The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training

by Pamela Dennison

This book will be the first to offer readers practical advice on using positive training techniques in every aspect of dog behavior-from basic commands to housetraining and correcting problem behaviors.

There are currently more than 43 million dog owners in the U.S., and more and more of them are giving up on punitive methods of training their dogs.

Genres: Nonfiction, Dogs, Animals, Reference, Ebooks

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely changed the way I think about dogs.

Let me begin by saying that prior to this book, I was training (and I use that word very loosely) my dogs with the traditional punishment-based techniques. My dog at the time, a gentle Malamute/Siberian/Wolf mix was, as I was told, stubborn and disobedient (do you ever wish you could go back in time and kick yourself for being so stupid???). Also, because of his wolf breeding, I was told I needed to be the “alpha” or else he would become assertive over me and possibly aggressive.

I am very ashamed to admit that I began using “dominance” training techniques on him, and it wasn’t until my dog bit me on the arm when I was putting him into an “alpha roll” that I began to question what I was doing to him. The look of fear in his eyes startled me- and I began to think that there must be a better way to train my dog.

It was about this time that I came across this book, and decided to buy it on a whim. I have to admit, when I first started flipping through the pages, I thought, “not that clicker training stuff!”, but the more I read, the more sense it began to make.

At the time, I didn’t own a clicker- I didn’t even know where I could buy one- so I put the techniques to the test using the click sound from a retractable pen (kind of funny looking back on it now, I can’t imagine what others would have thought if they had watched us train with a pen ;) ). The results were incredible- my otherwise “disobedient” Mal mix was now offering eye contact (soft, not stare-downs), sits, downs, stays, and ***oh-my-goodness*** even heeling. What’s more, he actually begged to do training, and our once fantastic bond, broken down by years of harsh training methods, was now better than it ever had been before. I was hooked -and so was he!

Now, after years of putting this book to use, I can’t imagine training my dog any other way. The Complete Idiots Guide To Positive Dog Training is my go-to book for dog training. Over the course of the years, I have read many, many others, but this is bar-none the best. It covers every aspect of dog training from basic obedience, to socialization, multi-dog and child-dog household management, and more. I have used the name recognition method detailed in this book for renaming several dogs I have adopted, and have had them responding to their new names reliably within days.

Most importantly, this book has the most understandable, broken-down explanation of learning theory that I have ever come across, which -I promise- will entirely change your view of dog training (and perhaps even human psychology).

I whole-heartedly recommend this book to all dog owners, especially new owners, or owners who have dogs with behavioral problems, as the information it contains is indispensable.

Rating: 5 stars

Check out this review on my blog: EpicBookQuest.com

[Kacper Cebo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Świetny poradnik dla rozpoczynających swoją przygodę z psami. Sporo praktycznych porad i ćwiczeń, dużo przykładów "z życia wziętych". Niektóre fragmenty momentami brzmią pretensjonalnie, podtytuł zobowiązuje ;)

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely changed the way I think about dogs. I happened upon it quite a few years ago, and thought it might be an interesting read. Wow, what an eye opener! I have to admit, when I first started flipping through the pages, I thought, not that clicker training stuff!, but the more I read, the more sense it began to make. Now, after years of putting this book to use, I can't imagine training my dog any other way. The Complete Idiots Guide To Positive Dog Training is my go-to book for dog training. I have read many, many others, but this is bar-none the best. I would definately recommend this book to all dog owners, especially new owners, or owners who have dogs with behavioral problems.

[Becky H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good training information but would have liked a bit more in depth on correcting behaviors. Book often said to correct the behavior but never really suggested different approaches to do so.

#50/50BookQuest categories= book off the bottom shelf at the library, book with an animal on the cover, and a nonfiction book.

[sylas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful and helpful. Will keep this one for reference.

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really helpful for puppy training! I can’t say I’m able to apply all of it, it’s a ton of info- but it’s a really good, easy read to get started with pup training. Recommend.

[Marika Dubiel · Rating 1 out of 5]

W skrócie:

Książka zawiera wiele szkodliwych i przestarzałych metod i teorii. I chodź na lata w jakich powtała jest naprawdę niczego sobie to w tych czasach badania naukowe poszły do przodu, a ludzie wiedzą już więcej i jak się okazuje "przełomowe badania" jakie miały miesce XX lat temu teraz sq często szkodliwe. Co sprawia, że obecnie jej nazwa (...dla żótodziobów) jest bardzo nieadykwatna, bo osoby bezdoświadczenia nie sg w stanie pzrefiltrować błedych informacji. A od strony graficznej-bez większej rewelacji.

Dałabym 2, bo nie jest tragiczna (lepsze to niż czysta teoria dominacji), ale daję 1, by zaniżyć oceny, bo jest wiele lepszych książek w obecnych czasach. Ta już nie jest warta uwagi.

