23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An encouraging resource to add creativity to your dogs life., July 25, 1998
By A Customer
This review is from: Caninestein: Unleashing the Genius in YOUR Dog (Paperback)
Fisher and Delzio's book is very encouraging and helpful to those of us who wish to add more creativity and interest to our dogs' lives. The book is full of stimulating and fun activities for your canine and you or just your dog alone while you are away. Most dogs enjoy creative stimuli and this is just the book on how to train the owner. I found it most encouraging and resourceful as a loving and concerned owner of an energetic border collie.
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16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A MUST read. Increase the IQ of your pet and have fun!, July 28, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Caninestein: Unleashing the Genius in YOUR Dog (Paperback)
This book is creative, challenging, informative, but most of all it is fun! This book will open up another window of understanding and excitement for your and your pooch!
Betty Fisher is a talented and creative trainer in my area. If you are tired of reaching for the same old training books then this is the book for you!
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Dog Lovers Already Have This Covered..., August 10, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Caninestein: Unleashing the Genius in YOUR Dog (Paperback)
This book is certainly not geared towards the casual dog owner. Contrary, it's all about dedicating yourself to making your dog's life more interesting. It's safe to say that if your considering buying this title you're already a certified dog nut.
The first part includes some IQ-type quizzes/activities that can be scored to roughly calculate your dog's intelligence. I found many of the 'questions' more taxing for the owner than for the pooch. Some are simple, some more involved--such as one activity that requires a refrigerator box or some comparably sized structure. I already suspected that my dog was on the lower end of the intelligence scale, so besides taking too much time to set up the 'quizzes' that further discouraged me, I would have preferred to engage my dog in a rousing game of fetch....which basically is what the authors are trying to convey. Stimulating your animal with fun and new games, getting him out of the house for outings and introducing him to new environments--these are all things a loving, devoted and responsible owner already consistently practices! It doesn't take an Einstein to figure out that a dog regularly socialized, stimulated and cared for will more than likely gain some intelligence along the way.
The latter part of the book recommends games, outings and unique toys for further exploration into dog/owner bonding. Unfortunately, most of the activities weren't a fit for my smaller sized dog, and although going off to a summer camp that specializes in all aspects of doggy fun sounds like an absolute blast, most owners don't have such cooperative budgets.
I did find very helpful some of the authors' suggestions about letting your dog know who's boss. If your dog, like mine, clearly wears the pants in the family, I did discover some of their recommendations to remind your mongrel just who pays the bills around here, quite refreshing. For example, they say to walk up to your dog while he's busy chewing on a favorite toy and remove the toy and begin say, trimming his nails. Sounds nearly cruel to a softie like me, but it lovingly reminds the animal that the Human is ultimately in control. Or so we hope.
In closing I'd say there isn't too much to glean from this book for the seasoned pet owner, but for the list price it makes for a fun afternoon read. My dog is no smarter, but I managed to pick up a few helpful pointers. As I eluded to above, this title will not appeal to the owner who confines Rover to a life in a fenced yard, and to the rest of us fanatics, we're already so tuned-in to our furry companions we already know how to make their lives stimulating, interesting and fun. (And buying this book online might save you look I received from the cashier. "I saw you coming a mile away" was her expression.) And anyway, all dogs are brilliant in their own way.
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