No Bad Dogs: The Woodhouse Way

by Barbara Woodhouse

Barbara Woodhouse, "the lady with the dogs," is already familiar to millions of Americans through the publication of her best-selling book, No Bad Dogs, her frequent appearances on such national television shows as "60 Minutes," "The Tonight Show," "Donahue," "Merv Griffin," "Good Morning America," and the syndication of her enormously popular television series, "Training Dogs the Woodhouse Way."
There are no bad dogs, Barbara Woodhouse believes -- only inexperienced owners. She ought to in thirty years she has personally trained 17,000 dogs and their owners in her weekend courses, teaching perfect obedience to basic commands in only six and a half hours.
In this irresistible book, Barbara Woodhouse passes on to the reader the simple, effective techniques as well as the infectious, positive attitude that have enabled her to make the most unruly or nervous dog happily obedient -- sometimes within a few minutes, as astonished television audiences can attest.
No Bad Dogs will leave every dog owner with both the skills and the indispensable attitude of love, firmness, and enthusiasm that gets results -- The Woodhouse Way.

Genres: Nonfiction, Dogs, Animals, Reference, Self Help, How To

128 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1984

About the author

Barbara Kathleen Vera Woodhouse, 9 May 1910 Rathfarnham, Ireland - 9 July 1988, Buckinghamshire, England, after a stroke, was a well known British dog trainer, author and television personality. Her 1980 television series Training Dogs the Woodhouse Way made her into a household name in the UK. Among her catch-phrases were "walkies" and "sit!", the latter parodied in the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy. She was also known for her "no bad dogs philosophy".

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dogs want to please their owners. Most dog "misbehavior" is attributable to owners not training their dogs. A big part of the problem is that people do not understand how to communicate their desires to their pets, and therefore the dogs are confused about what they're supposed to do. Rewards and punishments are only effective if the animal understands what they did right or wrong.

I found the techniques she describes here very effective on all the dogs I've had, and helpful with cats as well. Don't even start with that bs about how cats can't be trained, you're just too lazy and/or don't understand your cat. Or you don't care, that's fine. It's your house and your cat is unlikely to savagely maul a visitor.

If you would like to have well-behaved pets without yelling, hitting, or other "negative reinforcement" techniques, I highly recommend this. Also, if you have friends or relatives with a new pet, this could be a good gift -- more tactful than telling people they are bad dog owners, anyway. People are touchy about that.

[J · Rating 1 out of 5]

Outdated, poorly realized "yank n crank" training methods.

While I don't doubt that Woodhouse truly thought she was helping these dogs, in the end studies have shown methods like this may actually have detrimental effects.

Take any and all of these training tips with a handful of salt.

[Sarah Jane · Rating 1 out of 5]

The training methods in this book are outdated. I believe Ms. Woodhouse truly loves animals and she did the best she could with the information she had at the time, but since the book was published in 1984 we have learned a lot about dog psychology and this book is simply no longer relevant.

[Rena Sherwood]

Nauseatingly bad. Incredibly outdated. Woodhouse relates story after story about how she had to beat up "untrained" dogs. DO NOT USE to train your own dog. Many of the tips here will maim or kill your dog. Never use choke chains -- they can damage your dog's spine. No stars for this crap.

[G.C. Neff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book years ago, and still have it in my bookcase as we've had a variety of dogs over the past decades. I found the information that Ms. Woodhouse gives extremely helpful in the training and correction of each dog we've owned.

For example, we had a pit bull/Doberman mix who loved to jump up and snap at the clothes I'd hung out to dry. I could tell her "no" but that didn't stop her. So one day, I sneaked out while she was having her game with the wash, grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, gave her a few good shakes with her front feet in the air, and growled out "No, no, no". She never touched the wash again.

As another example, we had a German shepherd/Siberian/wolf mix who, as a pup, decided that she didn't want to be flea combed when I first tried it. I'd had her lie down, but she growled when I started combing her. So I held her down by the neck, did the growling "no" thing, and that was the last time she gave me any trouble about it.

