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The Other End of the Leash Hardcover – June 4, 2002

by Patricia McConnell (Author)

723 customer reviews

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The Other End of the Leash shares a revolutionary, new perspective on our relationship with dogs, focusing on our behavior in comparison with that of dogs. An applied animal behaviorist and dog trainer with more than twenty years experience, Dr. Patricia McConnell looks at humans as just another interesting species, and muses about why we behave the way we do around our dogs, how dogs might interpret our behavior, and how to interact with our dogs in ways that bring out the best in our four-legged friends.

After all, although humans and dogs share a remarkable relationship that is unique in the animal world, we are still two entirely different species, each shaped by our individual evolutionary heritage. Quite simply, humans are primates and dogs are canids (like wolves, coyotes, and foxes). Since we each speak a different native tongue, a lot gets lost in the translation.

The Other End of the Leash demonstrates how even the slightest changes in your voice and the way you stand can help your dog understand what you want. Once you start to think about your own behavior from the perspective of your dog, you’ll understand why much of what appears to be doggy-disobedience is simply a case of miscommunication. Inside you will learn
• How to use your voice so that your dog is more likely to do what you ask.
• Why “getting dominance” over your dog is a bad idea.
• Why “rough and tumble primate play” can lead to trouble–and how to play with your dog in ways that are fun and keep him out of trouble.
• How dogs and humans share personality types–and why most dogs want to live with benevolent leaders rather than “alphawannabees!”

In her own insightful, compelling style, Patricia McConnell combines wonderful true stories about people and dogs with a new, accessible scientific perspective on how they should behave around each other. This is a book that strives to help you make the most of life with your dog, and to prevent problems that might arise in that most rewarding of relationships.

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Other End of the Leash begins with an eloquently simple premise: "All dogs are brilliant at perceiving the slightest movement that we make, and they assume each tiny movement has meaning." With that in mind, all of Dr. Patricia McConnell's recommendations for communicating with your canine make immediate sense. Don't we all automatically bend forward when coaxing a dog to come and play? Break eye contact when we wish to avoid a confrontation? While these instinctive behaviors are right on target, a number of other habits aren't so positive, and McConnell helps us break them with both humor and common sense.

Chapters are categorized by senses such as sound, sight, and smell; specific pack behaviors such as dominance and play also merit their own sections. McConnell uses the same humor and patience she recommends with dogs on her readers. Whether she's referring to maggots as "a value-added commodity in canine economics" or ruminating on attempts to verbally cue her dogs to exit the house one at a time, her wise and gently self-deprecating book brings training--of both dogs and humans--to new levels. Jill Lightner

From Publishers Weekly

It matters greatly that people who love dogs understand enough about them to provide a good environment, writes McConnell (Feeling Outnumbered? How to Manage Your Multi-dog Household) in her thoughtful exposition on improving human-canine communication. An animal behaviorist and adjunct professor of zoology at the University of Wisconsin Madison, McConnell offers sound advice for dog owners: Pay attention to your own behavior. Believe me, your dog is. Drawing on anecdotes from her professional practice (she specializes in canine behavior problems), research into the work of other dog trainers and personal experiences with her beloved Border collies, the author explains how a dog might be misinterpreting signals from its owner. For example, although humans express affection through hugs, a dog may feel threatened by them. McConnell also provides tips on how to play safely with dogs (she recommends games of fetch rather than rough-and-tumble wrestling) and how to get them to do what you want (the best way to get a dog to stop demanding attention is simply to break off visual contact). She has harsh words for trainers who tell owners to establish dominance over dogs by behaving aggressively to them when they are young, and also for owners of puppy mills. These dog factories, she says, create damaged animals and unsuitable pets. This is a helpful guide for pet owners by a specialist who clearly loves her work. B&w photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product details

Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1st edition (June 4, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345446798
ISBN-13: 978-0345446794
Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 1.1 x 9.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (723 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #215,193 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #23 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Pets & Animal Care > Dogs > Care & Health

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Unexpectedly Fantastic Book

ByErin D.on February 12, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I picked up this book in preparation of getting a new puppy. It's been 15+ years since I've had a dog and since I'm now part of busy family and have an active 6yo, I thought I'd need more forethought than last time, (when I picked up a dog in college with nothing more than: "Aww, cute puppy! I'll get him!"). While our last dog was a very kind house companion, she was also riddled with anxiety, not particularly warm to strangers or new contexts and never managed to learn how to walk properly on leash. Fearful and shy, it was difficult to enjoy her outside our home. We want to make sure our next dog (with thoughtful attention to puppy choosing and realistic training) can be more of a "go anywhere" dog that we can enjoy running with and taking to social activities.

