Don't Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training (Paperback)

by Karen Pryor (Author) "A reinforcer is anything that, occurring in conjunction with an act, tends to increase the probability that the act will occur again..." (more)
Key Phrases: using reinforcement, faulty tennis swing, clicker trainers, Don't Shoot the Dog, Developing Super Performance, Cooperation Without Coercion (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"This delightful, clear, and utterly helpful book is for anyone who wants to understand or change the behavior of an animal—whether the animal in question is a barking dog, a nosy neighbor, a hostile cat, or you and your own bad habits."—Carol Tavris, Ph.D., author of Anger

Product Description
A Better Way to Better Behavior

Karen Pryor's clear and entertaining explanation of behavioral training methods made Don't Shoot the Dog! a bestselling classic. Now this revised edition presents more of her insights into animal—and human—behavior.

A groundbreaking behavioral scientist and dynamic animal trainer, Karen Pryor is a powerful proponent of the principles and practical uses of positive reinforcement in teaching new behaviors. Here are the secrets of changing behavior in pets, kids—even yourself—without yelling, threats, force, punishment, guilt trips...or shooting the dog:

•The principles of the revolutionary "clicker training" method, which owes its phenomenal success to its immediacy of response—so there is no question what action you are rewarding
•8 methods of ending undesirable habits—from furniture-clawing cats to sloppy roommates
•The 10 laws of "shaping" behavior–for results without strain or pain through "affection training"
•Tips for house-training the dog, improving your tennis game, or dealing with an impossible teen
•Explorations of exciting new uses for reinforcement training

Learn why pet owners rave, "This book changed our lives!" and how these pioneering techniques can work for you too.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Bantam; Revised edition (August 3, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553380397
• ISBN-13: 978-0553380392
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (120 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #21,654 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

113 of 119 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I've just read most of the new version., August 6, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Dallas Texas) - See all my reviews

All of the reader reviews currently on the page deal with the first edition. I just received the new edition.

First, for those who are looking for a cook book to solve specific problems, this may not be it -- as a response to people who felt mislead by the title.

This ISN'T a dog training book, what it is, is a manual and a philosophy for solving the problems in your life caused by other's behavior, whether it is your husband, your children, your pets, or your co-workers.

The new edition brings in our new research and our ideas. Anecodotes are more relative and talk about people we all know and have met through the click-l list and other internet interactions.

This is definately the definitive book on behavior modification, and it is infinitely readable.

<CLICK> Good job Karen!

130 of 138 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars not just for the dogs, January 29, 2004

By	cammykitty "cammykitty" (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews

I've read quite a few dog behavior, training and intelligence books and always had this on the to read list because of its reputation of being the "bible" of dog training. But I didn't really want to read it because of the title, and hey, the cover isn't too imaginitive either. I know don't judge a book by a cover, but to be honest, reading has a sensual side too -- good clean lines, fits nice in the hands, smooth paper. You bookaholics know what I'm saying.

So, I finally got around to reading this and I can see why people say this book is life-changing. Pryor spent very little time talking about dogs specifically but showed many examples on how these methods could be used with people with disabilities, your own kids, spouse, cat etc.

I'm a trainer's assistant at a dog obedience school, and as I read this, it all looked familiar. It is basically the foundation philosophy of our school. It's a method of communication. A way to build a relationship and communicate what you want from your dog in a positive, punishment-free manner. Reading this book helped me clarify why we at the school do things as we do. And as I finished the book, I was thinking of one of the comments a woman made at a trainer's funeral. The gist was that she had learned from his gentle approach to the dogs, and this had spread to the way she approached people as well.

It's true. "Clicker training" as some people call this training philosophy will spill outside of your doggy life and into other areas... if you come to this as a dog trainer. As a dog trainer, your dog doesn't sit when you say sit. Instead of getting mad and saying sit sit sit! jerking on the collar or pushing on the butt, first you think "does my dog understand 'sit?'" Then you'd break it down into it's components -- sit is an action (head goes up, butt goes down) and responding to the command requires that 1. the dog knows the action 2. the dog knows the word is connected to the action. Then you'd find a way to get your dog past whatever is hanging him up. So, if this is your habitual style of response to other's "mistakes," you will start to develop patience, compassion and clear communication. And those skills will take you far in life.

And extra bonus -- besides learning training methods, you'll read alot of funny anecdotes about frisbee-playing elephants and bell-ringing hermit crabs too.

70 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, intellectually stimulating and fun to read, March 3, 2000

By A Customer

I recently bought this book on the advice of a doggy foster "parent", as a prelude to adopting from a local rescue organization. While this is not a how-to or step by step guide for training your dog, it is an excellent and clear book about behavior and how to shape it in a positive way. I was surprised at how much information I found useful for understanding my own relationship with my parents and how to be a better manager. The anecdotes help clarify the concepts, as well as making for very entertaining reading, and I especially appreciated the series of charts comparing different training methods and showing what can work best for a slew of different behavior problems. My next purchase will be a clicker training instruction manual, and I think it will be all the more valuable because Pryor's book has helped me understand WHY positive reinforcement works. Her book really explains the philosophy behind the methodology. Kudos.