Customer Reviews

My Dog Pulls. What Do I Do?

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Turid Rugaas is well known for her expertise in dog communication and canine language. I highly recommend all of her material. But truth be told, you probably don't need to spend the $10 it'll cost you to get this booklet. The booklet is very small, filled with a lot of great pictures and a few paragraphs of instruction. If you don't need the glossy pictures and explanations then you can get all the same information for free on her website TuridRugaas.com. Just go to her Q&A section and look for all the articles on pulling.

If you do decide to buy this booklet, you'll find that the instructions she give are clear, concise and easy to follow. And most importantly of all, the method works. The best part is that there are no gimmicks, no special equipment to use, and no harsh corrections. There's also not really anything special to her method--which is basically the "stop and switch directions" method of loose leash walking, with lots of praise and some noise motivation added in to speed up the process. Understand that her goal is not to get your dog to heel on your side all the time, but just to walk on a loose leash. As long as the dog isn't pulling, she doesn't care if it's in front of you or behind you or walking in circles next to you.

I will say that she does seem to go a bit overboard (perhaps even exaggerating the negatives) in the sections where she explains why other methods and equipment don't work. Her hatred for halters, chokers, pinch collars, short leashes, no-pull harnesses, and corrections of any kind comes through exceedingly loud and clear. She encourages the reader to use just a simple buckle collar and lots of a positive praise and reinforcement. That works for me.

A problem so common, it well deserves its own booklet!

This effective, pain- and gimmick-free method of teaching loose leash walking is not really a creation of the author - you'll find it in other positive training books under names like "Be a Tree" or "Red Light Green Light." However, Ms. Rugaas explains it very well and adds an element that will really benefit you and the dog.

I do think she needed to emphasize a bit more how absolutely consistent you must be to get this method to work, but that applies to any training. Another thing that I found to be of huge benefit is using a hands-free leash (to prevent the human from physically manipulating the dog into place; dogs, like people, learn best when they are allowed to figure out what works). Applause to the author for supporting the use of a harness, which in my experience dogs much prefer and better understand compared to a neck collar or a head halter.

This slight little volume contains the most effective and clearly explained leash-walking instructions I have ever seen in print. A professional dog trainer can teach dogs how to walk on leash within five minutes of meeting him, but most fail to pass their skills on to their human students. Rugaas's technique requires little in the way of training "chops," no ugly training collars and can be quickly taught to even the clumsiest, most easily frustrated students.

The author here lays out a simple, highly effective and *kind* method for teaching your dog to walk poilitely on a leash. No special collars, no beating up on your dog, no gimmicks.

It's behaviorally sound and will have you enjoying loose lead walks with your dog in a short time.

What is really cool is that Turid uses scientific data to back up her work here. Many have had issue with the lack of scientific data with her Calming Signals work and I think she includes it here well.

I reviewed the booklet as part of her upcoming visit, April 18-21st (2006) at CSDogBookReview (a YahooGroup) along with her 2nd Edition version of On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals booklet/DVD. We always love having Turid as a guest because we learn so much from her in the short amount of time she can give us in her busy schedule. It's wonderful that we have had her as a guest each year we've been in exsistence as a group and that she loves coming back!

Neither of my dogs currently have a pulling issue so I wasn't able to really practice Turid's methods. I think adding in the work to have a unique sound before actually going outside to work on loose leash walking will really help a lot of people that are frustrated with the standard 'make like a tree' that is often suggested.

The reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I think Turid, or possibly her UK editor who helped with the translation from Norwegian, got a little heavy handed in telling the readers that various equipment is bad to use. Yes, as a positive dog trainer I'm not happy seeing a dog in a prong, choke, slip collars but there are less heavy handed ways of stating than what was used.

The bonus is the lovely full color photos and the use of color throughout the booklet. If this is a dog issue you are working on, this booklet should help you!

As always Turid gives the facts - facts that follow a systematic - easy to follow direction. Her approach makes absolute sense and REALLY works. I was amazed in the difference it made in getting my dog to say beside me on a more consistent basis. I love that she uses POSITIVE reinforcement.

Turid Rugaas' books should be issued with all puppy packets & adoption info. Her excellent insights into dog behavior bring fresh perspectives to owners/trainers of all levels. In this book, she reveals how so many handlers accidentally reinforce their dogs' tendencies to pull.
If followed, her advice really works.

This short, readable, incredibly helpful book shows humans how to teach their dogs to walk nicely on the leash. Her method is scientifically proven to work, if you stick with the program.

Turid Rugaas is humane, kind, and a real friend to dogs. Unlike so many other authors, Rugaas doesn't believe in "leash pops" or similar methods which hurt and frighten dogs. You will feel really good about this gentle, patient, and effective method for training your dog.

Rugaas also has a WONDERFUL book and DVD called "Calming Signals", which teaches you to understand dog language. It really helped me understand my shy, traumatized rescue dog.

I saw a seminar by this author, dog trainer Turid Rugaas. Her approach was wonderful. It was a bit different than traditional dog training advice, but seemed more in line with my own philosophies. Her advice is logical and it works.

As a long time dog breeder and trainer returning to the dog world after a long time away, I discovered that things have changed in the world of training. I found this simple little book to be one of the best tools I have ever come across. Her method is easy, made sense to me instantly, and it works! It enables me to communicate easily and clearly without needing perfect timing. I have been using her training methods on a new rescue dog and on dogs in a veterinary boarding facility who are under tremendous stress, and I can see immediate results. Simple enough for anyone, and kind.
I love this book, and think every dog trainer should have a copy.