Customer Reviews

People Pooches & Problems: Understanding, Controlling and Correcting Problem Behavior in Your Dog

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I've been teaching obedience classes and training and exhibiting Toy Poodles and Miniature Schnauzers in advanced obedience for about 20 years. This book is always the FIRST one I recommend to dog owners who have a dominant or spoiled or aggressive dog.

It is filled with practical, commonsense training methods that work just as well today as they did in our grandparents' days. Dog does good, he is praised and reward -- dog does bad, he is corrected. Perfectly understandable -- both by dogs and by kids.

In my opinion, the people who dislike this book are those who don't believe in negative consequences for anyone or anything. (You usually see the results of this philosophy in their spoiled children.)

"Old-fashioned," they call it. Well, it IS "old-fashioned." And it produces "old-fashioned" good behavior and respect for authority. Good old common sense is what it is, and dogs respond beautifully to it.

Yes, dogs are perfectly capable of understanding positive consequences (petting and treats) AND negative consequences (a sharp word, snap of the leash, or swat on the hind end).

Job Michael Evans' book is just terrific. I have a dozen happy, cheerful, well-behaved dogs to prove it, and as an experienced instructor and trainer, I highly recommend it.

This book not only provides a nicely detailed background on the dog/human dynamic but includes a vast array of problem-solving techniques. I kept the library copy out so long that I realized I had to buy it to keep as an on-hand resource. The writer, while humane, is no stupid-romantic slob when it comes to appreciating the frustrations and problems even the most beloved dog can bring. Best of all, he puts the emphasis where it needs to be - on the owner who, unlike the dog, is able to examine her (or his) behavior and modify it to help the dog be a better citizen.

As the owner of a dog with a history of biting, this book is a godsend. It's given me practical advice that works. If you have a problem dog, especially if you're considering euthanasia, buy this book and get to work. It'll give both of you a new lease on life.

I have been dog training and instructing for 14 years. I have not come across a dog book yet that was worth the money they ask for it. I found my copy of this for $5 in a 2nd hand store. I read it and went and bought another two copies to lend to club members that are having trouble with their dogs. Mr Evans knows what he is talking about. The book is well written, with practical advice everywhere. I thought I knew a lot about dogs, after reading the book I am a great deal more informed. If you have a need for a book on dogs I would recommend reading this, it is great.

This book has lots of different situations and problems that you might encounter. It is extreemly helpful and easy to use. There is a lot of love in the methods that they recommend so you don't feel bad using them on your dog. Very practical advice for a person who works and or has children!

This book addresses the importance of gaining the respect of your dog and how to move into a leadership position over your dog. So many obedience books & trainers discuss how to teach your dog to sit & down etc, but don't discuss what to do when your dog KNOWS the commands but chooses to ignore it. Praise/treat-only training works when you have a rabidly-eager-to-please dog and/or a person who naturally is a good leader or has good experience with dogs. But for the average dog-owner who I see allow themselves and their guests get trampled/mouthed/abused by their disrespectful dogs ("He's just excited!")this book could be a lifesaver for their dog that is headed for getting squashed by a car, or euthanized for biting a kid...for example.
Anyone who thinks that training a dog is only praise & treats and little to no reprimands--then good for you that life is so easy with your dog(s)---the foster dogs I reform might: sit/down/stay/come for your treat perfectly, then precede to runover your kid and steal his toys/food and bite him if he resists and then maybe eat the mailman for dessert. Dogs need to know their boundaries.
When the praise only type trainers can't reform out-of-control aggressive dogs, euthanasia is typically suggested.
The last behavior expert I met who specialized in "aggressive/problem" dogs had never had to euthanize a single dog in 16 years of operation and furthermore has to counsel and help dog "experts" who can't control strong-willed dogs. I noticed her style of operation is essentially what is in this book --- talk and relate to dogs using their own language.

Read this book, and recommend this book to other people with dogs.

I've noticed a wonderful change in my relationship with my dogs, after only 3 days of practicing the methods in this book. The inciteful knowledge has shown to be the key to improving the relationship with my dogs and loving them even more.

This book is great, esp the set up, for eliminating problem behaviors in dogs. I loan it out twice a year. It is useful in a wide array of canine misbehavior which as Evans points out is occuring because you let the dog get away with it. Proper re-inforcement of the pack dynamic, crate training, shaping behavior... these are all in there. He tackles some pretty disgusting problems like leg humping, dogs that run the entire household etc.

Evans' training methods are midieval, at best. The current world of dog training boasts many methods, some effective, some not, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However, rarely these days do you see any responsible, effective trainers supporting any methods of correction that include "swatting" or "shaking" your dog(s). For example, Evans advice on how to correct your dog when you come home to find he's had an "accident" in the house? Lead him to the scene of the crime and "swat" him....well, that's if he doesn't get it when you just growl at him. Has this dog been left for 8-10 hours with no other choice but to relieve himself in the house? If so, the owner should be swatted and re-educated, not the poor dog. In talking about teaching and reinforcing the long down, Evans advises, if the dog "stress-whines", "give the dog a slap under the chin and say NO!". Advising unwitting, uneducated dog owners to slap their dog when it shows stress??? Deplorable.

This book does have a lot of good advice for dog owners; however, it also supports many negative methods....punishment....that have no place in the current world of dog training (and never should have, in my humble opinion). Unfortunately, although experienced trainers, like myself, will read this book (or as much of it as they can stomach) and be appalled, new dog owners, not knowing any better, will employ these methods out of desperation. There are better ways; my recommendation would be to do some research and invest in books that employ positive training methods that take into account both various temperaments of dogs, their instincts, and their basic motivational factors. While the methods may vary in effectiveness, certainly any positive approach is preferable to one that advocates such severe negative methods as are taught in Evans' book.

I ordered this book on a recommendation, mainly for the chapter on retraining the recall. Yes, to some readers the training philosophy in the book may seem to be "old-fashioned" or "out-dated". However, even if you disagree with the author's methods, there is plenty of great information in the book that could easily be adapted to positive reinforcement training programs.

The "Radical Regiment for Recalcitrant Rovers" is very similar to the often-suggested "Nothing In Life Is Free" training (though the RRRR is more structured and strict in its approach). This 4 week program works hand-in-hand with the use of set ups to target problem behaviors. The author does a wonderful job of explaining how to plan a setup through examples and to-the-point advice(even including worksheets to help with this), and what factors could cause a setup to fail.

The author also covers training/proofing basic obedience commands, with some great advice on proofing the sit-stay. Of these commands, the greatest value is in the chapter on retraining the recall. The author walks the reader through a 6 week process of retraining the dog's recall command without the use of food bribes. There are no adversives used in the process; only leash-work.

Of other interest in the book is discussion on how to use one's voice appropriately. Throughout the book, the author talks about maintaining control over your voice, and how to use varying tones without changing your volume.

Overall, it's a great read (easy too - for all the information contained in the pages, the author is not overly verbose). Even if you disagree with the training methods promoted in the book, you will find many pages of helpful information that can be adapted to your preferred methods of training.