Good Owners, Great Dogs
by Brian Kilcommons, Sarah Wilson
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Book Reviews of Good Owners, Great Dogs
Book Review: Read this book, and you got all bases covered!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is an awesome training book for owners of puppies and adult dogs alike. Brian writes in a conversational style, he provides plenty of examples and personal narratives, and his many black and white photographs are excellent for driving his verbal point across (after all, isn't it much easier if you see how you are supposed to put a dog into a down or sit position than reading about it in a lengthy paragraph only?) The book covers how to train dogs to sit, stay, down, heel and have door manners, what games to play with your dog (and which to avoid), how to use positive and negative reinforcement, how to make it safe for you to approach the food bowl, how to use a training collar correctly, and many other useful daily commands/activities. We like this book also, because it does not only address training, but also basic dog care (from puppy to adulthood to old age), dog development, and he addresses common problems that each dog owner faces when teaching each command or facing daily life with a dog. We read THE ART OF RAISING A PUPPY, HOW TO RAISE A PUPPY YOU CAN LIVE WITH, and PUPPIES FOR DUMMIES, but NONE of the books live up to GOOD OWNERS, GREAT DOGS. Brian knows what he is talking about and he opens your eyes to things that you do that give your dog the wrong message (dog barks, you look - Bam! YOu just taught your dog how to get your attention; dog stops and peeps down the street during a walk, you stop, BAM! You just taught your dog how to get you to stop and give up your leadership). Simple, when you think about it, but many times you don't, and so Brian really gets you thinking about all these little things your dog does and how to interpret them. We got an 8 week old Mini Schnauzer, never had a dog before. By 9 weeks, he knew how to sit, by 12 weeks he knew how to down, stay, place, and wait properly at the door, by 14 weeks he knew how to stand still on a groom table to be examined and combed/clipped. Granted, Mini Schnauzers are smart dogs, but we truly believe that our dog is so great in part because of Brian's wonderful expertise. We wouldn't want to be without this book and still use it on a regular basis for refreshers and quick advice. If you want to get your money's worth, buy this book. It will make your life and your dog's life a lot easier, and it will facilitate the communication that you both will be having with each other. Brian is like a translater, all you have to do is to learn the translation so you can be a good owner with a great dog.Book Review: Effective, simple, painless
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently got a new dog and am reading this book again to refresh my memory. When I got my first dog, I went to the local library and checked out all the dog-training books. I didn't know much about dogs and didn't have any preconceived notions about theories or training styles. I decided to go with this book because it seemed like the best approach--logical, not too complicated, and not unpleasant for the dog (as some reviewers here have suggested).
The authors' main concept of "correction" could really be more accurately called "distraction"--you're not punishing your dog--you're just for a split second redirecting his attention with the jingling sound of the choke chain when he does something you want him to stop doing. The authors in no way advocate choking or otherwise abusing your dog.
My dog was a 100-pound adult with no apparent training when I adopted him. Following the advice in this book, I soon had myself a well-behaved, happy dog who I was able to take anywhere (the office, beaches, hotel rooms, etc.). The authors' method for developing reliable recall in your dog was especially helpful--worked beautifully. And later my dog enjoyed learning hand-signals, with no physical aids at all. He thought training was a fun game. I did give up trying to get him to heel, because as soon as I praised him for doing it right he'd get excited and start romping ahead, and I didn't really care about heeling so I didn't pursue it. And the one behavior problem he came with that I was never able to completely eradicate was a pre-existing aggression toward male skateboarders.
So this book may not help resolve entrenched, pre-existing problems (or maybe it would have if I'd put in more effort-to be honest I didn't spend that much time trying) but it does provide a simple, humane approach to training a normal or mostly normal dog.
If you have a major dog problem I recommend the "Dog Whisperer" (Cesar Millan) books & TV show--which weren't around when I got my dog. I've heard a lot of criticism of him, too, from people who think he's cruel or wrong-headed, but as far as I can tell these opinions stem from their imaginations. Clearly they've never watched his show or read his books. I've seen 2 seasons' worth of his shows and read his first book and there's nothing remotely cruel or abusive about his approach. He also gets amazing results, even with dogs who appear to be hopeless cases.
Book Review: Excellent because it addresses the human end as well
Summary: 5 Stars
This book addresses our HUMAN qualities as they relate to training. Being overemotional, frustrated, etc. are things I'm sure many dog owners/trainers have dealt with. The book addresses these items, and often reminds you of the attitude you should have when training your dog (which is NOT emotional, not angry, very matter of fact).
