Hmm.. the author recommends that you just ignore all of your dog's bad habits. Guys, isn't that the same as doing NOTHING?
Why did I buy this book if it tells me to ignore it all and wish that my dog will figure things out on it's own? Here are my thoughts on using food as a reward for everything:
Any moron can bribe a dog with treats constantly and call it dog training. Your dog should listen because you said so. He needs to respond because of your love, technique and proper knowledge, not hot dogs, cheese, beggin strips or salami. Where is your common sense you guys?
Also, it's best to use treats for obedience competitions or if you are dealing with an extremely fearful dog. Is that really you?!?! Is your dog that afraid of you that the minute he sees you, he pees himself or is nowhere to be found? I seriously doubt it.
Again, you can bribe your dog yourself. You don't need to read this book or even work with some cookie trainer. Here's how I will make you think twice. Would you call this method practical, smart or even natural?
Reality Check: Give your dog treats, but at the very "end" of your training sessions and once in a while. If your dog sees or even smells the treats in your hands, sorry, you are relying on treats instead of your bond, love and your leadership. If you honestly think that dogs love to please, you wouldn't need to use a milk bone every single time.
Face it. It doesn't take much skill or talent to give a dog treats for everything. We didn't teach our kids this way. Did you learn your ABC's with Twinkies and Kit Kats? I hope not.
Conclusion: This positive reinforcement got me negative outcome. A fat dog with explosive diarrhea that licks his mouth and looks in my hand every time I ask him to sit. Kudos to the author.
BEST BUY! If you only read one dog book make it this one!
I found this book at the library and loved it so much that I bought my own copy. This book is easy to read, with short sections. You will find yourself nodding in agreement and then taking notes so that you remember to implement what you've read. I read, and own, a lot of books on dog behavior and training and this is by far one of my all-time favorites. This is especially good for the pet-owner who doesn't really want to wade through tons of scientifics behind animal behavior, but wants real world applications and understanding. Great price also!
such a good book
i love this book. my dog really responds to the techniques. it teaches you how to train and have a well behaved dog while using positive techniques. i have been so impressed with the results of this book, i give it as a gift to everyone i know who gets a new dog.
Also, I read another review about the book relying only on treats for training , which is not true. The training starts with treats but the author covers mixing it up with praise or other rewards and how important it is to NOT rely soley on treating to train your dog.
Should have been named what I hate about Cesar Millan
She doesn't come right out and say his name, but her first six chapters are dedicated to how his techniques are wrong. Not only does she think he's wrong, but she comes off as preachy about it. My view of the whole thing, is if his methods didn't work better than this woman's, she would be the one with the TV show.
As to her "proven pshycological techniques", they are limited at best. Tell any mother in the world that your suppose to ignore their childs bad behavior and their answer will be, and what if they are drinking bleach? The same thing is true for a dog. The correct way to raise a child or train a dog has to include positive reinforcement backed up by gentle and immediate correction for wrong behavior. No one is saying anything about hitting or spanking. No one is talking about rubbing a puppies nose in his pee, but aversion training is ever bit as proven a technique as Pavlov's dogs salavating. The truth is she looked up a few experiments involving pshycology and dogs without truly diving into the implications of the experiments or the studies that go with them.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pamela Dennison's World
I found this book to be a disappointment on many levels. First, the author tries to be cute and conversational but comes off as simply annoying. This problem could be overlooked, however, if most of her advice wasn't based on questionable "scientific evidence" (no relevant documentation of this evidence is provided). To make matters worse, many of Ms. Dennison's observations about "normal" canine behavior are...well, wrong. Even a casual observer of canine behavior can't help but find fault with a number of her assertions. Save your money...buy another training book. I wish I had.
