Customer Reviews

Decoys and Aggression

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

 

 

Great information for novices and experts alike. Excellent section on reading canine body language and influencing the dog's perception of you by using your body language. I have read and re-read this book many times and have found valuable information every time. This book is essential for all novice decoys, trainers and for anyone who handles dogs that can be aggressive. Get this book, it may save you from being bitten or seriously injured.

Reading fluency: 7/10
Content information: 9/10
Entry level requirement: 5/10

First off, this book is not designed to help you train your dog for protection or sport (bark&hold, etc.), nor does it cover the development of bitework. If you're interested in these, look elsewhere first, although this book would definitely come in handy once you're ready for it, at least in better understanding what your decoys is doing.

The book primarily targets the begining decoys although, as i've said, others can benefit from it (at least in understanding dog aggression in some circumstances). The more experienced decoys don't have much to gain from it, as Mackenzie stops at basic procedures.
The novice decoy, however, has a lot to learn from this book. Not only does it prepare him for basic procedures (footwork, tug, presenting the sleeve, offering the bite, when to drop the sleeve, using the stick, civil agitation, bite suit, muzzle work, whips, etc.), it also prepares him theoretically, teaching him how to read the dog and how to activate specific types of aggression.

However, there are no bite suite, leg bites or ring sport discussions, it only covers the sleeve. The ring sport decoys will find little help here, except for the aggression topics.

Some of the subjects covered:

- what the decoy has to do,
- physical requirements needed to do the job,
- how dogs communicate and how we can communicate with them (specifically regarding aggression),
- how to "read" a dog's intentions (one of the best chapters in the book),
- how to work the dog in prey and "defense drive",
- different types of aggression and how to stimulate each one,
- basic procedures.

This book is the best I've seen for teaching decoys to read dogs. The information is great for both novice and seasoned trainer. Prior to training any decoy it is required reading. It's great to see someone who has spent time training dogs not just studying theories. It is well written, clear cut and straight to the point, it's filled from start to finish with useful information.

Some sections of this book offers some great insights into the behaviour of and interaction with dogs. Other sections seem to cover some very basic material. In addition, the book is quite short and could have gone into a little more depth.

This is a great book for all K9 handlers and people even interested in K9 apprehension work. I recommend this to all..