Customer Reviews

The Dog Listener: A Noted Expert Tells You How to Communicate with Your Dog for Willing Cooperation

5 star:		(80)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Jan has delivered a stunning piece of work here - her years of observation and research have enabled her to develop her technique of Amichien Bonding, the likes of which I have never before seen in dog training manuals.

Having read stacks of dog training books, and always feeling like there was something missing, I was left with my dog still barking at strangers, misbehaving off-leash, and howling for hours when I left for work. Jan explains it all, and how to fix it, in such a clear and easy way that readers are left wondering why they never thought of it that way before...

All the missing puzzle pieces are not only found in The Dog Listener, but assembled into a stunning portrait of the canine psyche. Jan explains how to enrich both our lives, and theirs, by learning how they think, and how to communicate with them in language they can understand. Her testimonial case studies are incredible and encouraging for owners with dogs who have similar problems.

Truly a breakthrough in training - changing the way we think about dogs, changing what we know about the way they think, and building a bridge between the two. A must for any dog owner, especially if the dog in question presents behavioral problems that seem to be unsolvable.

I am so grateful for this book! I have two HUGE dogs whom I love very much. I have never minded how excited they get when I first get home. But others are not as amused to be mauled by 210 pounds of maniacal raving canine exuberance. I have tried the old standbys: stepping on their back feet, kneeing them in the chest, scolding them, and nothing worked. I bought this book with much scepticism and a jaundiced eye (I've tried others). I am pleased to report that the first time I tried Jan's techniques I saw a huge difference. And they're embarrassingly simple to do! You don't need props, you don't need to behave like an idiot, you don't have to be The Big Meanie...just act like the Alpha dog, as instructed by Jan, and watch the transformation. I thank you Jan, my mother-in-law, real estate agent and mailman thank you, and my "babies", Ruck and Xena thank you!

I came home from work one day and my wife was excited to see me as she said, "come look at this." She called our dog, a seven year old Westie, into his area where he is always reluctant to go. But this day he walked right in without making a scene. She told me she had seen Jan Fennell on television that day and had simply tried one of the concepts she talked about. We got the book, and immediately our Westie has settled right in to our new pecking order, and has significantly settled down.

We are more than impressed with the insight that this book gives. It has greatly improved our relationship with our dogs, and I would recommend this book to any dog owners. Understanding the canine culture is fascinating.

This book is well written and easy to understand. The frequent referance to wolf pack mentality is right on. I have watched PBS documentaries on wolf packs and observed my own two dogs and the behavioral similarity is astounding. I think Jan has nailed it with this book. I'm presently applying the techniques Jan has developed to my dogs and the results are as predicted. I recommend this book to anyone who is trying to gain control of their dog and to those who want to start out right with their new puppy. Dale Friedly

Since I have studied human psychology, animal psychology has also fascinated me. I loved this wonderful book by an author who has definitely spent much time researching her canine subjects. So many trainers use an agressive, commanding approach to training and disciplining dogs, tossing them a treat as a reward. I thought about how this method would teach anything of value to a human, and the potential (and horrendous) results this method of training would bring. What would happen if people were kept tied up in the back yard, or someone kept yelling "no," in your face all day long? How would a human feel if they were slapped and hit every time they did something that was not acceptable or did not live up to someone else's standards?

I have disciplined my dogs (and cats) with the same loving kindness used in raising a child. I have had cats and dogs my entire life and the results are living proof this method works. Many pet owners who purchase a cute little puppy do not fully realize and understand the stamina and commitment involved in training a puppy. What it does take to train your canine friend is a lot of love, patience and encouragement. Hitting and slapping teach aggressiveness and mistrust; being yelled at teaches barking, being alienated from the family teaches loneliness, dispair and rejection. Love, acceptance and gentle discipline on the other hand, will allow your canine friend to develop into a happy, loving, sociable, well-behaved friend and companion. I very much liked this author's approach and any person who is a canine owner will benefit tremendously from this excellent book. It is highly recommended reading and definitely worth a five star rating.