Rozwinięcie:

Pojawił się między innymi mit o tym, że lęk psa możmy "nagrodzić". To znaczy, że jeśli pies się czegoś boi nie wolno go glaskać (czy nagradzać w inny sposób), bo to jedynie wzmocni jego lęk. Była też powielana teoria dominacji i chociaż autorka się upierała, że wcale nie chodzi o w.w. teorię to tak niestety było. Osobiście mnie bardzo denerwowało to, że autorka wszystko próbowała podzielić na etapy. I niestety każdy pies jest inny i nie na każdego zadziała taki bardzo konretny sposób nauki danego zachowania. Kolejną rzaczą było to, że lęk, agresję ect. traktowała typowo jak zachowanie, zamiast skupić się na emocjach tego psa. W pewnym momencie została wrzucona tabelka odnoszgca się do zdania sprzed kilku stron i przerwała ona zdanie w połowie jednego wyrazu. Ponato psia komunikacja była bardzo płytka i jednoznacznie potraktowana, ale wiem, że więcej dowiedzieliśmy się dopiero niedawno, więc jak na tamte czasy dobrze, że w ogóle był dotknięty temat komunikacji psiej. Mnie osobiście irytowało stwierdzenie "tresura", ale rozumiem, że mogło wynikać z przekładu książki z języka oryginalnego.

Jedyny plus był taki, że: książka była napisana prostym językiem i była ładnie podzielona na temataty i rozdziały. Co więcej wydaje mi się, że jak na tamte czasy byla to całkiem ciekawa pozycja, bo miała na celu szerzenie nowego stylu szkolenia.

Ale mimo wszystko nie zmienia to faktu, że nie polecam tej książki obecnie.

[Dave Manning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Changed my entire dog training worldview. Also get the DVDs from author's website to see positive training and "shaping" in action. So much more fun for me and the dog, plus effective! I have an M.Ed and the "how dog's learn" principles here overlap perfectly with how human's learn, that I feel so bad for helping train friends' dogs with more traditional methods. I was initially overwhelmed reading this book, anxious about all of the pages ahead of me when there was already so much "new" stuff to me, but I read it through, saw the end / where it was all going, and then felt much more relaxed with the process-- it's definitely manageable ("oh, that's it? I can do that.").

[Draga Roncevic · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quite simply that the most idiotic (and hilarious!) dog training advice you will ever find in one book. Anyone with an ounce of common sense will see that the advice presented here is insane.
If you are wanting an unruly, confused and unhappy dog with no structure or boundaries than this is the perfect guide.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's loads of great information in this book but accessing it requires great determination. It seems to me to be a bit of a jumble. AsI read it on my kindle I did not particularly relish having to jump back and forward from one chapter to another to get the answers I was looking for.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for first time puppy parent and really good for kids. It was too basic for my needs. It is written as to rewarding puppies and to ignore other behavior. I am in complete agreement with using positive regard and including our pets as family.

[Tessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The tone of this book irked me.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't really learned anything new, but it's excellent for newbies

[Julinek1205 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 dobra książka na początek przygody z treningiem pozytywnym (z drobnymi wpadkami)

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

okay.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really helped my husband and me when we took on two strays, a German Shepherd and Beagle. We found that "traditional" training (hitting and yelling) did not work, it tended to make things worse AND made us feel bad in the process. This book really opened our eyes to a new way to train. Ignoring and rewarding are the replacements for the hitting and yelling and it works 10 times faster, not to mention no one's feelings (or butts) get hurt.

This book will help you bond with your dog and help you train your dog and yourself.

I highly reccomend it.

[Gayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book totally freaked me out when (6 years ago) I got Rufus. I bought the book not realizing that "positive dog training" was an actual method. I thought it was just a "positive" way to train your dog. All the clicker stuff just seemed weird to me.
Needless to say i devised my own training methods. Having said that, it was an interesting read and my dogs are both a little naughty in their own special ways!!

[Alissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't like the layout of the book. How to teach your puppy to not jump, bite or bark should have been a the beginning and not at the end. Some good tips but some not helpful. At times I felt this book would have been better used thrown at the puppy than for it's actual advice. Had to put it down for a few months then come back to it.

[Paul Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

While there is useful advice here and it's certainly worth a look, I found the matronly tone tiresome and the underlying premise that unless you do everything Mother Dennison says you're a dog hating manaic who routinely sets about their pet with a claw hammer increasingly annoying as the lessons wore on.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not entirely happy with this book. It has way too many opinions of the pros of positive dog training and the cons of "traditional" dog training. I do agree with the author's views, but I got the idea in the first chapter, already!

[Mikelkpoet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I dig this book, and plan to buy a copy of it.
I especially want to learn to clicker train
my dogs, Morisson, and Bundy, and this book
offers insite into that.

[Mercurymouth]

Got a rescue...what I like to call my moon dog...she is some sort of eskimo mix-SHUGGIE!! She needs some training- I hope this book helps, got good reviews.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great positive training book. Knew most of the I do but needed a refresher 'course' to help with my newest rescue dog. Now....to stop saying "no!"

[Rachel Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll probably never truly be finished with this book as long as I have dogs. So much good advice, this is a great reference book.

[Terri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book is OK. Somethings make sense, others go completely against what I've learned in taking classes at a local dog club.

[Mary Frances]

In preparation for Ness.

[wueasa]

Top reviewed book on Amazon

[Adele · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good in theory. Went and paid a dog trainer to come and help train my dog!!