3 comments about The Koehler Method of Training Tracking Dogs.

1. It's a specific exercise that's fun to train and fun to do ; and based on Koehler's forced fetch, in the Open Obedience book. If you haven't trained that way, probably you won't get anywhere with this book.
   
   It works. You get a dog that will start on a track and stay on it, even if it's crossed by more interesting scents ; and take it as engaging work.
   
   That said, I think Koehler didn't actually try running the exercises he gives, which are well out of the range of real possibility, time-wise. I don't think anybody could follow them out for long after the first few exercises.
   
   However, with the forced fetch approach taught at the beginning, you can easily extend the tracks with the same correction principle on your own, and it works on your Koehler-trained dog.
   
   I always recommend two essays from Vicki Hearne's ``Adam's Task,'' the chapters on Washoe and How To Say Fetch, for an understanding of Koehler and what he's achieving. If what she writes makes sense to you, you can use Koehler. If not, look elsewhere. You'll certainly misunderstand him.
   
   Worked for my three Dobermans.



2. I can't speak to the usefulness of this book for training dogs for tracking competition, and will leave it for those who have experience in that sport.
   
   I urge those who are interested in training for search and rescue to look elsewhere. The techniques in this book will not produce a dog who can do the job of SAR. Airscent work is not covered, and the foundational skill of a real trailing dog -- individual scent discrimination -- is not covered.
   
   This would be fine -- it's perfectly okay to write a book on the stylized form of tracking done in competion -- but the author explicitly claims otherwise, and the cover photos and an entire chapter dramatize "the real thing" in a very unreal manner.
   
   I am not one of those people who get together to burn Koehler's obedience training books every Saturday night. But this one is not for search and rescue responders or police canine officers.
   
   I recommend the American Rescue Dog Association's book Search and Rescue Dogs: Training Methods for beginners. For those specifically interested in SAR trailing, consider Lue Button's Practical Scent Dog Training. Note that Amazon has her listed as "Lou" Button, but her name is LUE.



3. Koehler method's are appropriate for dogs who are tough and forgiving. For dogs who are soft or unforgiving of aggressive methods (such as Doberman Pinschers, Border Collies and many other breeds) softer methods must be used for satisfactory results. This book is good to understand tracking theory but many may prefer to use another method to actually train their dog.

No comments about The Biology of Ground-Dwelling Squirrels: Annual Cycles, Behavioral Ecology, and Sociality.

2 comments about City Dog: Chicago (City Dog series).

1. A friend of mine told me about City Dog Chicago, and I was very pleased to see accurate reviews of local pet businesses in my area.
   
   Not only were the reviews honest and accurate, the book as well informed me of tons of helpful dog services available in my neighborhood that I would have never known about. I think City Dog is a must-have for any busy dog owner living in the Chicago area.
   
   Sincerely,
   Melissa Green
   Chicago, IL



2. Whoever wrote the Chicago edition either is map impaired or does not live in the area. They also are west suburban phobic. All the stores, bakeries etc. that are directly west of the city are listed under south suburban. By omitting a west suburban chapter, this book is less appealing to people who live in that area.
   
   Last time I looked, Evanston was in Cook county. The editors place it sometimes in Lake County, sometimes in Cook.
   
   I recently discovered that while the information gatherers are from Chicago, the book was mapped into locations in LA. Hence the inaccuracies. It is an excuse, but one from which many lessons should be learned. Don't always count on those computer maps. It is not like looking at the atlas yourself.
   
   Hopefully, in a later edition these errors will be corrected.

No comments about The Road to Utopia: How Kinky, Tony, and I Saved More Animals than Noah.

3 comments about Soul Friends: Finding Healing with Animals.

1. Soul Friends is an emotional account of finding your special 'Soul Friend'. Our relationships with our dogs can comfort us when we need companionship and unquestioning loyalty the most. This special bond works both ways. Kate Nicholl provides guidance for those who want to rescue a dog or get a puppy. How do we decide what type of dog to adopt? Are we ready to dedicate the time and resources necessary to take care of a dog? Rescuing a dog may mean that dog needs special attention, an inordinate amount of patience, and an overwhelming amount of love. It takes time to build that special relationship with your soul friend. You should read this book to help you find yours.



