How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves, Revised and Updated 2nd Editon

by Sophia Yin

Written by one of the leading veterinary behaviorists in the country, this revised and expanded edition of the original bestseller features brand new chapters that provide the most up-to-date science of dog behavior and explains key concepts in clear, straightforward language. How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves takes a scientifically sound yet practical approach to explaining dog behavior and training theory, and then shows you how to apply these concepts so you can train your dog to be well behaved.

Genres: Dogs, Nonfiction, Animals, Reference, Self Help, Unfinished, Guides

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2004

About the author

Dr. Sophia Yin is a veterinarian, applied animal behaviorist, and the author of many books, including Perfect Puppy in 7 Days, How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves, and Low Stress Handling, Restraint and Behavior Modification of Dogs & Cats (book and DVD). She sees behavior house calls and lectures and teaches workshops on animal behavior, training, and low-stress pet handling in the U.S. and internationally. She writes for a number of veterinary and popular magazines, and was for five years the award-winning pet columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. She has consulted for several zoos and served as a behavior expert for TV shows such as Animal Planet’s Dogs 101. Dr. Yin’s mission in life is to improve our understanding of animals and their behavior so that we can care for, appreciate, and enjoy our time with them better. Learn more at her animal behavior website, drsophiayin.com.

Reviews

[Jin Rhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

„How to behave so your dog behaves“ by Dr. Sophia Yin is a complete guide on how to train your puppy/adult dog, by taking a closer look on animal psychology and behaviour. Interestingly, Dr. Yin is not only highlighting how to train dogs, but animals in general, which is why she sometimes uses different animals in her training examples to get her point across.

I did learn quite a lot from this book – especially in terms of how to observe my dog properly and how to interpret its behaviour. I would have given this book 5 stars if this was my first exploration in dog training, since a lot of the training exercises are quite familiar to me. However, this is a great book to come back to when you need more guidance and tips in your own dog training, so I can definitely recommend this book! And for first time dog owners that just got a puppy, this is a must read!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super useful guide on the how and why of dog training and behavior. It was written in an engaging way, and I loved how Dr. Yin also covered the different types of training methods like operant conditioning, desensitization, positive and negative reinforcement versus positive and negative punishment. It really broke down training steps into little chunks to help you and your dog succeed, and I liked how she included ways to turn the training into games to help keep your dog engaged. Highly recommend!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

B.F. Skinner's operant conditioning in action. Common sense instructions, not necessarily quick, but easy, training with heart and preserving the dignity of your dog. Highly, highly recommended for your next or current dog.

[Adam Marquis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who's a good book? Who's a good book? You are.

Something one should know about this book is that it was exactly what I was looking for, but it may not be for everybody. This book is textbook-like, it presents a lot of the relevant science and information, and mostly provides you with the knowledge to plan your own training around your dog and environment. It isn't until half way through the book that Yin moves into specific behaviors and how to train them.

I wanted all the extra information and thought it was great; if you were looking for a book that just details a plan that you implement then this isn't it.

[Sher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for a new puppy home. Covers everything from the biology of puppies to adult dogs. Covers really important tools for helping your puppy learn a bit of restraint and calm. The say please skill I am already using with great success for a nine week old bird dog puppy. Covers aggression, food and resource guarding and separation anxiety.

[Dominique Renison · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no one in the field of canine behaviour who is quite as good as Sophia Yin. She teaches the most current science in behaviour and does so in a way that anyone can understand and follow.

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is going to be the kind of book that I don't read all the way through at once. I think I will be reading it one section at a time as I work with my dog(s) through the Training Application sections. My progress through this book may depend on my dog(s)' progress through the training. ;) I am about halfway through it now and so far the basics have been very interesting and informative as to why animals think the way they do, and how to interpret their thinking and behavior to train them efficiently and lovingly.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very comprehensive guide on how to train your dog. I recommend to pick it up later on, after you went through basic exercises and observed your dog behaviors already. This book will help you to understand why your dog does what he does, and how to adjust nitty gritty details of YOUR daily behaviors.

