Good Owners, Great Dogs
by Brian Kilcommons, Sarah Wilson
|
List Price: Our Price: $5.62 You Save: $10.37 (65%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.04 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Good Owners, Great Dogs
Book Review: Good book for stories but BAD FOR TRAINNING
Summary: 1 Stars
IF YOU WANT TO TRAIN YOUR PUPPY, AVOID THIS BOOK. If you want to see some examples of how dogs become bad, this is a good reference. This book contains simply traditional methods.I've read a lot of books about dog trainning. This is the one that puts too much emphasis on CORRECTION. Correction is everywhere followed by a praise. But why should a handler use correction as the major way to train his/her loving companion? That would only ruin the relationship between you and your pets.
Trainnig can be done more humane rather than focusing on CORRECTION. I hate the photographes in the book in which the author is proud of showing his accomplishment by series of CHOKING CORRECTION, followed by praise. If your pet does what you want simply because he/she wants to avoid the CHOKING, your relationship is ruined. One would resort to CORRECTION only when he knows nothing to improve the situation. In my mind, correction should be the last to do. Too much correction makes your pets timid and afraid of trying. Your pets will end up with a dull attitude toward things around him because the more he tries, the more correction he gets.
I'd suggest some other way of trainning. A clicker trainning is another way for a reference. However, clicker has its limitation. The best way to train your dog is to know it, to love it, to think as it does, and to have a strong relationship between you 2. LEAVE THE CHOKING CHAIN TO WWII, PLEASE.
Book Review: Useful information but I felt it was overwhelmingly negative
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this book as a "refresher course" and to see if there was any new or insightful information on the subject of puppy raising and dog training. I have owned many wonderful dogs during my lifetime. All of them intelligent, happy, respectful, housebroken, eager to please, obedient, fun and loyal companions. These dogs enriched our lives and were in every sense, a part of our family. After 7 years without a dog and all our children grown and on their own, I have decided to bring another puppy into our home.
Although the author undoubtedly has a passion for dogs and their well-being, and has been successful in making it his life's work, I think that the author's tone could be overwhelming to the new dog owner. Many times, as I read through the chapters, I found myself thinking that, if I were contemplating getting a dog for the first time, I would be afraid to even try after reading this book! I agree that owning a dog is a huge responsibility and a commitment that should not be taken lightly or without much forethought. However, in my opinion, the author makes dog ownership sound too much like never-ending drudgery and headache (which can be the likely outcome without proper breed selection and training) and fails to provide the reader, especially a new dog owner, with hope or a sense of the wonderful payback and companionship that a well-trained dog can provide beyond the fun yet intensely neediness of puppyhood.
Book Review: Great Instructions! Methods now "outdated" but still useful
Summary: 4 Stars
What I love about this book is the step by step instructions on how to train a dog. Kilcommons tells you exactly what you are supposed to do and then shows you with pictures (sadly black and white). He also offers several different methods of training one command. Because of this, Good Owners Great Dogs is a valuable resource to have. He also takes a no nonsense approach for establishing control of your dog.
The only drawback to this book is the training methods are very physcial (but not cruel). For most dogs, training that uses treats to guide dogs into position (which he does cover a little bit for some commands) results in the dog learning much quicker. However, it is very helpful to see the different options available.
Kilcommons also uses the Woodhouse training collar (not a choke collar) and quick "corrections" to enforce commands. While this is still a humane method, I believe there are better tools now that can be used instead. One great invention is the Haltee or Gentle Leader which allows you to have control over the dogs head movements and allows much much easier control of boistorous large dogs without a lot of effort.
Overall, I reccomend this book but to be used along side a positive reinforcement approach of which there are many many books.
Book Review: The Best Traditional Training Manual
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this and the 'The complete idiot's guide to Positive Dog Training'. I've raised dogs earlier in life, but the training part was more the dog training me. Great insights in the book - and clearly the best at this type of training method.HOWEVER... The "idiots" book is my clear winner. I bought it with skepticism, and I'm an absolute convert. Not only does it make sense, I've experienced most of the "non-desirable" behaviors. One day, 9 week old puppy, using cheese, lots of praise, ignoring her when she wouldn't walk, she was walking steadily beside me - no pulling forward or back. Scents and distractions aside, I was in shock. When I put the collar and the leash on her, she acted like she was being led to slaughter. Yelping, screaming, doing flips to get away. I ignored the behavior and her, waited until she stopped and praised her immediately. One more "partial episode" and that behavior stopped. After one day, she responds to my call to "come" almost every single time. Usually, my mistake on how I've said it - like "come here", or "Keela", etc where it wasn't clear. I mean, it was only the first day. Anyway, buy three, one for you, one for your family, and one for the neighbor that knows all the answers about training a dog.
Book Review: Best Book for New Dog Owners
Summary: 5 Stars
UPDATE!! We just got another Aussie ( a full brother to the one we got in Feb. of 04 and have pulled this book off of the shelf to help us again. Even a little less than a year later and with another puppy to train it's still the best out there to help raise a well mannered dog and help make him a star! I got some different books from family and friends and this is still the top of the heap. I threw some of the ones I received away because the mehtods in them were direct contrasts to the methods and mindsets Mr. Kilcommons teaches. I fully recommend this handbook to anyone out there who wants to teach (yes teach not train!) a new puppy, dog or dog that's been in the family for years.
I bought this book when we got our Australian Shepherd in Feb. 04. It has been a tremendous help! We learned to not let little things get out of hand and to gently correct our dog. Our friends and family say we have the best behaved dog they've ever seen and I give all the credit to this book by Brian Kilcommons. We have decided to forgo obedience classes for our dog and instead use the methods Mr. Kilcommons uses in this book as our basic guide for obedience and manners. I have given this as a gift to other new dog owners we know- they love it too!