2. Kate Nicoll blends rich personal experiences, a sound expertise in counseling, and an catching passion for dogs into a tender book that should be valuable to anyone interesting in helping themselves or others heal.
   
   The honesty and bravery of her introspections serve as moving guides as Nicoll brings information from diverse fields of science and counseling together into a deeply personal and moving book about the healing power of the dogs right around us.
   
   With both unflinching honesty and loving compassion, Nicoll shows the healing dogs can bring to even the most horrible situations--as companions and guides.
   
   This book should be almost as fine a companion as the dogs Nicoll portrays.



3. I found this book to be very intriguing. Nicoll uses her personal experience and insight to help us understand the tremendous healing power that occurs when we share our lives with our dog companions. That inexplicable bond that occurs between a person and their dog is examined by Nicoll with tender stories and wonderful metaphors. This book delves into how and why we are attracted to dogs and how impactful they are in reflecting back to us some of the best and worst parts of ourselves. The human-animal bond is a sacred and special relationship and Nicoll has done a great job in trying to examine the how and why of it. The many anecdotal stories and dog command metaphors help make the book a fun and easy read and clearly shows the potentially healing power of dogs in our lives.

4 comments about Uncle Matty's Ultimate Guide to Dog Training: The Woof Papers.

1. This book appears to have been written to mimic Uncle Matty's TV show (which I've never seen). This means lots of "cute" dialogue between Uncle Matty and the dog owners he's trying to help. They even write in "stage directions," that is, what's happening at the time.
   
   And the instructions Uncle Matty gives us for the basic commands -- sit, stay, down, come, etc. -- are so complicated and convoluted, I'm not sure anyone could follow them! "Here's how you hold the leash; here's how you do your feet; don't say the dog's name; say the dog's name..." For crying out loud!
   
   After I spent a couple days slugging through this book, I read "Good Dog: Positive Dog Training Techniques" by Deborah Wolfe in a couple hours. Her philosophy differs a bit from Uncle Matty -- no high falsetto, but lots of praise nonetheless, for example -- but the basics are there: punish only if the dog understands and is caught in the act; follow it up with praise; state commands only once... Her book was much more business-like and straightforward.
   
   If you like Uncle Matty and want to read his cute-lame repartee wtih his guests, go ahead and read this book. But if you just want to get down to the business of actually training your dog, look elsewhere.



2. As a fan of 'Uncle Matty's" delightful television program, I was disappointed by this book. While the information about dog personalities and training techniques was good, the little anecdotes used to frame the information, which are touted as what makes it special, were very silly and unnatural. Uncle Matty and his collaborators need to get a better dialog writer.



3. A great book that gets you on your way to training a great to-be dog, with tips on almost all needed aspects of dog-training.



4. This is an excellent book for the average person to understand about teaching their pet household manners so the dog is much more enjoyable for the family. Matthew Margolis has such understanding of the differences between dog personalities and how they need to be handled in teaching technique. He uses praise rather than submission - therefore the dog responds because he 'wants to please his master'. He makes the statement that it is the owners that are usually at fault for bad behavior in our animals as they don't understand how to take charge. There is no such thing as an untrainable dog!

2 comments about How to Train Your Rottweiler (Tr-104).

1. This book was a waste of time, it just talked about basic dog behavior, with simple language. No detail whatsoever on how to train or specific tricks to teach your dog. The book's title should be "Rottweiler Children Stories."



2. I Like this Book Because it explains in simple Words how to train one of the best Breed ( Rottweiller ). If I have to choose again I Will choose this Book.

1 comments about Golden Retriever (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series).

1. This book was purchased for a child 10 yrs of age, he and I read the book together going over different pointers for raising and learning about the Golden Retriever we got as a puppy. It was extremely informational and I recommend it to anyone who is going to get a puppy of the same breed.

No comments about Pet Owner's Guide to the German Shepherd (Pet Owner's Guide).

2 comments about Caring for Your Older Dog.

1. There's more between the covers of this unassuming book than you would guess from its small price. Lots of specific medical advice for conditions to which older dogs are prone, all presented in easy-to-understand language. I would heartily suggest this book to owners of older dogs.



2. hi, i was hoping that since you are promoting the product using customer reviews, you provide a free copy of the book. seems only fair.