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50 of 50 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Excellent Training Aid--Highly Recommend, January 11, 2008
This review is from: Good Dog 101: Easy Lessons to Train Your Dog the Happy, Healthy Way (Paperback)
As an animal lover and veterinarian, I am delighted with Good Dog 101. This book engagingly explains the essentials of behavior science. Using these sound principles, Good Dog 101 shows us how to improve our dogs' behavior. Unlike training manuals for dogs in performance sports, Good Dog 101 aims to help you make your dog a joy to live with at home.
Good Dog 101 politely debunks training methods based on personality and intuition. There may certainly be dog or horse "whisperers," but most of us are not! We need to learn techniques that regular folks can use to educate a happy dog. Good Dog 101 also analyzes the "boot camp" approach. Methods that use harsh force and intimidation are dangerous and ineffective. Good Dog 101 provides a practical alternative. The training tips are clear, concise, and conveniently arranged.
I recommend this book for the new dog owner, the "challenging dog" owner, and anyone who is curious about the fascinating world of animal behavior. If we were to use these methods with children, co-workers, and spouses, the world would be a happier place!
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29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must Read for Dog Owners and Dog Trainers, January 4, 2008
This review is from: Good Dog 101: Easy Lessons to Train Your Dog the Happy, Healthy Way (Paperback)
Almost two books in one: the first an interestingly written and extremely well researched history or how and why traditional dog training is the way it is, and why it doesn't get desired results in many cases; and second, a well organized "how-to" for all the real life issues we face with our dogs. I've always had an uneasy feeling about traditional dog training and its apparent base in "dog mind reading" or other ill founded theories. A lot of the traditional methods seem illogical, ineffective, or even cruel. This book brings a much needed scientific approach, AND recognizes the changing role of dogs in our families today. I feel so much better about using the methods in this book because they make scientific sense, they're positive and non-physical, and they focus on what's important to our family - a well behaved, well mannered, and happy dog. The fact that the methods in the book follow principals from the American Humane Society and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is important to me. It's also important to learn that these groups are critical of many of the traditional methods currently promoted in the popular press.
The "lessons" in the book are an easy and often humorous read, and hit all the important things - from house training to handling bad manners (chewing, barking, stealing stuff, ...) to serious things like agression and separation anxiety. Each item describes the behavior, why the dogs act this way, and then one or more levels of training to remedy the situation. Our family has already worked through several of these, including potty training for an almost adult dog, and have been very impressed with the results.
A few illustrations would have been helpful when describing hand signals, etc. but we followed the descriptions and still got a good result.
This book should be a "Must Read" for dog owners who want a polite and happy dog, and for dog trainers who want good, scientifically based results. Our first copy is already getting dog eared (no pun intended).
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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book - Highly Recommended, January 2, 2008
This review is from: Good Dog 101: Easy Lessons to Train Your Dog the Happy, Healthy Way (Paperback)
Cristine Dahl, the author of Good Dog 101, is a gem in the Seattle canine landscape. We had the opportunity to work with her personally last year during which time we witnessed her methods first hand. We have an adult dog with a bevy of behavior problems: separation anxiety, dog/dog aggression, resource guarding, improper social skills, etc. We desperately wanted to add another dog to our life but knew it was an impossibility. We were proven wrong when Cristine performed the impossible: not only did she get to the bottom of the problems plaguing our dog for ten years, but she did it safely and kindly. This summer we added another dog to our home and we marvel every day at the relationship between the two dogs and their place in our family.
Dahl has finally put her methods on paper in this marvelous book. It is easy to read, easy to use, includes fascinating and documented information on her methods and fairly but critically analyzes those of popular others in the field (Cesar Millan for one!). I recommend this book to anyone with a dog or puppy.
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