Customer Reviews

The Well-Adjusted Dog: Dr. Dodman's Seven Steps to Lifelong Health and Happiness for Your BestFriend

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When dogs are behaving badly or inappropriately, their people often don't know where to turn, or what to do.

Sometimes, an animal communicator can help to assuage a conflict, ease an anxiety, or curb a bad habit by discovering exactly why the dog is doing what he's doing, from his perspective, and that "direct from the source" input can often be extremely helpful in restoring a sense of normalcy.

But for the chronic offenders, it can be useful to consult an animal behaviorist, and Dr. Nicholas Dodman, Director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Tufts University's Cummings School, is one of the best.

One of the most important contributions of his new book, "The Well-Adjusted Dog," is that it dispels prevalent myths and misconceptions about what works and doesn't work to curtail unwanted or destructive behavior patterns. Dr. Dodman's philosophy is simple and straightfoward:

"Your job as a dog owner is to try to understand your dog's life from his point of view, and to lead and protect, not to dominate, punish, and force a dog into submission. . .Real leaders do not dominate; they listen, think, and often defer. Real leaders do not intimidate; they instill confidence. . .

"The human-companion animal bond is not forged through the metal of the choke chain or prong collar but rather through mutual trust and respect."

Even compassionate, well-intentioned, and experienced canine caretakers may be astonished to learn that some of their assumptions about what their dog requires for nutrition, exercise and training are just plain wrong. For example, the amount of exercise a dog really needs may really blow your mind. Let's just say that a stroll around the block twice a day isn't enough.

When it comes to dogs who display territorial aggression, Dr. Dodman's pioneering research has been able to prove that there is a direct correlation between the amount of protein in a dog's diet and his tendency to lash out. In his controlled study, there was a demonstrable reduction in aggressive behavior when dogs were fed a low-protein (17%) diet:

"Territorial aggression was significantly reduced on the lower-protein diets. The decrease in aggression was almost linear when plotted against protein level--less protein equaled less aggression and the finding was statistically significant. A subset of territorially aggressive dogs motivated by fear or anxiety responded particularly well."

There are excellent chapters on "The Fearful Dog" ("The first rule of desensitization is not to expose the dog to whatever he fears"), "Environmental Enrichment" ("The worst-case scenario for a dog is to be raised alone and live alone"), and "Healing Potions" (When pharmacological intervention becomes the last resort).

You may disagree with some of Dr. Dodman's prescriptions (he's skeptical about the efficacy of Rescue Remedy, for example), but all in all, The Well-Adjusted Dog is a practical, compelling set of recommendations for anyone who puts a premium on her dog's well-being, and I'm glad it's part of my library.

With many dog owners having behavior problems with their 4 footed friends, it's no surprise that the shelters end up with too many dogs. And with the economy struggling, shelters even get more abandoned or "give up" dogs.

Dr. Dodman has authored chapters on understanding your dog, what constitutes proper behavior when on a lead, and how to deal with fear-producing situations. There's also a section on medical problems, that may have an adverse effect on the dog's behavior.

The advice in the Dodman book will aid dog owners in training their dogs, ensure that the dog is getting adequate exercise, and is on the right diet-all of which are crucial to making their pet a "well adjusted dog".

As a certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT) I am constantly seeking the latest information on dog behavior and training. Dr. Dodman does not disappoint! If you want to start off on the right track, to understand your puppy and prevent behavior problems, add this great book to your library! If you have a dog with moderate to severe behavior problems, this is THE book to get! Read it, then if you think you need to, consult with Dodman via Tufts University's in-person or remote remote Petfax or Vetfax service in cooperation with your vet and a qualified professional trainer, and your issues will be addressed to the utmost. Don't waste your time relying on flashy TV shows, go to the the real experts!

This has to be one of the best books on dog training I have ever read.

The first plus is Dodman's background as a veterinarian which gives the reader a very interesting chapter on the biology of dog food.

The rest of the book, concentrating on training methods and doggy needs is excellently laid out - keeping the reader motivated with fun stories and making his methods very simple for owners or even trainers.

Turning his nose up at the physical reprimand and choke chain Millan school of dominance training, he suggests a blend of positive reinforcement training and negative punishment through ignoring the dog and other peaceful methods.

I wish I had read this book when I first got my dog, it could have prevented many of the problems I am now trying to solve. 6 stars.

I found Dr Dodman's book very helpful in my search for a new puppy and the first weeks of training him. I think every new dog owner should read this book!

I love this book. I wish that it had been available years ago when I needed answers to all my dog training questions. I love that all of the facts presented are backed by studies.I know that this is one book that I will return to over and over.I will be recomending this to all of my fellow dog trainers.