According to Ms. Woodhouse, you have to play "mama dog" if you want a pup to get the message without it feeling that it's being mistreated. Our dogs have all been so well-behaved since applying such techniques that we have been able to leave them in the house while we're gone, and nothing is torn up while we're gone. I'd say that's a pretty good indication of who the top dog is in this home.

[Liisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this partly for the nostalgia factor, but found that Barbara Woodhouse has some excellent advice. Her approach a lot to do with fostering an affectionate relationship between dog and master, based on trust, clear communication, and mutual respect. Yes, she advocates the use of a particular type of (wide) choke-chain, which is passe and frowned-upon, from what I gather, but if you observe her use of it in youtube videos, it is used for quick and effective correction, but is otherwise loose around the dog's neck. "Walkies!"

[Nola · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of this book didn’t inspire me. While I agree with Barbara Wodehouse in some areas and appreciate her love of dogs, I disliked her harsh words for owners. I don’t necessarily disagree; I just don’t like to hear this kind of thing, and there is a lot of it in No Bad Dogs. Although Barbara Wodehouse says in the book that she is not interested in dog showing, there is still more about training dogs for being shown than I need to know. I am reading another book on dog training now that makes this one seems all the more dated because No Bed Dogs firmly advocates using a choke chain. There are a few oddities, such as the declaration the word “what” gives dogs much more pleasure in “What a good dog!” than just “Good dog”. I find this hard to believe, but I have started trying it. So far, my dog hasn’t indicated any extra electrification, as the book had promised. The chapter on schizophrenia in dogs is also strange to me. I suppose it may happen, but I’ve never seen it mentioned anywhere else. Barbara Wodehouse says that the holding out of one hand for the dog to smell is the worst possible way to approach a dog, but this is what I have done as far back as I can remember, and it has always seemed to get a friendly reception. In the chapter on Correction, one of the types of correction is a good shake. She makes a good case for this, and I am intrigued. I have never seen such a thing with a dog, and, of course, it is a terrible thing to do with a child. However, I can’t quite picture being in a circumstance that warrants the shaking she advocates, and I worry that it may be harmful to dogs. I do like the chapter on Guarding. It makes good sense that dogs can become problematic and escalate their behavior if they people coming to the house are intimidated by their barking. The author’s description of how this happens and how to fix it are spot on. Overall, the book doesn’t have much helpful information. Its good points are that it advocates for understanding dogs, sympathizing with them and always being loving to them.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

While somewhat dated, the basic premises discussed are still valid. I grew up using the Woodhouse method for training and never had any negative results. Now, many decades later, I am learning some new techniques but still come back to some of the basics taught in this book.

[Esther · Rating 1 out of 5]

An entertaining read, because Barbara Woodhouse was nothing if not eccentric, opinionated, and, well, entertaining. Undeniably, she was also effective, but I can only agree with some of her notions and methods. I think new dog owners should read this book for its entertainment value, and then carefully glean from it the methods that make sense. Yes, establish dominance. Yes, use a choke chain, which is not cruel, but an essential training tool in most cases. But, no, even though Babs advises it, please don't hit your dog. She also likes to smooch with canines, which I'm not big on, but that's personal choice.

[Astraia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The seminal dog training book. While lately much has been hyped about the dog whisper and his desire to create an uber-alpha world, Woodhouse approaches the matter with a greater love and kindness that is effective. I have trained all of my dogs (Labs, Great Danes mainly) and they all have responded exceptionally well.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woodhouse blames the dog owners. Supernanny blames the parents. Both are probably right.

[Ivy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Incredibly outdated.

[J.A.Birch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barabara Woodhouse has been one of those trainers (and the Woodhouse Method has been one of those training techniques) that I have heard of from time to time.

