4 comments about Beginning Family Dog Training.

1. This book was recommended to me by a dog trainer. Though I have had dogs for many years, the material presented was insightful and helped me to see my fur-kids in a new light. I'm sure it will enable us all to live more happily together.



2. This lady knows how to train dogs, and this book is a splendid outline of beginning the process. I have used it, and it works.



3. Every dog owner should read this book!
   
   I'm an experienced dog owner who just adopted a 4 year old rescue dog. I decided to go "back to school" and look for some new books to help me train my new dog. I bought three books by Patricia McConnell:
   1) How to be the Leader of the Pack...And have your dog love you for it
   (a WONDERFUL short primer on having happy relationships with dogs)
   2) The Other End of the Leash
   (a full-length book about communicating with dogs-- GREAT!!!!)
   3) Beginning Family Dog Training
   (a very readable, clear, wonderful book on training dogs gently-- it works!! My dog is learning so quickly!)
   
   This is the best author I have ever found for people who want to learn how to train their dogs through understanding effective canine-human communication. Read her books and you will never again try to train your dog through "leash pops", etc.. What a breath of fresh air! Finally, training methods you can feel really, really good about. Fun for dogs and humans. I can't say enough good things about Patricia McConnell!



4. This is not a book for someone working on a difficult behavior problem, nor is it a doctoral thesis. This is, just as the title says, a beginner's book for family dog training. There are no long explanations of some behavioral malady written in psycho-speak. I am quite sure Dr. McConnell could indeed do that if she wished, as there is no way something so elegantly simple could come from anything less a true expert.

   66 pages of useful information. In this day and time, that's hard to find, even in a dog book of 300 pages or more. An easy read, simple, to the point- perfectly fits the title. Should be on every dog owner's bookshelf.

5 comments about No Bad Dogs: The Woodhouse Way.

1. this book is awful and does not go into detail on how to train your dog. she says you should have your dog killed for way to many reasons.she uses choke chains and never speaks of praising.



2. but in general it has good information. It's more like a dog troubleshooting guide with each chapter explaining a separate problem or just something the author felt like ranting about. Techniques recommended in this book work well for most dogs, but probably not the more problematic ones. One problem in particular is that she recommends euthanasia for too many situations. For the most dangerous problems I recommend William Koehler's method, but take everything he says with a grain of salt. Koehler is brutal (i.e. beatings, drownings, and hangings). Even if your dog doesn't have any major problems, Woodhouse still has some valuable advice. Her writing is simple and easy to read, and would probably take you a day to read. Sadly, her suggestions rarely have an explanation. Poor for most cases, this is a book to check out of the library, not buy. It's too short for anything more.



3. If you've never trained a dog, start here. Barabara's philosphy is that most dog problems are "owner" problems. That dogs key into what their owners are thinking. That said, Barbara uses corrective training techniques with a choke chain. The current thinking is that you need to also use "reward" based training.

   Some trainers use only one of the other. I claim you need to tailor it to the particular dog. Some dogs couldn't care less how much you yank them around by the neck, others will quit behaving after they've had enough treats. Anyway reward based training requires lots of variations in the reward, sometimes its a game of frisbee.

   With corrective training you need to assert yourself as the head of the pack. Seems to work well with some dogs, especially those more alpha pack dogs. But all dogs require lots of rewards to be well adjusted. And as you can see from the cover photo Barbara does reward her dogs.




4. We have a problem dog, and had heard that this book was excellent for learning how to train dogs. However, we found it's an excellent resource for training PUPPIES. This book assumes you'e starting out with a puppy, and does not address how to deal with problems already ingrained in an adult dog.



5. A timeless dog training classic. Great theory.

5 comments about ASPCA Complete Guide to Dogs (Aspc Complete Guide to).

1. This is a great book. I purchased it for the school library. Kids love it.



2. I read this book from cover to cover and I have to say I really enjoyed it. It is a really great book for people who are thinking of getting a new dog but should not be used for breed specific information only. This book has very limited information on each breed and it is not overly detailed in regards to all a breed has to other or consideration as to health and special training issues that each breed might have.
   
   If you are looking for a book that covers most aspects of dog ownership and how to start training then this a book for you. It is an easy read...full of really great ideas and solutions for your average dog with out many behavior issues. Great pictures and easy instructions. It lets you know the reality of owning a dog and how much commitment you need to have to achieve a well behaved dog from the start.



3. A good overall, generic resource; however, I caution against using it as your only resource for breed-specific information (section 2) because it only provides a brief overview of each breed. Specifically, each breed is only afforded one page (approximately 5-6 paragraphs) to describe its positives and negatives.
   