Notes from the book:
- defensive barking and aggression is worse when dog is on leash because he has feeling that he cannot escape when needed
- bowing or lunging while verbally encouraging your dog usually elicits play
- never pet dog without owner permission and ALWAYS let the dog make first contact
- dog shouldn't be able to distinguish training from play; training should feel like play for him
- operant conditioning:
* positive reinforcement
* negative reinforcement
* positive punishment
* negative punishment
- positive reinforcement + negative punishment works the best
- if you want to stop some behavior: focus on NOT reinforcing it
- extinction burst - phase in which behavior we don't want is not disappearing but increasing...that's normal, be patient, and wait; it will disappear if you are consistent
- key to success at training:
1. good timing
2. be clear and consistent with expectations and signals
3. correct rate of reinforcement
- when teaching something: start with big reinforcement (a few treats), then 1 treat per behavior, then variable reinforcement (every 1,2,3,4,5 times give a treat)
- 4 methods of behavior modification
1. flooding - present stimulus full force until the animal stops reacting to it
2. desensitization - present the stimulus at a low level first, and gradually increase it over time
3. classical counter-conditioning - condition association that's opposite to current one (give treats when a situation occurs)
4. operant counter-conditioning - train alternate behavior that's incompatible with problem behavior (make him focus on something else)
- use standard kibble as treats at home, but very good treats when outside in a more destructive environment
- end training session before your dog loses interest and while he's still hoping for more
- while teaching command: start with rewarding behavior without command, and once he mastered it (in particular circumstances he knows to perform it), add command just before he will
- while mastering behavior, reward only speedy executions (do not reward slow executions)
- unpredictable and bossy behavior is caused by treating dog like a prince when he is a puppy - giving him everything he wants

Book also has a few chapters about teaching leash walking described in very detailed way.

There is also a chapter about raising dogs and babies together. Leaving baby and dog alone may result in dog EATING the baby. Books describes an accident like that where the dog was a pomeranian! Dogs are usually jealous of babies, and that's why

[Michelle Formato · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in preparation for my CCPDT Certification exam.

This isn't the best dog training book, but it also isn't the worst. For a trainer, there really isn't anything new to be learned or gained from this book. It was very clearly written and a nice little refresher on some points, but there are other books that go much deeper into everything written here. For owners, I feel like this book was a bit rushed and glosses over plenty of key pieces of information. The final two sections especially made it seem like plenty of serious behaviors could be fixed quickly, which is not the case. It also assumes the owners know all the same jargon dog trainers use, which isn't the case. All around, not a bad read but I really wouldn't recommend it.

[K.m. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very concise, useful guide to positive reinforcement training. Lays out a plan for teaching your puppy or adult dog basics, as well as ways to deal with problem behaviors, working towards a well-socialized, well-trained, dog and a healthy relationship with you. I found her chapter on punishment and why she rarely if ever recommends using shock collars or such methods particularly interesting, as coming from an animal behaviorist's viewpoint. Her emphasis on how your behavior effects your dog's is a useful mindset when approaching the heavy task of training your dog, especially her explanations of dog behavior and how they read your behavior towards them.

[Allison Severson · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a chapter "keeping safe around kids" that was helpful. Tips about introducing baby to dog and forming good habits from day one of bringing baby home. Anthony has tried other training tips from the book and it seems to be working well-- I'm evening thinking about buying the book as the library doesn't have it and it's due back as an inter-library loan very soon.

[Sarah Lindsey Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for understanding the philosophy of positive reinforcement training. For an actual "how to," a better book is "Don't Shoot the Dog" by Karen Pryor. (Sophia Yin's book "Perfect Puppy in 7 Days is better too.) Also, the images don't show up in the Kindle version of this book very well, but you can still get the point well enough.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the best dog training book I've read. Yin is sympathetic to the difficulties of positive training instead of lecturing. She understands both human and dog behavior and wants the best for both. She should be more well-known than Cesar Milan so spread the word!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an amazing resource for positive reinforcement training. I Learned many useful
Techniques that I found I could easily incorporate. I also found the videos extremely helpful. I know that I will find myself rereading sections and referring to this book in the future.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one speaks for itself. I can't say it helped me alot, because we have a bassett hound and by nature they are STUBBORN. But it has put a different perspective on how we treat and talk to him.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe I like this book so much because it is ACTUALLY WORKING. It is really time and labor intensive, but the methods are working and it really seems to be paying off.