Upon reading this book I can say that it is obvious that Woodhouse had a way with dogs, she loved dogs, and knew how to get the best out of them. I know that the horribly named "choke-chain" or "choker" has gone out of fashion and I can see why, it is a horrible tool to visually see being used but this is made all the more prominent when you realise that people use them inacurately or use the wrong type of chain.

Woodhouse is adamant on the specifics of the chain (large linked is safe whereas small linked chains can damage the dog), how to put one on the dog itself so that the chain works properly, and how to utilise the chain (a quick jerk on the chain and not prolonged pulling to fully close the chain).

No Bad Dogs highlights how the dog owner is the cause of the dog's misbehaviour and not that the dog outrightly tries to be bad. There are good tips and methods to dog training laid out in this book; I hope to carry on reading about dog training and find something that works for me and our pup.

[Marseydoats · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Mom got me this book when it first came out and we both loved it because the author's training methods worked so well on our dogs. When the dog I have now came along 12 years ago, I was having such a hard time with her that I looked for this book again. I finally decided it must have been discarded in one of my many moves. Tried to find it at the library and was told it was out of print.
Bored and cleaning up due to C 19, and lo and behold, there it was, buried in a stack of paperbacks. Husband on seeing me reading it, looked at our dog and said, "That lady never met YOU."
I just didn't enjoy it quite as much this time around, got too many other things on my mind. Still a good book though.

[Denis · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the non-Animal activist that I am, I found this book to be a good read. It was insightful and gave me a new perspective on how dogs think. Barbara Woodhouse is a dog's champion. I never realized, just in being loving and kind to our pooch, how we are displacing her from what comes natural to her. Barbara Woodhouse explains this well.

This wasn't the training manual I was looking for but it did give me a starting point in that in order to train our dog, the first thing that has to happen is to look at oneself and see where we are being consistant and inconsistant. Like Barbara Woodhouse, fixing the owner's issues are half the problem.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are never too many books on living with a dog. However, this book was exceptionally helpful. Although I have a darling golden retriever, now 2 years old, there were a few things that needed to be addressed and this book gave me a completely different approach than my training classes.

Barbara loved her dogs and she really understood them. I learned so much about my dog that I would never have known. And I learned how to be in sync with the way my dog thinks to improve some little behavior quirks.

Try this book--I would say it is an adjunct to other complete training manuals, but it will make a huge difference in the way you think about your companionship with your dog.

[T. Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book in the 1980's upon bringing the first West Highland White Terrier into our home. I checked several books out of the library and purchased more after that for training this determined and ardent breed of dog. This book has remained my favorite book for dog training dogs. I am on my third Westie in 2019 and he is a senior dog at this point, 14 yrs. old, and I still use the Woodhouse Way even though he is experiencing dementia. It gives him the stability he needs now. I wish the book was available on kindle. I lost my Woodhouse book due to a bump in life and I still miss it.

[Chloe Carson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The information in this book, originally published in 1978, is no longer relevant and is in fact dangerous to use on your own dog. Following the advice in this book will leave you heartbroken and probably with a dead dog. Barbara may have loved dogs, and she may have been doing the best she could at the time, but this book is now a liability for any hands into which it falls. Read this book to learn how far we have come as a society when it comes to treating dogs humanely.

[Tebel Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some helpful tidbits into the mind of a dog with a ridiculous chapter on canine "schizophrenia." Little to say about curing dogs who whine and absolutely silent on the subject of curbing your dog, the common failure of which makes both dog and owner thoroughly obnoxious. Sound advice on correct application and use of choke collars.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read, this is a somewhat dated primer for new dog owners. Plenty of helpful info, though not all of it is in line with modern training techniques. Occasionally, it is overly simplistic. I wish I could meet this woman! She so clearly loves dogs and her work.

[Peggy McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barbara Woodhouse tickles me! She's such a character, and she had an amazing life..
She took no crap from hapless dog owners and minced no words. This short book is composed of short chapters of her opinions on various dog behavior problems, She's a hoot!