After reading McConnell's book (then checking out her website and youtube videos), I can see what of our behaviors exasperated the challenges and temperament of our previous dog. I consider myself a "dog person" (grew up with golden retrievers) and non-archaic in terms of my knowledge of pets, training and K-9 behavior. Nevertheless, I was astounded at how much this book taught me. Full of digestible research made accessible through real-life stories and examples (think Malcolm Gladwell meets dog behavior enthusiast), this book gave me both practical knowledge and poignant insight into the way we consider human-dog (and human-animal) relationships. I feel so much more prepared to choose a dog, socialize it well and exercise its brain and body through clear communication in the household. I also feel more empowered to ready our daughter by talking about the nonverbal cues of dogs and how she can be a loving owner without smothering a new puppy.

I recommend picking up McConnell's The Puppy Primer, which we purchased at the same time as more of a "how to" guide to the first days at home, but DO NOT SKIP THIS BOOK. It gave so much more of the "why" behind the recommendations of the author in training and its an enjoyable read for experienced and novice dog owners alike!

0Comment 18 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

So when I say this is one of the best books you can buy

ByV. Sayleson December 2, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

With so many dog training books out there how do you decide which ones to choose? I ran a dog rescue for 6 years with 38 members, & recued over 550 dogs. As the group leader I had responsibility for assessing the dogs, understanding their needs & issues, & help foster families & adopters succeed. So when I say this is one of the best books you can buy, I know it is true. Anything by Pat McConnel including her smaller handbooks such as "Leader of the pack", & YouTube videos are excellent. The other book I firmly recommend is "On Talking Terms with Dogs; Calming Signals; " by Turid Rudgrass. Learn how dogs who can't talk- use body language such as Yawning, lip-licking, sneezing, scratching are just a few signals dogs use to communicate. You can recognize these signals & use them to interact with your dog. It comes on DVD, a great way for children to know what "Fluffy" is really saying. Invaluable resources! Sadly I have seen too often that the poor dog has been signaling emotions with his body language that humans inadvertently miss.Then are surprised or even upset when "suddenly out of no where" their dog seems to react. When in fact the dog had been patiently signal their needs to clueless human companions for a while before reacting.

0Comment 15 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Should be a Pre-Requisite to Dog Ownership and Training

Bylizr79on January 5, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I love, love, love this book. I have already purchased copies as gifts for all of my family members who have dogs. This should be required reading for anyone who has a dog, is thinking about owning a dog, or is around friends/family with dogs.

Just as I am fascinated about how people interact with each other, I am very curious about the unique relationship between humans and dogs. This book draw's on Dr. McConnell's background in psychology and animal behavior. I believe that her background makes her an authority on the topic of how canines and humans communicate with each other.

As other reviewers have noted, this is not a book on how to train your dog. However, I believe that this book should be a pre-requisite to dog training. It provides a foundation on WHY certain methods work and why others are ineffective. There are so many myths floating around about dog training and people love to create sound bites and quick tips out of all of the available information. Context is key.

One of the tactics discussed is how to get a dog to go the direction you want it to go. Dogs look in the direction they want to go. Humans tend to prefer to face the dog which is actually perceived by dog as encroachment of their space and typically makes the dog want to back up. While on Christmas vacation, we had a puppy that was insisting on sleeping in Mom's favorite arm chair. Instead of charging up to the dog and speaking at him when I wanted him to get off the chair, I walked up to him, turned away from him, and pointed to the floor. With my body and my hand pointing in the direction I wanted the dog to go, it was like magic! I didn't even have to use my voice to communicate my command. The family was amazed! This is just one example of how understanding what my body language means to a dog enabled me to develop a simple and effective method of communication.

I actually liked the author's personal stories about her working dogs and their different personalities. While others may feel these are irrelevant to the overall book, I think they enhance the book. In my opinion, any type of behavior analysis only benefits from more real-life examples.

Please get a copy of this book for yourself and for any dog owners you know. Understanding what you are really saying to a dog is the first step in creating effective communication which leads to a more rewarding relationship.