   However, the good sections (which represent about 60% of the book's pages) are:
   
   1) Section 3: What Makes a Dog a Dog? including How the Dog Came to Be Man's Best Friend, How the Dog Works, and Understanding Your Dog.
   
   2) Section 4: Taking Care of Your Dog including Everyday Care for Your Dog, Keeping Your Dog Healthy, Common Canine Health Problems, Home Nursing, and First Aid.
   
   3) Additional Resources section: including, Important Telephone Numbers, Breed Organizations and Kennel Clubs, Organized Sports and Showing, Recommended Reading, and miscellaneous dog-related resource organizations.



4. Some of the facts in this pet care guide are innaccurate, as well as MOST of them being true. Although some of the life span facts, and ibs. facts are incorrect. This dog guide is worth buying, as long as you don't rely on it as your number one recource. Use the internet, and other books as well, to backup some of your un-answered questions, and facts you're un-sure of in this dog care guide. This book is great for looking up quick facts, but not great for searching up a full backround, or history check on a specific breed,and/or illness.



5. This book is an excellent primer for someone interested in an overview of the needs of a family/person getting a dog. It is also very useful in providing information about different breeds with the characteristics and tempererament of the various breeds. For someone who is interested in a "purebred" dog, this book is an excellent research tool. For someone interested in an overview of the dogs needs and requirements, this book is a very useful tool.

2 comments about Dancing With Dogs: A Step-By-Step Guide to Freestyle.

1. Given the good work I have seen Richard Curtis do I expected better from the book. Although there is some good information re performance, I would have liked to have seen more information on how to achieve the moves. There are better books out there to help with this form of doggy dancing



2. I was captivated when I read in the local paper that a Florida group teaches their dogs dance routines. This was something I had to see. Now I find there is a book to teach you how to do this with your own dog.
   What a challenge to train your dog to follow a dance routine with you.
   Here's the book description from the author's website: "A step by step guide to freestyle which has grown into a highly competitive discipline requiring spot on sense of timing as well as obedience and agility.
   In this superbly illustrated guide the author breaks down all the moves from the simplest to the more complex in an easy to read format.
   Learn how to perform static, action and crowd pleaser moves.
   This hard back book provides everything you need for you and your dog to become the star performers in this exciting sport."

4 comments about Japanese Chin (Comprehensive Owners Guide).

1. I felt like I was ten years old again being scolded by my mother while reading this book. The author manages to be as demeaning as possible to adults who read it. With continous comments like are you sure you're responsible enough to have a pet? Maybe you should try a fish. Comments like this are relentless throughout the book. It was like the author wanted to make you feel like a retard or something.
   
   However, that's not to say that the book is without its merits (hence the 2 stars not just one). There's allot of information here on caring for your Japenese Chin as well as some interesting history on the species. Anyway, if your alright with being spoken to as if you were a 2 year old you can't go wrong with the price. Just be forewarned, the author is down right irritating at times. To the author: I wouldn't be purchasing the book if I didn't already have the dog, stop with the lecturing already!



2. This is a good over all manual for raising a Japanese Chin. Interesting history of the breed, breed standards, health needs and warnings, training techniques and hints, and all the fun stuff. I found it to be all I needed.



3. This book is good for a beginner, but if you already own a Chin then look elsewhere. This book offers the same information that can be gleaned from a google search.



4. Gives lots of information, nice pictures. If you know alot about the breed already, this is not the book for you. Most of the information is readily available elsewhere. If you are a novice to the Japanese Chin Breed, then this is a good start. Lots of information in one place.

3 comments about A New Owner's Guide To Pembroke Welsh Corgis (New Owner's Guide To...).

1. This is a great book to find out all about the Pembroke Welsh Corgi. It gives good detail has how to take care of your Corgi, what kinds of activities they like; such as agility and where to go to find more information on it. For a first time Corgi I think it's a pretty good book.



2. This is probably a good book for someone who has never owned any kind of dog; however, I was looking for a book with breed-specific information. I found more information searching the Internet about the idiosyncrasies of the corgi breed than I did from this book.



3. Very informative and useful book! Author presents information in an easy to understand and enjoyable manner.

No comments about Dog Psychology; The Basis of Dog Training,.

5 comments about The Dog Lover's Companion to Washington, D.C. and Baltimore: The Inside Scoop on Where to Take Your Dog (Dog Lover's Companion Guides).

1. I had traveled to Reston, VA with my dogs to go to the Pet Fiesta while there I picked this book up and used it to travel all over the Washington D.C. area with my dogs. I am so glad that I did because I was not sure what I was going to do after the Pet Fiesta was over and this book opened up lots of options and lots of ideas for future trips.
   
   I advise taking a pen with you so you can write in additional things that you find that may not be listed in the book. While at Old Town Alexandria today we ate at an Irish restaurant that had a doggie menu that was not listed in the book but was a must go to if you travel there.
   
