Love Is All You Need: The Revolutionary Bond-based Approach to Educating Your Dog

by Jennifer Arnold

Dogs are the most social animals on the planet, second only to humans in their ability to read and understand emotion. Even chimps and bonobos, our closest genetic relatives, are no match for dogs when it comes to social cognition. Jennifer Arnold understands this better than anyone, having spent the past 25 years training service dogs for people with disabilities at Canine Assistants. She is a pioneer in the emerging field of "bond-based" dog training, and her methods have overturned the conventional wisdom which holds that dogs must learn to obey external cues like "sit," "stay," and "heel." In contrast, Arnold's groundbreaking methodology, "Bond-Based Choice Teaching," rests on the belief that dogs are "social learners," and they can be taught to make choices and interpret what we want from them, as opposed to simply following commands.

Genres: Dogs, Nonfiction, Animals, Science, Audiobook

Audio CD

First published April 5, 2016

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I read the e-book, not the audio cd. I couldn't find the proper format listed for this title.

This book arrived to me with perfect timing. I brought my puppy home a few days before I started reading this and it just really resonated with me. I've never been one for dog obedience school (although I think they probably help in certain circumstances) and didn't do much training with my last dog. I wanted to have a happy relationship with him but I still wanted him to be doggy. I feel like people want their dogs to be a bit too much like people in their training methods. This book is not a training manual. It's not a how-to book. What lies at the heart is encouraging a strong bond with your dog, and all the rest will follow. I took a week off work to spend with my new puppy. Although we have been working on house training, the rest has just been bonding time. It's going great. Couldn't be happier.

This review is in exchange for a free e-edition from Netgalley.com.

[Sassafras Patterdale · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started reading this book because I read an article about the author in a recent issue of modern dog. I found the concept interesting but incomplete and hoped the book might round out this philosophy. It didn't. The author seemed proud that there was a lack of research to back up her pretty left field claims that dogs shouldn't be trained

Ultimately this book feels like the worst of new-age pseudo science. This dog "trainer" claims to be anti training - In fact her whole theory is based on that. Yet, many of the exercises presented actually are training - just in a way that is confusing to dogs, and lacks reward

My favorite example of the nonsense presented here was the idea that clicker training is as harmful as electronic shock collars. Riiiiight. I maintain that a trained dog is a happy dog, and while I agree with some of her ideas regarding the place dogs occupy in our lives in her overwhelming anthropomorphizing she fails to actually meet dogs where they are at as the brilliant creatures they are, not just tiny people in fur suites.

[Sofie · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was a brief mention of a couple trainers using this method/philosophy with clients' dogs, but other than that there is not a single example of a dog that wasn't specifically bred to be extremely biddable and human oriented. No explanation on how they work with their puppies that aren't naturally as biddable, no mention of competing motivators, no explanation of how this fits in with actual task training.

A large part of the Coursework section is just basic early socialization protocols that any good breeder is already doing.

And (almost) no sources! There were some interesting studies mentioned, but it will take some digging to actually find them. I'm very interested in social learning, but this book doesn't give any useful examples of it, or provide any resources for learning more. I'm still extremely skeptical that praise-based training will get better results than using actual reinforcers.

[Cyndie Brashear Kieffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really was excited to read about bond based choice training. Overall, I found it an easy to read and informative book. I completely agree with her training methods and encourage everyone to examine their relationship with their dog. There were many points that stayed with me one being, "I have come to understand that those who train using aversives are simply interested in what dogs can do for mankind not in what dogs can do with mankind".

[Adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book via a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

What a fantastic book! I loved learning about the Bond-Based training method that the author developed for use with her service dogs. I had the same thoughts about domination-based training. I was thrilled that this author had the courage to come out against mainstream training methods by writing a book about the process she uses.

I love her training based on The Bond. It's beautiful. I loved the stories the author shared, her discussion about current research into dogs, and her insight into their behaviors. I especially loved the appendices, particularly the ones about giving a doggie massage (my boy loves neck and shoulder rubs!) and a glossary of what different dog vocalizations mean. I learned a lot about the Canine Code of Behavior, things that I didn't know, but that made perfect sense. I loved how she shared what might be going on in our dogs' minds based on what they know while they try to live in a human world with different customs. Thinking about situations from our dog's perspective can certainly increase our compassion and empathy.

I was thrilled to learn that I was already doing some of the things that she recommended with my dog who was adopted from a rescue organization. I look forward to implementing more of her suggestions to help him build even more confidence and to deepen our bond. I'm thrilled with this book, and it's a keeper! I'm debating on lending my copy to friends or just buying a few copies to give out...since not all books return home! This book is one I want to keep and will refer back to again and again. Thank you, Jennifer Arnold, for writing this revolutionary book. It belongs in the hands of all dog lovers.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great book about how dog "training" can be more intuitive and more about the bond you have with your dog, rather than forcing them to obey you. It speaks to psychological concepts that the author has applied to dog training. She runs a canine assistance program- where she trains service dogs and matches them with people in need. I appreciate that she brings in reputable sources to back up her initial hypothesis, and also provides anecdotal evidence to show that she has tried methods. It brings a completely different light to how to view your dog and the beautiful joy and companionship they can bring- as well as what they deserve from you.

[Emilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! I wish I would have read it when Sasha was still here. Lots of helpful perspectives into a dog's emotions.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I am planning on adopting a dog in the future, I was curious about Jennifer Arnold’s approach to educating dogs. Last year, I was shocked to see part of a TV show of person who thought he was tops in dog training. His methods seemed very unkind to me and I even wondered, why have a dog if you are going to treat that way. I could not watch the whole one half hour program.

