Be The Dog: Secrets of the Natural Dog Owner

by Steve Duno

A well-trained dog rewards you with a kind of love and loyalty you won’t get anywhere else. But the secret of this relationship is not in the dog; it’s in the owner. Here’s a revolutionary approach to dog training based on observing what “natural” dog owners do instinctively— that is, they intuitively understand the canine mind and relate to a dog by thinking like a dog. Readers who follow their example will discover that, instead of trying to outsmart the dog, they’ll build up his IQ. Instead of trying different forms of punishment, they’ll enrich his environment. Together, owner and dog will throw away the old ideas of obedience and control, and build a deeper relationship based on mutual respect.

217 pages, Paperback

First published February 5, 2008

About the author

Veteran pet behaviorist/​author Steve Duno has to date authored eighteen books and scores of magazine and web articles. He has covered a wide variety of subject matter on both dogs and cats, including basic training, aggression, environmental enrichment, behavior modification, breed profiling, trick training, and pet health care. His career in dog training began in 1989 when he rescued Lou, a feral six month-old Rottweiler/​shepherd. The offspring of guard dogs on a Mendocino marijuana grow, the sick and injured Lou was both smart and wild. In an effort to tame the intelligent pup, Duno inadvertantly began his twenty year career as a behaviorist and trainer. Together, Duno and Lou helped to save hundreds of dogs from euthanasia. Formerly a teacher in New York City and Los Angeles, he currently lives in Seattle with his family and an ever-changing assortment of rescued pets.

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Made me think about things from the "dog's point of view"- as pack animals descended from wolves, this book taught me they want me to be the leader, be commanding, authoritative and consistent. Brief overview of the different groups of dogs and the best way to challenge them based on what they've been bred to do. Reminders of man and dog's relationship throughout history.

All useful information but the author wants to take all the fun out of spoiling your pet for fear it will no longer respect you. Honestly what fun is there in having a dog if I'm not supposed to let it curl up with me or enthusiastically greet it when I come home? I don't want to be an alpha wolf all the time, and I don't believe this is cheating them out of "their purpose" as the author claims again and again. That seems to be the authors main point.

It's got some great pointers on training which I'll try but a lot of it won't apply to my rescued dogs. Focuses more on training them when they're young.

[Clarissa Surek-Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a new dog owner, this was very helpful to me.

[Janet]

Good if you are thinking of acquiring a dog. Contains a lot of advice on choosing a breed type for your lifestyle, rather than based on emotion.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cons: The title is a bit pretentious because it covers little more than the basics of owning and training a dog.

I felt many of the breed descriptions were too simple to be useful, and, oddly, the author followed it up with advice on taking your dog to a dog park.

The dog park advice typifies much of the rest of the book. He seems generally in favor of them although he mentions the owner should be careful about which park they go to. The advice sounded obvious to me, especially when there is so much more to say. On the negative side, parks are not a replacement for socialization with the owner (such as through exercise and training) but are instead times when your dog is out of your control and potentially being influenced by the pack dynamics of the dogs it is with. Dog injuries are not uncommon. Owners of larger dogs have different responsibilities than others, especially if your dog is of a "dangerous" breed. Even a well-behaved and well-socialized dog can be drawn into a fight and I've seen cases where it's the dog that does the most damage that is blamed for the fight, even if it didn't "start" the fight. So a book that claims to be telling us the "secrets" should be the first to mention that a dog park is not play-time for your dog.

Another example that irked me was the author's description of leaders in wolf packs. You only have to watch a couple documentaries to see that wolf packs aren't always led by strong, noble wolves. They are like anything else in life - some wolves lead well, some don't, some packs are successful and some aren't. Some have better skills than others, and each pack is run differently depending on how the individual wolves work together. So to read the author make suggestions based on an idealization of wolves immediately made me question the background and general knowledge of the author.

Pros: The book would probably be good for a potential dog owner that has little to no previous experience with dogs. It lists many of the basics of training and does a fair job introducing the reader to the basics of dog owning.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book discusses how to train your dog by working with their natural instincts instead of fighting against them. All dogs have certain instincts some common to all dogs and some more specific to the breed. If you know that your dog was bred for hunting small animals in burrows then they have a need to dig and you can work to find ways for your dog to fulfill that purpose without destroying your lawn by giving him an approved spot to dig.
It also stresses that the more you work to teach your dog, the better behaved he will become. Learning more commands means your dog is smarter and will become better able to understand the consequences of his actions. There is a list of basic commands and tips for teaching them as well as suggestions for activities to help your dog feel like he's a contributing member of the pack.

[Melani · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this a very good basic training guide that would be useful for the new dog owner, or a good reveiw for the long time owner. Sometimes his veiws on establishing alpha position seemed a little over the top, but mostly the book was a very sensible, straightforward look at how we treat dogs in our homes and in society. He advocates a perspective that dismisses "coddlers" (those who would treat dogs like little people) and encourages the "natural dog owner" (who sees things from the dogs perspective.)

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book! Ryan is already a natural pack leader but anyone who has met my bossy cat monsters knows I need help! This is filled with a ton of instructions and I'm on my way to being a pack leader! I am seriously thinking of buying this so I can sticky note it to death. I also need to get one of his cat books so I can make the cat monsters less monstrous!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at natural dog training--using your pet's pack instincts to help him develop manners.

Some good tips on training via housebreaking, biting, etc.

NOT for those owners who baby their dogs, turning them into insecure nutcases. This manual is for people who treat dogs as dogs -- cherished family members who are expected to display a certain level of behavior.

[Annemargaret Olsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Really takes you a step above the to-do's of dog training and shares the WHY of dog training. WHY your dog is behaving the way they are and what you can do to change their behavior. This book has truly changed the way I approach dog training!!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit repetitive and Duno's approach to dog ownership is a bit more 'militant' than I feel is necessary, but he did have some fair points about the hazards of treating dogs like hairy little children.

[Bridgette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a great book for people looking into getting a puppy. I already have a dog that is housebroken and a good match for my personality so most of the book was irrelevant.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be required reading for all prospective dog owners!

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a big fan of this. There were a couple of tidbits of useful knowledge, but most of the book was Steve Duno shaming people who dare to allow their dog sleep in bed with them.

[Zack Hiwiller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly okay. Got off a recommendation from a guy at work. Nothing in here is "bad" but a lot of it is overly simplistic, I felt. Still some useful bits.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and informative.