Customer Reviews

Old Dog, New Tricks: Understanding and Retraining Older and Rescued Dogs

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

 

 

This book has the appearance of a simple book with lots of photos. I was pleasantly surprised to find some in-depth discussions on doggie aggression and fearful dogs. The author even goes into some of the problems with foods (such as additives) and mentions some natural treatments for dog ailments.

I have read a number of books on dog care and training and this one ranks high for being easy to understand yet having some tips that I haven't seen elsewhere. I own a cocker spaniel who has some anxiety issues that made him hard to train, so I appreciated the information in this book.

We've gone to positive dog obedience classes with our newfs and rescues, and subscribe to Whole Dog Journal. So, no, there are no earthshaking new discoveries here. I mean - sit, stay, come... It's just a very solid, well thought out, written, and illustrated plan for how to go about positive training. And positive training gives you a happy, loving, well-meaning dog! I've used the book for reinforcement of the classes we took, to check that I'm giving the messages I want to give to our new puppy. And I just sent a copy to a friend who drove 5 hours to rescue a standard poodle. I think it will be very helpful!

OLD DOG, NEW TRICKS: UNDERSTANDING AND RETRAINING OLDER AND RESCUED DOGS is a 'must' for any with such an animal. Thousands of households adopt older dogs which come with previous training - some wanted, some unwanted. Here's the key to behavior modification: it provides insights into understanding dogs, provides lists of considerations before bringing an older dog into the home, and most importantly covers training, from basic techniques to modification. An excellent guide which dog owners and public libraries will find important.

I've been a volunteer at my local SPCA in Oklahoma for 2 1/2 years and during that time have come across every thing bad that a human being can do to a dog.What makes this book so special is that the writer is a veterinarian that understands animal behavior and the causes behind it. He gives you the understanding of how to modify undesired behaviors into desired ones. I'm a strong advocate for adoption of rescued dogs as I've seen how they can make great family pets. This book will help you achieve that goal and turn you new best friend into the dog you want it to be.

We had never adopted an older dog, but wanted to after our 14 yr. old Pedro passed on. We saw the need to adopt an older pet, and we did adopt a 9 or 10 year old special needs Chihuahua. This book gives you insight into what you face as you must remember an older dog had another life - good or bad. It was helpful.

This book provides solid information on training an older dog, but doesn't give much advice on choosing the right dog to adopt or understanding the special issues that may arise with a dog that's been rescued from a difficult prior living situation. If you're looking for a useful general book on training your dog, this is a good choice, but if you want a book that specifically focuses on rescued dogs, look elsewhere -- I recommend the book Save That Dog: Everything You Need to Know About Adopting a Purebred Rescue Dog by Liz Palika, it offers a lot more help with specific issues of bringing a rescued dog into your family.

This book provided nothing new for me that I hadn't already read for free on the Internet.