5 comments about It's Me or the Dog: How to Have the Perfect Pet.

1. She begins by telling you to understand being a dog. That is what training means...not to just make your dog do something. It's an excellent book and show.



2. I got this book based on the good reviews. I was not disappointed at all. The book provided clear, easy to read information. While much of the information was stuff I already knew, it is always helpful to have it reinforced. The section on animal body language and behaviour was very helpful.
   
   The pictures were also very good.
   
   I would recommend this book for anyone looking at getting a dog or puppy, or owners who want a little bit of a refresher.



3. The only comment I have to say is I'm sorry that I can't seem to find the seasons of the show this book is based from on DVD anywhere. I love Victoria Stilwell's methods. She is experienced and very well-educated and aware of what she is talking about. This book also contains alot of helpful tips that even an experienced dog owner will find very enlightening...I was very happy with this purchase and I know I will definitely be referring to it when we get our next puppy!



4. I used to watch the show and thought that things happened too fast on screen, so I needed something handy that I could check any time I had doubts. For me it was a good surprise to find this book. It gives a lot of tips, explains many behaviors, and everything looks reasonable and obvious somehow! It's my bedside book right now, when I have to deal closely with my family "crazy" labrador. I didn't give it 5 stars because I couldn't find all the answers to my questions. But it sure was a very good start!



5. Best dog training guide ever! I used this book to help me solve my problems I had with my 65lb Labrador Retriever pulling on the lead,being unfriendly toward strange dogs,barking,and his mild separation anxiety. I highly recommend getting this book for your dog training needs.

5 comments about On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals.

1. Not worth the money - unless you fine it for about 2 bucks. If you have dogs it is things you will already know. There was maybe one thing I didn't know. It is very basic. Go to the library and read it for free. If they don't have it - don't bother.



2. I found the information of body language to be interesting, but limited. I was really expecting more information to make a difference with training and understanding dogs.



3. I have been a dog owner for years. After reading this book, it has been interesting to observe my own and other dogs with a new depth of understanding, and to be able to communicate with them more easily. It's easy to forget that dogs have no verbal language as we do and can easily misunderstand our words and actions, as we can misunderstand theirs.



4. Short book, easy read, good ideas... I enjoy learning about dogs and have been using the ideas daily.



5. I cannot believe how much this book helps me communicate with my reactive dog. I have a small library of dog books and by far this little book outshines them all.
   I also foster dogs and this helps me get acquainted with all the different breeds and the author is right they (dogs) all speak the same language.
   You have to be smart enough to apply the techniques. I've read some real stupid reviews.

5 comments about How to Housebreak Your Dog in 7 Days (Revised).

1. Shirlee Kalstone's book LITERALLY changed my life. I had skimmed over this book at the pet supply store but thought, "Very interesting...but surely I'LL never need it because teaching MY puppy to 'go' outside will be a snap." Two weeks, one wet, yellow floor, and two peed-on couch cushions later, I was at wit's end, finally admitting to myself I needed help (BADLY), as it seemed that my 18-week-old miniature dachshund boy would never have ANY interest in outdoor urination.
   
   This book was truly the answer to my prayers - I was AMAZED by it and the great results it produced! It really did change my entire life, as well as my dogs'. The book emphasizes sticking to a schedule, which created a challenge for me initially since I am the "creative sort" (read: TERRIBLE at time management, being on time, sticking to schedules, etc.) but I really made a point of sticking to it as closely as possible (for me) and once he became reliable, I was able to relax it some. Another thing I liked about this book is that there are two different time schedules, depending on whether or not you work outside the home. Most housebreaking books assume that there is at least one person at home at all times to help with the housebreaking but, for those of us who actually have to work for a living (quelle horreur!), this offers an excellent alternative schedule that is very easy to comply with.
   