I am happy to say that I love Jennifer Arnold's approach. She concentrates on the bond between dog and human first. She does not ignore many years of animal studies, she is inspired by them. Jennifer Arnold’s training is called Bond Based Choice Training. First she reviews the history of dog training. Then she goes over how she rejected the training ideas that she had learning from the past and began to center on the bond. I totally agree with her, love comes first.

My first bond with a dog was with the next door neighbor’s husky. He bought the dog with the idea of Skipper being a watch dog and kept him chained up at first. We fell in love the first time we saw each other. I could hardly wait until our neighbor left for work so that I could cuddle, hug and pet him. It was joy. My experience with Skipper is the reason that my favorite chapter in this book is “More Than We Ever Imagined Possible”. Dogs are extremely empathic, they give more and more love. Another favorite place in this book it Appendix E, Dictionary of Dog Sounds.

If you love dogs, you will want to read this book!

I received a finished copy of this book as a win from First Reads from the publishers in exchange for a fair book review. My thoughts and feelings in this are entirely my own.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm intrigued by this training method that prioritizes building a loving, trusting relationship with your dog before training (I believe the author's preferred word is "educating").
There's a good deal of terminology changing in this book: an "ask" rather than a "command," saying "yay you" instead of "good boy," etc. I get it, but I'm probably not going to change what I say as much as I might change what I do.
After reading this, I have a beginner-level sense of the approach, the book is a great introduction, but I also feel like there could be more detail about how you deal with undesired behavior. It's very clear what she thinks are the wrong methods--physical punishment, withdrawing attention. She says we should try to figure out why the dog is doing something, which I think makes sense, but she doesn't really go into what to do next. What if the reason is something you can't figure out or remedy? And although she says our dogs need to have manners, I didn't get a strong sense of what not putting up with bad manners looks like with this method. I would love to do in-person training in the bond-based approach, because it would probably clarify some of these things.
This is probably a book I need to buy. There are several exercises I want to try with my dog, and it would be good to have a copy handy for reference.
A deep love for dogs is at the root of this bond-based approach. The author seems like an extremely loving and compassionate person, and I admire what she does.

[Anastassia Ku · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our third pup forced me to read all books I could find on dog training and building trust with your beloved pet. Having pets all my adult life (all of them being rescues), I have never thought I find my four legged match that would challenge all my believes, sanity, and the concept of being a responsible dog owner. This book was god sent and I ended up using many tips and advices from it and building a solid relationship with our third dog. Granted we still have a long way to go but at least with this book by my side I no longer think "what did I get myself into" and "it is not going to work." At the end, it does take just love -- it is often the long road but it is worth it once you see in your dog's eyes love and trust as well instead of a warning growl.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed everything! While I will continue to do clicker training, I’m also allowing affection to become a bigger part of our repertoire once again (reducing the amount of affection was one of the aspects of Milan’s training philosophy for which I wasn’t as keen). I also see how critical it is for me to forge a bond with my rescue dog, in order to give him a sense of security and stability, and to establish trust. I suspect we will be hearing a lot more about bond based choice training in the years to come.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am very interested in the 'do as I do' training method, but this book left me a little disappointed as far as how to apply the bond based training in real life. I liked that it had several activities you can try with your dog. I liked the anecdotes that described the training success. I wish the sources were cited for some of the facts in the book. Overall, the book made me think, and I hope to incorporate the technique into my training. This book is a good starting point.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is actually called "Love is all you need." While I was expecting something a bit more revolutionary, it was interesting and though you still need to work at it (you can't just abstractly love your dog and expect everything else to just work out), it seems like the general idea of the method is sound and would work. I think we've intuitively done a lot of this with our 8-mo-old puppy. Now we can be a bit more purposeful.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was ok. I really liked what she had to say about training dogs and the method that would most benefit us and them But when it came to advice on how to put this knowledge into motion for an everyday family pet situation, I didn't feel like I learned enough to go out and try this on my own. I am going to try and look up some trainers in my area that maybe can help me. Overall, I loved what she had to say.

[Linden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jennifer is the founder of Canine Assistants in Atlanta. She offers insight into the Bond-Based Choice Teaching method used there, which eschews punishment based training techniques, with specific examples of the technique's effectiveness. Highly recommended for anyone who has a dog, or just loves them.

[S Vanorse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the hardcover version of this not the narrated version. A lot of love and work go into training Arnold's dogs. For all the people she helps with her devotion thank you Jennifer Arnold for giving them a bit a freedom and the love of a furry companion.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think there is something magical to this book. We started using recommendations a couple of days ago with our seven year old border collie. Her confidence has soared and she's obviously thinking for herself.

[Rachel Simizon · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this book has an interesting idea, but it’s not backed up by enough science. We have a lot of narrative evidence, but no solid data. It also doesn’t explain the methods enough for most people to implement.

[Christine D · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars
I agree with her, but this was not an easy read. It read a lot like a dissertation. so I skimmed a lot of it.
For me, not very helpful pertaining to training.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through Goodreads. Really enjoyed this refreshing take on dog training. Lots of advice and ingenious ideas to try.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love!!!

[Dewayne Stark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the book on the tape

[Deborah Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have a dog or are planning to get one you need to read this book. Full of wonderful information
And tells you how to create a loving bond between you and your dog.

[Cynthia L Peters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book that provides a different perspective on dog training. Has some great examples for different ways to address issues and specific behaviors.