Customer Reviews

Building Blocks for Performance

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The content of this book was great. The author gives a lot of examples of games you can play with your puppy to make training fun. I found several training errors I have been making with my own dogs in this book and, once I saw it in print, could see how that might affect motivation.

Contrary to what another reviewer previously mentioned, this book is NOT full of harsh corrections. In fact, there is not one instance where the author advocates harsh corrections or hard-handed training methods. When she does discuss corrections, it is with a very fair, gentle approach that seeks to get the dog immediately back to a position of earning praise while not letting a situation get to the point where the dog feels like commands are optional. This ENTIRE book is about FUN with your dog and learning how to make training, learning, and being with you something your dog can't wait to do. It is one of the most positive training books I have ever read.

She has great information about the use of food and toys and tells you how to use them appropriately while still making time with you be your dogs ultimate reward. She also talks about how to structure your puppy's life to make the most of your time together.

The author uses many real examples from working with her own dog or from her students. She also has a very nice chapter or two at the end about how to set goals to help yourself be successful with your dog. There are a lot of pictures and boxes highlighting the main ideas or offering in quick bites some additional ideas of how to utilize the information.

The ONLY complaint I have with this book is in its organization. She mentions having your puppy do a sit or a down all throughout the book but doesn't talk about teaching the sit or down until the 3rd to last chapter. She also gives TONS of examples of how to train your dog through play throughout the book but it can leave you feeling a bit overwhelmed feeling like you should train your dog 5 hours a day! It isn't until one of the very last chapters that she gives some ideas of how much set aside training time should be done each day and also talks about incorporating 30 seconds here or there as you are doing something else with the puppy anyway.

I would definitely consider this book a must-have. I plan to try to read it at least one more time before my next performance puppy arrives.

This is a fabulous guide for starting a puppy to be any kind of competition dog. It shows you how to train your puppy, through day-to-day interaction, for a playful, confident attitude (you can teach precision later). The authors explain how to gradually move your puppy away from treats training and how to use praise effectively. The book describes how to get your puppy's attention and focus, primarily with games, so your puppy will LOVE to train and work with you. Sidebars describe how to work with some special dog personality types. Read this book before you bring your next puppy home!

Illustrated with black-and-white photographs, Building Blocks For Performance: Give Your Puppy A Head Start For Competition is a superb guide for training performance dogs from puppyhood. The proven techniques of experienced dog trainer and handler Bobbie Anderson, especially applied to puppies from eight weeks to five months in age, make for a direct, simple, step-by-step guide to raising an obedient, show-quality dog. From the cardinal rule of considering "every moment spent with your puppy as a training session" to making training fun, applying praise, and the importance of understanding a puppy's natural characteristics and personality, Building Blocks For Performance is a first-rate guide for dog handlers of all experience levels.

Whether you are a new dog owner, just got a new puppy, are training an adult dog or are not new to dog training, this book is filled with lots of valuable training techniques, just like the title. Many techniques you teach and use to build upon later. Lots of diagrams, pictures, illustrtations, and lists. Would be great for a 4-H member training a dog or for the casual pet owner just wanting to learn some basic training stuff up through the professional obedience trainer. I refer back to it throughout the year in all my training. Everyone who has a dog should get this book and use it!!

At first this book intimidated me a bit and made me feel like I was not going to be able to have competition quality dogs, since I already had two puppies and she says that's a no-no. But, after I got over that, I found it very helpful for some ideas on working with my dogs. I have learned a lot of things I didn't know. I have already started putting some of her tips into practice, but trying not to be too up-tight about it all! My dogs may never compete, but I think they will still be very helpful in herding our sheep! And that is my real goal, anyway.

Anyone who ever wants to get a puppy should read this book first, even if you don't want to compete with the dog as it grows up. Bobby Anderson explains life from a puppies point of view and how humans should look at it. We should all treat our dogs in the manner that Bobby talks about. Maybe you don't need to go to the level that she does if you are just looking for a pet, but if you use her strategies for your pet puppy, wow what a great pet dog you will have when it grows up and what a great companion you will have for many years to come. Without all the normal problems that most pet owners have. So read this book. It is awesome.

This book is fantastic! Step by step detail of training tips for a puppy,
then repeats to make sure you understand. The pictures illustrate many
techniques. She trains you just as you should train your dog.
I use this as a text book or manual - read, re-read, highlight items, write
notes in margin.

This book is okay. I didn't find myself learning anything new, but it's kind of a memory refresher. It did feel as if the author felt as though their way was the only way, which was off putting.

I recomend the book for trainers who are going to start to train their puppy, I wish I would have known about the book before I got my puppy.

Leash corrections, yelling, and negative reinforcement, oh my!

This book is so far behind in terms of scientific knowledge, it's unbelievable! The authors' blatant ignorance would be laughable, if they weren't using their methods on young puppies.

The methods utilized in this book are, at best, outdated; at worst, they're the quickest way to create a fear aggressive dog. When a puppy pulls on leash to greet a stranger or investigate an object, and s/he is given a leash correction, s/he has not learned to not pull on the leash, s/he has learned that the appearance of strangers or strange objects indicates the arrival of an unpleasant correction. It's clear that the authors of this book have no formal (or even basic) education in psychology or animal behavior, and it's unfortunate that someone thought publishing this book would be a good idea.

Needless to say, I do not recommend this book to anyone of any skill level. There are other far more effective and efficient books out there that are backed by science.