   Summarily, this is an INCREDIBLY worthwhile read and one of the few books that I would recommend - and give as a gift!- to ANYONE getting a new puppy. I devoured everything I could on puppy housebreaking when my dog was learning, both in print and on the Internet, and "How To Housebreak Your Dog in Seven Days" was by FAR the best, fastest, and most effective. In only two weeks' time, my dog went from seemingly SMILING at me while copping a squat on my bath rug to peeing outside on command whenever he hears the phrase "HURRY UP" (in fact, he's so reliable about it, I'm almost afraid to say those words indoors, even in other contexts!). This book is destined to become a classic and one I would recommend over and over to ANYONE who would prefer their dogs pee on their front lawn and not their carpet.



2. This has been the most useful book I've seen so far, and I have 3 other books on this topic. Unlike a lot of reviewers here who talk about "common sense," this is my first dog ever, so I have no prior experience to apply.
   
   I found the information very specific and helpful. In the book, the suggested schedules begin with puppies as young as 4 months (16 weeks). But it worked just as well with my 13-week-old puppy. He's 19 weeks now and I can say with confidence "No 'accidents.'" I've even been able to take him over to friends' homes for an evening and he only goes outside. When he's in his crate at night, he's good until morning.
   
   The key to getting the best results from this book, I think, is that you really have to be consistent and follow the directions as written. I took a week off from work to apply the techniques in this book, and it's been great ever since.



3. This approach really works. Our pup is only 11 weeks old and is already well on his way to being fully house trained.



4. This is a most confusing and contradictory book. In the first few chapters, it states never paper train if your intention is to have the dog "go" outdoors. Then if you dog is very young put plenty of layers of newspapers on the floor. It says not to confine the puppy in the crate, let him come and go. Then it says to confine the puppy in the crate.
   
   I think it would have been beneficial to chapter each method and be consistant within each chapter. Our new puppy is primarily my 10 year old son's dog. However I am reading the material too. He has informed me that this book isn't vey good, and has found another that is better. I hope Amazon prints all of the reviews.



5. I will advise the reader to buy the book before getting the puppy. READ IT!!! and think if you are ready to do what its needed... if you are still COOL with the idea.
   This is the BEST 7.99 you have spent in a long time. Adopt the schedule that best suits your style and star doing in it from day one. The schedule will help you and the puppy to get ready for the paper training, out door o whatever you decide.
   I have trained TWO shelties using this book, and on the first day. I GOT POSITIVE RESULTS, becuase I adopted a schedule from day one.
   Shelties are very easy to train, but getting them on the schedule from the start help to make it easier on you and them.
   The book gives you different choices depending on your life style, and it makes you feel good if you work all day (YES!!! THERE IS A SCHEDULE FOR YOU TOO)
   It is a quick read, no more than 30 minutes to a fast reader, around an hour for a slow.. it is easy to follow and you can skip a chapter depending on what you need.
   STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!!!

5 comments about The Other End of the Leash.

1. This is a well written book. I do some traveling and was a great read on the plane.



2. This book provides truly wonderful insight into the human/dog relationship. It is a must read for all those who love dogs. I am humbled by Dr. McConnell's wisdom. This is one book it was a privilege to read!



3. I have learned a lot about the way my two pups think. The author explains how to use their thought process to make them modify their behavior and how to get them to accept differant situations. I have learned how to quite my dogs when they are barking at nothing and I have learned how to get them to come almost effortlessly. I would highly recommend this book to any dog owner that would like a better behaved dog.



4. PLEASE read this book!!! I would recommend this to anyone wanting to understand dogs better and become a better dog owner!



5. Don't go into this book expecting a manual and you will not be disappointed. It's a conversationally delivered comparisson of primates and canid behaviors, and how they sometimes (often) conflict, with some stories that make it all seem more relevant to real life, mixed in. I enjoyed this book because I find this topic fascinating. The next time I trained a dog after reading this book, I was more aware of what I was doing, and the training went much more easily. When studying Ethology, I've found that people don't like to think of themselves as animals, and not necessarily controlling absolutely every signal other animals perceive, so it may offend some people to compare primates to humans, but I think the comparissons are helpful and find them extremely relevant.
   
