I am a new dog owner and have been looking for a book to help me train my new dog.
After searching and reading reviews here on amazon I ordered a few books. It happened to be during the holidays so I still don't have them (that's another story). However, in the mean time, I found a used copy of this book at a local used book store. I have to say I am very pleased with it.
If you read the reviews of the popular basic dog training books here on Amazon you can be really confused about what to do. Does pack theory work? Is there a dominance hierarchy? Are choke chains cruel? Can positive reinforcement alone work? What should I be expecting of my dog? Lots of questions and recommendations that seem at odds with one another.
The author of this book cuts through a lot of that and really makes a lot of sense. Further, he gives practical, step by step advice on how to handle problems and do very basic dog training. Actual things you can use to make a difference to your dog. After reading about half of his book I was immediately able to make use of his recommendations and techniques and my dog responded. Obviously there is no magic, it will take work on my part, but I could see improvement right away.
Further he lays out some things that seem pretty basic in hind site, but I as a new dog owner didn't realize. Important things, like don't let your dog play with cloth toys and then expect your dog not to think every cloth thing (like a sock) is a toy.
He talks about different collars to use during training, on leash v. off leash training, good and bad toys, good and bad trainers. He spends a good deal of time teaching you how your dog learns and how any training is making use of those basic concepts. He also makes sure you understand that if you own a dog, all your interaction with it is "dog training" and that you may very well be teaching the dog things you had no idea you were teaching him good and bad (usually bad).
His focus is always on praise and reward, but understands that actual correction is appropriate as well when done properly, however none of the specific instructions he offers that I have read so far ever include any kind of physical correction, it is always things like withdrawing attention, stern commands, a cross look.
He offers practical steps for what he calls foundation training, come, sit, stay, which to a new dog owner like myself is really important.
Anyway, after only reading half the book and only using its advice for about 3 days I have to say I am 100% happy with this book.