Eureka! Jan Fennell has found a kinder, gentler, training paradigm that makes sense to the dog. It's mentor Monty Roberts' "Horse Whisperer" with no horses and no Bobby Redford.
Fennell's Thesis: Dogs are descended from wolves. Dog behaviour is still ruled by the wolf pack mentality. Domesticated dogs don't think they are a member of the human pack with which they abide, but rather that "their" humans are part of the dog's pack. When the human members of the pack behave unfathomably to the dog's brain, the dog feels compelled to become alpha dog by default, the "politics of the pack." The author points out that, like a 1 year old child, the dog is ill-equipped to be pack leader in a human world and oft-times becomes neurotic trying - with various and sundry bad manifestations of the stress. How, then, to "relieve the dog of its delusion of power?" The answer, asserts author Fennell, is Amichien Bonding. Many anecdotes and antidotes are provided in this Twofer (2 books in 1) edition: *The Dog Listener* and *The 30 Day Training Guide,* the latter implementing the insights of the former. This reviewer had many "A-Ha! That's why they do that!" moments reading this book. LucyIndaSky, my Baby Basset, and her older sister, Judy, the rescued Greyhound-mix, judge it 5 stars. We would also like a video! /TundraVision, Amazon Reviewer

Jan Fennell has offered the help I have been seeking for several years. As the owner of several English Springer Spaniels, I have run into several perplexing behavior problems that standard obedience training didn't seem to touch. These dogs have a strong will to dominate, and if it is not corrected, they can be quite difficult to have in a family setting. The usual confrontational methods have not worked to produce a self-controlled dog, and with one of our dogs turned out to be downright dangerous! Two of our dogs have bitten, and were close to being euthanized.

I recently took back one of the 'biters' for retraining, and am only several days into the process using Jan's methods. All I can say is "IT WORKS!"

Once we stop confusing our canine friends with the erroneous messages that human-kind sends to their faithful friends...they realize that WE are the Alpha leader, and it relieves them of the stress of trying to protect and look after US! They soon relax and enjoy a BETTER relationship with us, and we enjoy an obedient and well-mannered canine family member. If you only buy one book to help with training a puppy or adult dog, this should be it.

We have three dogs; all three could have been the roll models for this book. They were hell on legs. Now after reading this very easy to read book and following Miss Fennell's "Amichien" process we have the most laid-back pooches you could ask for, and all with perfect manners. I have read all the other reviews and find that the only critiques are either clicker people who only want robots not a well-adjusted member of the family or people who have reviewed what must be another book entirely. I can and do recommend this book to every dog owner old or new.

If everyone used Miss Fennell's process of communication with the canine world, I am sure there would not be the thousands of dogs in desperate need of re-homing all over this Great Country of ours.

I am looking forward to the release of Jan's second book over here, as it has already been published in the UK.

Many dog owners take home a rescue Weimaraner/Lab mix, or spend the bucks for a Maltese, poodle or pug, only to find out that Foo Foo (a) refuses to let them leave without a major battle, (b) messes in the house, (c) can't be let off the leash and (d) won't answer when you yell "Foo Foo." After you read Jan Fennell's book, the way you think about your precious pooches (including the way you name them) might undergo a change.

In step-by-step detail, Fennell delves into dog psychology based on the structure of the wolf pack, provides answers to Foo Foo's separation anxiety (your dog thinks it owns you), pooping in the house, barking, and many common problems. Fennell provides a step-by-step guide to training a new dog, whether puppy or adult, in the Amichien Bonding method, which is remarkably simple although counterintuitive for many pet owners.

It's not easy to change a lifetime of thinking and behaving a certain way toward dogs, as Fennell's stories of dog owners applying her method demonstrate. People who genuinely want to live happily ever after with their beloved pets will be willing to give Fennell's method a try. Her commitment to dogs is as great as the Horse Whisperer Monty Roberts' love of horses. Buy the book and Foo Foo will thank you.

Having grown up with dogs as a child, I thought I was well equipped to 'raise' puppies. My partner and I embarked on 'parenthood' earlier this year with a couple of puppies from the local rescue centre. We read Jan's book first, and I cannot urge strongly enough any dog owner, first time or experienced, to buy and read this book. I have learned so much; my husband, as a first time owner found it a little easier, as he had fewer bad habits to 'unlearn'; the best testimony is from our two pups who are well-balanced, happy and constantly being complimented on their behaviour, mostly by our dog-owning friends who, I am sure, think we must beat them senseless when we are alone with them. Our pups have never been 'hit' (although I confess to having bitten an ear once or twice when play got out of hand). This book is the way forward, and the other 3 books we bought prior to adopting our boys have been pretty much consigned to the litter bin. GOT A DOG? YOU NEED THIS BOOK. GETTING A DOG? GET THIS BOOK FIRST.