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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training, 2nd Edition
 
 
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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training, 2nd Edition (Paperback)

~ Pamela S. Dennison (Author) "Positive training is precise manipulation of favorable consequences (good stuff, like food and toys) in order to get your dog to perform the behaviors you..." (more)
Key Phrases: door etiquette, opposition reflex, next time level, Canine Caveats, Doggie Data, Pooch Pointers (more...)
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)

List Price: $14.95
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Frequently Bought Together

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training, 2nd Edition + Dog Training For Dummies (For Dummies (Pets)) + Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems
Price For All Three: $34.88

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  • This item: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training, 2nd Edition by Pamela Dennison

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  • Dog Training For Dummies (For Dummies (Pets)) by Wendy Volhard

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  • Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems by Cesar Millan

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Spare the punishment and raise a happy, well-behaved dog …

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Positive Dog Training, Second Edition, replaces the standard punishment-based training methods that have potential consequences for puppies and limited effectiveness with older dogs. This guide demonstrates positive training methods, based on a system of rewards and encouragement, to teach basic commands and housetraining, and correct a host of problem behaviors. Readers will also learn loose-leash walking games and how to train for the American Kennel Club’s increasingly popular Canine Good Citizen test.

• Dog owners number more than 40 million in the United States, and more and more of them are giving up on punitive training methods
• One of the few dog training books that exclusively adheres to positive training methods


About the Author

Pamela Dennison, owner of Positive Motivation Dog Training, has been training dogs since 1992. After switching methods from traditional punishment-based training methods to positive training, Pam has become an expert on working with dogs with various behavioral issues. She has written a monthly column, "The Barking Lot," and authored Bringing Light to Shadow: A Story of Recovering an Aggressive Dog.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 314 pages
  • Publisher: Alpha; 2 edition (February 7, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1592574831
  • ISBN-13: 978-1592574834
  • Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #134,581 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

More About the Author

Pamela Dennison
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

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Customer Reviews

33 Reviews
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 (2)
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Average Customer Review
3.9 out of 5 stars (33 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
74 of 76 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The best - Applause, Applause to the Author!, May 26, 2003
I bought this book and the book called "Good Owners, Great Dogs" by Brian Kilcommons. The Kilcommons book is very good. It is probably the best "traditional" training book there is available. Very thorough and insightful. I've raised a number of dogs in my life - well, let's say they grew up with me - the training part was more the dog training me than me training the dog.

HOWEVER... This 'Idiots guide' on 'Positive Dog Training' is a breakthrough book for me. There are likely others that teach this similar method, but the organization of the book and the practical advice for "real life" won me over. The sheer logic of the book will make you question your earlier 'wisdom' especially when the author successfully identifies the results of some of your earlier training efforts. The "idiots" book is my clear winner. I bought it with skepticism, and now I'm an absolute convert. In one day, with a 9 week old puppy, day two away from mom, using cheese, lots of praise, ignoring her when she wouldn't walk, she was walking steadily beside me - no pulling forward or back. Scents and distractions aside, I was in shock. When I first put the collar and the leash on her, she acted like she was being led to slaughter. Yelping, screaming, doing flips to get away. I ignored the behavior and her, waited until she stopped. When she stopped, I praised her immediately. One more "partial episode" and that behavior stopped. After one day, she responds to my call to "come" almost every single time. In the first day - this is not normal for me...

Anyway, buy three copies of this book, one for you, one for your family, and one for the neighbor that knows all the answers about training a dog.