   I loved this book and only wish that there was one for my area.



2. I bought this based on the great reviews, so perhaps it was a let-down because I had high expectations. This is a guide book with a slight dog orientation, but honeselty, I didn't feel like this really gave me much valuable information about living and traveling in the DC area with a dog- other than telling me where parks are (info available on many web sites). The actual dog-friendliness of the parks, and rating system seemed totally off with how I would have rated parks. Seems like they are rated more for person-appeal than dog-appeal.
   
   But maybe I'm just biased as I have a hound and value FENCED off-leash parks above all :)



3. This is one of my favorite books ever. Really. I moved to the D.C. area with my lab three years ago, and while we were used to having dozens of places to go for various reasons or times, I didn't know where to begin to find good places to take her around our new home. This book was a godsend for finding fun places to go, especially because I found the reviews to give a me a very accurate idea of what sort of place we were going, including what sort of "feel" it might have for dog-friendliness. Some of the features of the book I have found extremely helpful are:

   * Birds-eye maps showing where the reviewed locations are in the counties covered (perfect for finding a park near odd places that I might run errands)
   * How strict the leash law is followed (this is a biggie for me -- while the authors point out excellent reasons to use the leash, they very helpfully suggest where we can get away without it)
   * Rough idea how crowded the area in question might be, and how easy or difficult to get to (varies of course by time of day and season)
   * Whether there's a place for doggie swimming

   In my area (Sterling/Ashburn, VA) I've found the book to be amazingly comprehensive for my local and outlying areas, and find that the park descriptions have always given me a pretty accurate idea what to expect. The book covers a wide enough range (including some pseudo-local vacation destinations) that I've used it on countless occasions to find nice stopover while on short trips outside my "home turf". Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys finding varied places to visit with their pups.




4. I bought this book when it first came out for a friend of mine who was moving to Baltimore with her dog. Two years later, I borrowed it from her when I discovered I was moving to D.C. I found it enormously usefull for choosing a dog-friendly neighborhood with good access to parks. The authors understand the basic qualities of a good dog park: safety, space, a group of 'regular' neighborhood go-ers, and access to a good espresso bar for weekend dog walking. Overall, the writers do an excelent job.

   I have only a few complaints. One - due to the impossibility of visiting every park in this populous region more than once, I've found that the park's ratings can heavily reflect the day and time of the visit -- not necessarily what the park is like on a typical weekday at 6pm. Also, some park ratings reflect a nice place to go with a small dog on a leash, you won't necessarily have the same experience with your massive Great Dane tugging at every new smell. The writers also disapprove of dogs being off-leash, and rate more lowly some parks that are true jems for those of us with larger dogs that require more exercise.

   Overall, a great guide, and certainly unique. A must for all dog owners in this area, particularly if you moving to this region.




5. I highly recommend this book to dog owners who love to take their little four-legged friend(s) everywhere. It is well organized and the writing style used is perfect for dog lovers.

   It covers almost all the parks in the Washington D.C., Virginia and Baltimore. Have you ever looked up a park on a map and it looked huge and perfect for your dog, and when you got there, you and your dog were very disappointing with the park? Well, the review for each park is quite accurate. With this book on hand, you can look up a park and find out if it is suitable for your dog before driving there. It covers important information that a dog owner needs to know about the park/area - such as the poop scoop law and the leash law.

   It also contains information (ie. hotel, restaurant, pet stores, etc...) that is very useful for dog owners who like to take their pooches on vacation with them.

   Embedded into the book, you will find dog adoption information. The book encourages suggestions from readers. I've already written to the publisher suggesting to include information on various rescue organizations and local animal shelters - a way to help promote pet rescue/adoption.

2 comments about Bernese Mountain Dogs (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. This is an affordable, readable book that has plenty of pictures to illustrate the author's points. Information is provided to help you decide whether a Bernese Mountain Dog is suitable for your lifestyle. If you already live with a Berner, the book provides helpful hints about diet, exercise, and health care. I give this a Thumbs Up and I know -- I have lived and loved Berners for twenty years.
   Henry J.



2. Had some useful information and tips on the Bernese Mountain Dog. Easy to read and some lovely photos

2 comments about Doggie Knits: Sweaters & Accessories for Your Best Friend.

1. I just took a peek at this book yesterday evening at my LYS. The patterns in this book are uniquely clever. The photos of these pooches are adorable. I can't wait to make the hat and scarf set for my little pup. Too Cute!!



2. I thought this book was very well written and the patterns are stylish and simply wonderful. Not your typical simple sweater patterns for dogs. I don't have a dog but will be making sweaters for friends....many friends.
   
   My favorite pattern is the hoodie and even has a pocket.