[Marcy Graybill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by a veterinarian who has studied dogs and dog behavior, this is a good, basic dog training book.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful information for a new puppy owner, but having a trusted dog trainer was the most beneficial.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're only going to read one book about dog training, this is a great one!

Yin begins with an overview of dog body language and the principles of using classical and operant conditioning to train animals without using aversives. The middle portion of the book explains how to train a number of really useful behaviors in your dog (e.g. say please by sitting, leave it, come when called) that can be used to solve most behavioral issues you might have with your dog. The final section gives tips for troubleshooting specific dog issues (e.g. fighting dogs, separation anxiety, keeping dogs and children safe around one another). Throughout the training descriptions, Yin tells you what signs to look for to know if your dog is ready to move on to the next step or if you need to change course.

Yin explains everything very clearly and concisely, and the book is organized well so that it's easy to start working right away on whatever your dog needs the most help with. Highly recommended for first time dog owners/trainers, or as a quick reference book to add to your animal behavior library!

[Nan Hurley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book if you are young and fit and have a good place to work with your dog and friends willing to help. However, if you are older, not so fit and don't have a good place to work with your dog it is useless. The title is somewhat misleading. It's not about your behavior, it's about your training ability.
Seems to be written for folks under 60 who live in an urban or suburban area, have access to dog parks, have a big yard for training or access to a training facility. Great book if you are looking for a dog training guide, a chicken training guide; not so much if you if you're older and have no access to a great place to train.

[Khanh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book that I read by Dr. Sophia Yin. I read it mostly because I was curious about her writing and presentation style. I didn’t learn anything I did not already know, and for me, this was an OK book. Lots of valid points with an emphasis on positive reinforcement, which I do subscribe to, though I am not what some would consider “purely positive“.

This would probably be a good book for a beginner… I read it while answering work emails and preparing lesson plans, so my attention wasn’t wholly focused on the book. But even if I hadn’t been otherwise preoccupied, the writing style wasn’t enough to fully engage my attention.

[Inessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

First bit of this book was a bit slow - I’d say it started getting good 80 pages in. The first bit was the history of dogs and random questions of farm animal issues - lots of skimming in these pages but once it got to training methods for puppies and older dogs it was awesome! Lots of easy training tips and ideas for getting your dog to succeed. I enjoyed that she spoke of problems that arise and gave multiple suggestions on how to correct them instead of a clear cut one answer to solve it all. Definitely worth a read :)

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best intro primers. Some of the solutions to specific problems, e.g. puppy biting, seemed to not take the formation of undesired behavior chains into account. That is, in this case, by yelping when a puppy nips you to trigger their startle response and then reward for the cessation of the bite, you could be building a chain that goes 1. Nip, 2. Yelp, 3. Stops biting, 4. Reward, 5. Nip, etc. Timing is crucial here to avoid the chain, and more could have been said about this phenomenon.l

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chock full of useful knowledge about how to train your dog. It goes over a brief history of training animals and the theory (and even includes the original landmark papers of operating conditioning theory in the back of the book!). The book walks step by step through how to train your dog with progressively more complex behaviors, all while explaining the rationale behind it. Then it covers common problem behaviors and how to address it. I thought the book was incredibly thorough and can't wait to put the techniques in practice!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've been doing training classes with our pup, but this has been a really helpful resource for helping us continue to reenforce good behavior and for addressing some issues our classes haven't touched on. It also goes into a lot more detail than our trainers have about why certain techniques are more effective, and learning that kind of background information helped a lot on some of our more difficult puppy-raising days.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

One that I will continue reading

This book gives the back ground on how animals learn proper behavior. The book teaches that a dog does not have to be hit. To learn. These training ways work. I am very satisfied with this book. I will continue referring to it as my dog and I progress.

[Katrina Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Its simple to read and understand and great for when you decided to take a new puppy home. Has some great exercises to try and good advice on things like crate training, separation anxiety, nipping etc.

[Julie K · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a veterinary professional, this was easily one of the best dog training books I have ever read. All the concepts are presented in a factual, evidence based format yet still extremely easy to follow and put to use. It is well written for people of all experience levels in dog training!

[Leandra Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well-written book by the late Dr Sophia Yin is one I recommend to dog owners. It contains science-based information about dog behaviour, and gentle, humane training methods to both prevent and solve dog behaviour problems.

[Daniel Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book on dog behavior and training.