[Cheryl Schibley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best dog training book out there. I learned so much.

[Karen Ruymann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dated.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read with some good insights on dog behavior. I wish it would have been more practical in terms of training specifics.

[Andrea Ferrer]

Culturally interesting but kinda crazy and not very helpful. It’s aged poorly at times, but it was still curious to see certain trends or beliefs that aren’t prominent now.

[Michael Delaware · Rating 3 out of 5]

Woodhouse's methods come across as old school in comparison to a lot of other books on dog training I have studied. I liked her chapter on 'Praise' and the one entitled 'Indulgences' the best. What I did not like was her constant reference to Psychiatrists in the context of describing owners and dogs, as she seemed to be campaigning for them, and it got a bit redundant.

Also she makes a few references to occasions when it was effective to beat a dog, which I disagree with and did not care for. I have always felt if you have to resort to that as a solution, even in extreme circumstances, you are way out of your league in terms of your skill level with that intense of an animal, and should turn the training over to someone else with more patience.

I also did not care for her repeated suggestions in several chapters where she references abnormal dogs, and the ultimate solution was to put them to sleep. I felt she should have been more responsible with this issue, as there are several steps an owner should try before resorting to that with a difficult dog, such as: have them checked out by the vet to make sure there is no physical condition causing the behavior, running the dog through a stricter training program, exercising the dog, and even changing owners as the temperament of their existing owner might not be the right fit. All of those are steps an owner should take before considering putting them to sleep if they really care to find out what is going on with their dog.

However, a lot of her methods on correction for owners and working with the leash is great practical advice for dog owners, and these methods work. She also covers a lot of various material on dog behavior that is very practical.

So overall the book is a good resource, and I realize the author has her particular approach that worked for her for years. It just seems a little dated compared to techniques by other authors such as Jan Fennell, Cesar Millan and Karen Pryor.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is kind of old-school, and sometimes the writing style is not as direct and clear as one might hope for, but there was a lot I liked about the book. I didn't read the whole thing. I only got maybe a third of the way through it before it was due back at the library, and it was pretty repetative anyway. But I liked the author's main idea, repeated throughout, that you'll have obedient dogs only if you make them a part of your family and give them the kind of love and respect that goes along with that. Otherwise, it's hopeless to expect loyalty, respect, or obedience from your dog. Also she emphasises giving firm, clear commands (dogs don't, after all, understand English, she says, only the few commands you teach them, so make them clear) and following that up with an abundance of praise and love when they do well. She tells some really amusing stories that show up the faults of dog owners that she calls "sentimental," by which she means afraid of properly disciplining and training thier dogs because they don't want to hurt the dog's feelings. She mocks mercilessly those who advocate things like psychotherapy for dogs. She had held training classes for thousands of dogs and their owners before writing the book and had lots of funny stories. I've always liked dogs, but am now a first-time dog owner, and I'm finding most of her advice to hold true. Our dogs are definitely important memebers of our family and they know it. And they're loyal to us (and MOSTLY obedient) because of it.

[Kelly L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, but also found a lot of it common-sense if you have ever owned a dog before (or had children for that matter). The author's approach is sensible in that consistency and clear boundaries make dog and owner happy. I find her writing a little funny; she calls a spade a spade and blames most bad dog behaviour on stupid owners rather than the pets themselves. She also feels quite confident in her own abilities to "cure" a bad dog and makes no bones about telling the reader that. I think the author's quirky personality was the most enjoyable part of reading this book.

[Nikki Nielsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book before buying my son's Golden Retriever and I loved the author's approach. She emphasizes that there is no such thing as a 'bad dog'. 'Bad dogs' are brought about by owners that do not know how to properly train and care for them. She also has a great step-by-step plan for obedience training the kennel club way.

[Mandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm looking for ways to better train the dog-dog, so I picked this up again. It's useful, but seems to be geared toward show dogs more than the average-joe type dog. I'm not sure how much good it's gonna do me.