I find this so refreshing because as humans, if we keep in mind that neither us nor or our dogs are perfect creatures, it really takes the stress out of training. The book also explains how the dog views our requests, one example is that the dog doesn't really "get" the point of heeling -- what's the big deal about being at your left leg if we're both traveling the same way? Seeing things from the dog's point of view reminds us as humans that we are dealing with a creature that sees things differently than we do -- so we should not become frustrated and blame the poor dog for doing things when "they should know better".
It is a fun read and is very helpful, even for me and I have read many training books and other dog psychology books. This is a great mix of material that covers specific training methods, dog psychology, and human psychology. Best dog training book I've read and it should be mandatory reading for dog owners, since so many of the other training books don't address our human tendencies (and foibles) like this book does.
For all owner/trainers please keep in mind, your dog is doing what he SHOULD be doing based on all his past experiences and his inborn traits. This includes barking, chewing stuff, running away from you, etc. This is just to say, it is not necessary to blame the dog for his behavior, it is pointless and only makes for frustrated owners. Even though we consider certain behaviors "bad", your dog is trying his best given the hand he was dealt -- just like you are! You are here to help your dog, neither of you is perfect, and he is not a mind reader, so calmly help him to behave better and take the stress and 'taking it personal' out of the situation. This book is a great tool to train a dog and bear these important lessons in mind.
Book Review: Yes! You've Found the Right Book
Summary: 5 Stars
Buy it, Read it, Live it. It doesn't matter whether you've owned dogs in the past, are adopting a puppy for the time, or have had your current dog for years...both you and your dog will benefit by your reading this book. The authors cover everything from the most basic questions and safety issues to things that you should look for in your own behavior that may be confusing your dog(s). I've owned & lived with five dogs in my life and personally taken three through obedience training, but only after reading this book do I feel confident that I finally understand WHY dogs behave and react the way they do. In fact, after reading the first few chapters, I started to notice other dog owners (walking in parks, on the street, in their own homes, etc) who struggle to "control" their dogs without success and who continue to repeat the exact actions Brian & Sarah warn against. We've just adopted a new 18-month-old dog who had no prior obedience training. She had been surrendered to Animal Control three times in her life. After one week of applying the approach and philosophy described in this book, we are already seeing our dog calm down, eat regularly, and obey basic commands. Miraculous!
If you're happy yelling at your pet in frustration, having it jump up on you, and steel from your dining table, then don't buy this book. Your pet doesn't respect you and you're either apathetic or have a high pain threshold. Whatever, it's your choice and your fault (Fido can't make you buy the book!). If you want a happier and more "mature" relationship with your pet, you MUST read this book.
In a more perfect world, every breeder and SPCA adoption process would include a copy of this book. The fact is, 95% of pet owners simply DO NOT KNOW how to raise/train a dog. We merely need to take about as much time to read this book as we would to learn how to play a video game or use a coffee maker. If everyone did so, there would be far fewer abandoned and surrendered dogs due to the failure of their owners.
Save your dog (and your sanity), buy this book and enjoy living with your faithful four-legged friend (it's never too late).
Book Review: Some Good Info, But too Heavy on "Firm", too Light on "Fun and Fair"
Summary: 3 Stars
One night about ten years ago, as I was leaving the dog run in my New York neighborhood, I spoke briefly to a couple with an exuberant, happy young boxer puppy. Being a dog trainer, I asked how her training was going.
"Oh, well," the wife said, "we bought this book called GOOD OWNERS, GREAT DOGS, and we tried some of the techniques in it, but Bailey didn't like them. Particularly when we tried to train her to lie down on command. She'd just run away. We found that if we just use her favorite toy, she has a tendency to obey quicker and she actually likes learning."
That's what I'd discovered; that the old way of doing things--always forcing the dog into position, etc.--was actually detrimental to the learning process. And that playing games with the dog was always a better choice. I'd also learned that Brian Kilcommons' mantra that training should be "fun, fair, and firm" was actually a little light on the "fun" component and way too heavy on the "firm" part.
The sad thing is, I've seen Kilcommons on TV in the last five years or so, and his approach to training has completely changed, or at least it seems to have done. He now advises more of a playful approach, and less of a forceful way of teaching commands. (Since I publish a series of newsletters in New York City, where Kilcommons used to work and reside, I've gotten the perhaps ridiculous notion that my ideas have been influential in this change.)
Still, this book has some good information. It'll just be up to you, as a conscientious and loving dog owner, to determine which exercises seem too harsh, and which you think will make your dog more amenable to learning. It can be pretty easy to tell the difference too, even if you're a novice. Just look at the body language of the dogs on one side of a page (scared, frightened, angry) as opposed to the dogs on the opposite side (usually happy and compliant).
I think Kilcommons should write a new training manual, get rid of all the "firm" stuff, and concentrate more on the playful aspect of training. Three stars.