breach
- Daisy Comes Home
- Aquarium Plants Manual
- The Medicare Answer Book
- The Wall Street Journal Lifetime Guide to Money: Everything You Need to Know
- Queen of the Darkness: The Black Jewels Trilogy 3
Care & Health
| Dogs
| Animal Care & Pets
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
The Dog Whisperer: Beginning and Intermediate Dog Training
The Dog Whisperer: A Compassionate, Nonviolent Approach to Dog Training
Be the Pack Leader: Use Cesar's Way to Transform Your Dog . . . and Your Life
How to be the Leader of the Pack...And have Your Dog Love You For It. ("How to" booklets from Dog's Best Friend)
Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan - The Complete First Season
