Customer Reviews

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Choosing, Training, And Raising A Dog

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Like most of the other folks who have reviewed this book, I also did not particularly appreciate the use of the book as a platform for selling special leashes. However, it is a decent general book that covers the basics pretty well in an easy-to-read format. I did learn a lot from the chapter on puppy personality and how to choose a puppy with a temperament you can live with and know how to handle appropriately. And there are some good ideas for training, but some are too strict for my tastes. My best luck so far has come from reading several training books to see how different experts handle the same situation, and then pick the method I think will work best for me and my dog. I just didn't pick as many from this book.

I agree the "buy my leash" stuff was irritating, but this book wasn't bad overall. I read the online reviews and decided to get Dogs For Dummies as my second book -- I just wanted a good reference to keep around the house. The Dummies book is lots better. I also liked the UCDavis Book of Dogs, for a good medical reference.

I was not very impressed, yes there are a few good ideas, but to be honest with you, I am sorry I paid for it, I don't use it and to me it was a waste of money...the author is constantly pushing this leash system also, everything is related to it. There is better out there!

I was an idiot for buying it. The author hawks her leash product throughout the book and acts as if not owning one will make you a bad dog owner. The Dummies book is much better for new owners. The Monks of New Skete also do a really good job. Stay as far from this infomercial as you can!

The entire book is focused on a special leash you buy from the author. There is far more abuse in the training methods than I was willing to apply to my pet. Please look to a book from the Monks of New Skete for a more kind training method.

I have heard so much about how training has become more postive lately and assumed this book would be about those sorts of methods because it is fairly recent, but it really was the same old stuff. Jerk the dog around, etc. I like the idea of a book that is packed with lots and lots of stuff for us 'Idiots' but this was just too much fluff for me.

As another reviewer wrote, there's not a lot in this book about "choosing", however, the sound advice given about understanding how a dog thinks, how to train one, and the basics of dog care are superb. I am buying extras to give out to friends. By the way, my dog Gimli was raised on these principles. His manners are such that he goes to work with me nearly daily, visits elderly in the community and garners comments everywhere we go about being such a well behaved dog.

I raised my dog Idaho on the principles set out in this book. Training was a snap, and I have Sarah Hodgson to thank for that. A good deal of dog ownership is heeled on the fear of having to train or properly housebreak your new family member. Sarah's book reads in lamens terms and obliterates any fear whatsoever. I can't imagine where I would be without having first read this book before I met Idaho. A definite MUST-HAVE for any dog owner.

By the way, I did not notice any blatant advertising in this book or self-serving anecdotes on Sarah's part.

This book is full of cute cartoons in the margins and official sounding terms created by the author. At first glance you may believe you found the perfect partner to help in the training of your pet. After reading the book, I felt like an idiot to have paid for it. Who would believe an "expert" or the publisher would print ideas such as training your pet by spraying it with Binaca. Depressingly the book turned into an "infomercial" for a leash sold by the author. Be prepared for a non-stop sales pitch. Do your dog a lifelong favor look for a different resource. Consider the books by John Ross for a more sensible approach.

I was an idiot for buying it. The author hawks her leash product throughout the book and acts as if not owning one will make you a bad dog owner. The Dummies book is much better for new owners. The Monks of New Skete also do a really good job. Stay as far from this infomercial as you can!