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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Every Dog Owner Should Read This Book!!!, January 23, 2005
By Piper (New York) - See all my reviews
Her technique is rooted in proven psychological theories. Not only does this book introduce training that works - it also strengthens your bond with your dog in the process! Instead of fearing what will happen if they do something wrong your dog will WANT to please you! If you enjoyed this book consider subscribing to The Whole Dog Journal or read Pat Miller's books. Your dog will thank you!
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28 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Good but opinionated and somewhat lacking, June 13, 2004
By Susan L. Wyse "slwyse" (Snohomish, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
These "positive training methods" say to NEVER reprimand your dog, even a "No!" or, "Enough!" or a leash tug is BAD, and you are being a abusive. I must disagree, when your mother told you "No!" for doing something inappropriate, did you feel abused? I didn't, a child, just like dog, needs boundaries. And one of the only ways to do that is to effectively discipline without being overbearing.

Though you should always praise your dogs for being good, using treats for EVERYTHING can not only make them fat, but can cause them to expect treats and not respond when you don't have them. The author is also rather opinionated, and feels the need to bash any kind of training method that "restricts" the dog and trains it using force, as if positive training is THE ONLY way to EVER train your dog. Which it isn't.

The author feels the need to explain why positive training is the only way for the first half of the book. The positives to this kind of training could easily be put into a much smaller space.

And what about when a dog is performing a self rewarding behavior? Like chasing the cat. You obviously cat keep the cat penned up all day, and telling the dog "No!" is abusive, and chasing a cat is a very rewarding behavior. Just ignoring it will not make it go away. Same with dumpster diving. Though you should set the dog up for success, you can't be sure 100% of the time the dog can't get into the garbage. And any kind of reprimand or correction for eating trash is deemed "abusive" and therefor wrong. And what about hierarchy? If you simply fawn all over your dogs they will think you belong to them. You should not simply reward a dog for every good deed. The author does not even touch on how to passively dominate your dog(such as eating before the dog, not giving him anything for free, etc.), when this book is simply setting up a dominate dog to feel more dominant over it's human companion. Which can lead to very troublesome issues.

Proffesionally trained dogs that act almost perfect have been taught with both reprimands and rewards. Such as seeing eye dogs, police dogs, and hearing dogs. I have never met a perfectly well trained dog using JUST positive training methods, there have been some sort of reprimand, whether physical or verbal.

Though this book does have some good information, the author is highly opinionated and at some points blatantly wrong. It's a good read, but I'd advise doing more extensive research.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Should have been named what I hate about Cesar Millan
She doesn't come right out and say his name, but her first six chapters are dedicated to how his techniques are wrong. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Becca C.

2.0 out of 5 stars The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pamela Dennison's World
I found this book to be a disappointment on many levels. First, the author tries to be cute and conversational but comes off as simply annoying. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Cristin

5.0 out of 5 stars Positively Great! (yeah, I know pun city)
My family recently welcomed a wonderful Collie - Captain Jack Sparrow into our lives. From day one, I read this book, studied the techniques and the reasoning and rationale... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Kevin Brett

5.0 out of 5 stars Best positive dog training book
This is by far the best positive dog training book out there right now. It's easy to use and works! Read more
Published 11 months ago by art and book devotee

3.0 out of 5 stars Good review
I had a great experience. The book was sent in a very appropriate manner.
Published 16 months ago by Susan C. Mascall

3.0 out of 5 stars Not enough useful practical information
The author discusses positive training adnosium and yet she glosses over important points and techniques. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Hayden's Mommy

3.0 out of 5 stars Some good info but overly opinionated and a little lacking
I'm rating the book 3 stars because it does have a lot of good information, but also had several things I didn't like about it. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Phil

2.0 out of 5 stars Psychological Argument Never Gets Down To The Bone
While I agree with the author's emphasis on the positive, she is redundant - to the point of defensive - in stating and restating the argument. Read more
Published on January 3, 2007 by David M. Garrett

3.0 out of 5 stars Should be called the Herding Dog training manual
I think positive training methods can be used for all breeds of dogs but I think the author has trouble presenting her book that way. Read more
Published on September 5, 2006 by CA

4.0 out of 5 stars wordy but good information
This book is very wordy with few photos so I worry that adopters won't really read it all but those that do will find a wealth of good information. Read more
Published on July 31, 2006 by The

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