ABC Practical Guide to Dog Training [Paperback]

Steven Appelbaum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 29, 2003

With the proliferation of titles in the market today, why another book on pet dog training?

Because most of them sound wonderful, but don't work! And the dogs being trained often develop problems as a result.  Frustrated pet owners are looking for practical, humane answers -- that provide results.

The experienced approach contained in The ABC Practical Training Guide has proven itself with over 40,000 dog owners across the United States and Canada who have found their answers "as simple as ABC."

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Dog Training That Works–as Simple as ABC!

If you’re a dog owner, you’re already a trainer. From the moment you bring your dog home, you’re teaching him how to behave–and, without realizing it, you could be instilling undesirable behaviors that have to be unlearned. Now, there’s a simple, no-nonsense way to effectively and humanely train your pet–and get the right results. In ABC Practical Guide to Dog Training, Steven Appelbaum, an expert with over 25 years of professional experience training thousands of dogs and hundreds of professional dog trainers, shares his secrets to help you get your dog to behave–giving you tried, true, and tested techniques that work.

Focused on the strength of rewarding appropriate behavior, Appelbaum passionately relates a sensitive, user-friendly approach that strengthens the canine/human bond. He explains how to quickly establish a training program that prevents problems before they occur–and how, by following a few fundamental principles, you can make your new companion a comfortable member of your family. You’ll discover:

• The basics of how your dog learns
• Positive ways to address behavior problems, such as jumping, nipping, chewing, house soiling, digging, and barking
• How to establish obedience off-leash, inside the house and out
• What "pack theory" is–explained in a way that finally makes sense
• Where correction can have a place in dog training
• How to find a professional trainer who is right for you and your dog

Complete with an Internet guide to sites on everything from pet supplies and dog parks to boarding kennels and veterinarians, the ABC Practical Guide to Dog Training truly makes training your four-legged friend as simple as ABC!

About the Author

STEVEN APPELBAUM is President and CEO of Animal Behavior and Training Associates, Inc., the largest independent dog training company in North America, which over the last five years has trained over 100,000 dogs and owners! He is also President of Animal Behavior College, Inc., (ABC), a highly innovative school that is helping to train and ABC-certify the next generation of professional dog trainers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Howell Book House; 1 edition (December 29, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764567225
• ISBN-13: 978-0764567223
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #161,063 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what I was looking for, December 26, 2007

By 

JBG - See all my reviews

This review is from: ABC Practical Guide to Dog Training (Paperback)

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.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best dog training book, August 21, 2008

By 

Pi - See all my reviews

This review is from: ABC Practical Guide to Dog Training (Paperback)

This book teaches owners how to train in a positive manner. The instructions and theories are easy to understand, and most importantly effective.
Basic obedience, positive training theory, problem solving (jumping, digging etc.), off leash obedience and basic obedience are all covered in this book.
I train service dogs and for basic obedience and leash training I use the methods and theories in this book. I can't say enough good things about it. :)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ABC Dog Training Excellent Choice, January 22, 2010

By 

C. Moody (KEARNEY, NE, US) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: ABC Practical Guide to Dog Training (Paperback)

With in just a few hours of reading this book I was getting my dogs to behave. Steve talkes about a dogs place and how to make that happen. My dogs don't rule the house any more. We do and we have 5 dogs. My dogs don't jump on the furniture or on us anymore. Steve tells how the dogs can have learned behaviors that truely aren't their fault. He will explain how to correct these unwanted behaviors. Don't drop that dog off the human society get this book and work it out with your dog. You will be amazed. Easy reading and it all makes sense.