Customer Reviews

After You Get Your Puppy

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have read other wonderful books by Dr. Dunbar, but this one takes the biscuit! Whether you are a first time puppy parent or seasoned dog lover, this book will provide you with tons of useful and up to date information on how to raise and live with your canine best friend. Personally, the advice on throwing out the dog food bowl and replacing it with stuffed chew toys saved my relationship (not to mention my furniture) with my new little guy. What a clever idea! A very refreshing look at dog training, this book stand out in a field where the books often parrot tired, out-dated advice. How lovely to see Dr. Dunbar thinking outside of the box!

If everyone who obtained a puppy read, and followed the advice in this book, there would be far less ill mannered pets and more owners would be happy with the dogs they have raised!

I raise Rottweilers and Shiba Inu and this book is mandatory reading for all my puppy buyers!

I bought this book because it was referenced on the Dog Scouts of America website, which is a site dedicated to developing positive relationships between owner/dog. I was so disappointed when I received the book, from the moment I got a good look at it's cover and read the subtitle ("...The Clock Is Ticking!"), which I had missed when ordering the book, or I would have thought twice about buying it... This book turned having a delightful puppy into a race against time to prevent having an evil, rotten dog. It took all the fun and optimism out of raising my puppy. I'm glad I stopped reading it, and looked to more upbeat sources for advice on raising my puppy. Many of these sources I found on the internet. I looked to Karen Pryor and her clicker training theories, as well as such books as "Boxers for Dummies" and "The Boxer Handbook" and "I Just Got A Puppy What Do I Do." All these emphasize the power of bonding with your dog, the pleasures of socializing your puppy, and while they don't downplay the significance of socialization, etc. they don't turn the cute puppy you have just made a part of your family into some ticking timebomb set to go off and bring nothing but pain and misery if not socialized absolutely correctly. I grew up with dogs, in a time before "socialization," in a time where you just loved your puppy, and took him places, and tried your best with him/her, and those dogs all turned out fine. I am grateful for all the information that we have these days on how to better raise a puppy to be a happy well adjusted pet, and am doing my best to put that information to good use on my own Boxer puppy.

Funny, straight-forward, and full of brilliant advice so intuitive it seems obvious once you've heard it, this book will change your relationship to your dog. I have one dog I "trained" before I read Dr. Dunbar, and one I trained after, and the difference between the experiences was night and day. You'll be forever grateful that you read this book, whether you already have a dog or, ideally, if you're thinking of getting one.

What can I say, but "bravo" on another great series of books, "Before You Get Your Puppy and After You Get Your Puppy". It goes without saying that Ian is a mentor to me and many others! Through his straight-forward and honest teachings, I've evolved as trainer. He's unique, original and confident enough to continue to evolve himself. His other books and video series are a "must have" for any serious trainers. I met Ian about 15 years ago at a workshop and then at APDT conferences. To say that he has guided me and is a valued mentor is not enough. He wrote the foreword for my book, Train Your Dog, Change Your Life, encouraged and challenged me! Without Ian, I would never have gotten this published. He encouraged me! He believed in my idea and gave me the confidence to just "do it". The basis of my book comes from the seeds that he planted, blossoming with my own wisdom and style. He launches sparks that ignite your brain waves ... he encourages open-mindedness. In the process, we learn about ourselves. For that I'm forever grateful and STRONGLY RECOMMEND any of his books and videos. For the novice, these two small paperbacks will guide you before you get your pup, then take you into basics training after you get your pup. They will "wake you up" and teach you how reward based behavior training is the "only way" and especially with pups. Maureen Ross, MA, NCC, CPDT, Director of Dog Talk & TheraPet, ...

This book was very helpful with my new German Shepherd puppy, evn though I already have 3 other dogs, it's nice to read new/different styles and ideas for giving your BIG dog the right start.

I thought this book was very readable, and full of good, practical information. Yes, there is some repetition of key points, but I even liked that. After reading, I felt I retained 99% of the info, and that even family members with less interest in having the puppy turn out super would both read and retain the key points. A great book for getting the whole family on-board with proven puppy-rearing methods.

Weeks before our pup came home I had been looking for a 'list' of things that needed done. What should I do the first day? What milestones need to be reached by when? Things like that. I only found one website with any list what so ever, and this is the only book so far that I've found with any 'list'. It's not exactly what I've been looking for, but.....best I've found as yet. In the back of the book there are check off lists of things the author, Dr. Ian Dunbar recommends. I wish it were far more extensive but...again best I've found so far.

The book repeats it's self several times. His main premise is 'all shelter dogs were once just precious puppies that someone didn't train' There are developmental deadlines for certain traits like bite inhibition, socialization, and others. If training in the specific areas are not done by the age of specific learning times by the pup, ..... It's to late. Like for humans, we can easily learn a second, or third language before 8 years of age, due to that's the part of the brain that is developing. If we attempt a second language at the age of 40, well, it can be done, but, nothing like when we were young. It's like that.

He has a book 'before you get your puppy', I think it would be good to read this book also. The two books overlap. The second book would be easier if the first one has already been read. I found this book when my pup was three months old. I am already behind, I so wish I could have found his material before bringing the pup home. If you are getting a pup or know someone who is, please, look into this. Truly, I have found this data no where else. I have 20 books and have been searching web sites for months.

The author has a web site. It has quite a bit of useful data. I feel this author is all about educating people and saving animals from misery more than he cares about money. This is refreshing. As a human, I give him 5 paws. I see he has a book that contains both, before you get the puppy and after. That may be a better bargain and easier to read. Do look at the web site. Invaluable data is there. Dog Star Daily or just goggle the authors name.

I've read several different puppy parenting books, and I have to say that this ideology was so idealistic and ridiculous I couldn't finish the book. I was appalled at the suggested traing methods in this book, and at the author's expectations for "appropriate" puppy behavior. It is great advice if you want to end up with a furry robot for a dog!

I am on the verge of getting a puppy, so all this is in theory as of right now, but the book was very informative. The author delivered the information in a easy to read format The socialization and bite inhibition sections were particularly useful. After reading this book I feel like I am better prepared to be a new dog owner.