   If you are looking for a manual on training, I suggest Beginning Family Dog Training, also written by Patricial McConnell. It IS a manual, and the majority of the dissatisfied reviews about this book I've seen would probably have been eliminated if they'd read that book too. Having trained animals for a while now, I would suggest reading both of them, but not having expectations of a manual from The Other End of the Leash.
   
   If you're interested in communicating with animals, dogs in particular, this can be a very interesting read. Using bodily signals you aren't really aware of, you're communicating all of the time. This book helps to point them out, make you aware of them, and gives advice on increasing the helpful ones and eliminating the not-so-helpful ones. You end up training yourself, and really helping your dog understand what you want communicate, and not just what they've seen you communicating.

5 comments about The Art of Raising a Puppy.

1. Having owned many dogs in my life, it seems very clear that there is no one right method of making the dog a vital and beloved member of the household. German Shepherds, the breed that the monks work with, are eminently trainable as are a few other breeds. Some are very resistant to training or, at a minimum, require very different approaches. Perhaps the best advice one can give on training is to observe a friend's dog who you think is particularly well-mannered. See how that friend relates to the dog and ask what he or she did when the dog was a pup. Some well-behaved dogs are born and not made. Lucky you if you happen to get one of these; but the connection between man and dog goes back milennia and it is an interesting and complex relationship



2. If you're getting a dog or have a dog read this book. It is a great resource for getting your dog in line. It proved to be a source of information that offered balance to the modern training methods that are based only in rewards.
   I prefer the positive motivation but there are times when this book has offered ways to correct bad behavior that 'treats' don't help with.
   If for no other reason you should read this book to gain insight into dog behavior. These folks have been doing this for a long time and can help humans see their role in a companion animal's life. i.e. that dog's want and need a strong 'alpha' owner - even if it isn't in your personality type (I had to adjust - but it was for the better)



3. I love training dogs and learning more about their nature and behavior. This book was extremely helpful, and it answered many of the questions I had about a dog's normal development and milestones. The Monks reinforce what I've discovered about my own dogs, which is that it is never too early to start training and that puppies are capable of becoming charming companions from a very young age.
   
   If you are thinking of getting a puppy, read this book first.



4. if all people read this book prior to adopting (purchasing) a puppy the pet control situation would be helped ten fold every year until eternity. this book not only guides those who have a puppy but shows how to chose a puppy for a particular lifestyle.



5. I brought home an 8 week old shih tzu and used the recommendation to tether him in my room and provide a blanket for him to sleep on. After only 3 nights he was sleeping all night long and when he needs to go out in the morning he barks once. It is amazing how well this worked. I have read numerous puppy books and this one far exceeds any of the books. The focus is on understanding your new best friend and applying the proper techniques to raising a happy and obedient pet.

5 comments about How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With.

1. Great book with common sense ideas. I have raised many dogs over the years and this book offers sensible advice that hadn't even occurred to me.



2. This book is invaluable in the way it describes each stage of the puppy's development (both physical and psychological). It eqips you to answer the age-old question: Why is my puppy behaving this way???
   
   Also, after reading this book, you will understand why you should always purchase your pup from a breeder ... and NEVER from a pet store.



3. i thought this book was easy enough to read. it explained everything you needed... gets straight to the point and has good explanations of your puppy at a certain level or age. im planning to get a puppy and after reading this book, i know a lot more about how to take care of one. i feel ready.



4. This book is a MUST for all new puppy owners! It will tell you when to do what with your puppy so you can raise a puppy that you will be happy to have around and proud to own. Also great for all breeders- it goes into the first 8 weeks as well and what should be done to raise well adjusted puppies.



5. This is the best book I've found on raising a puppy. Especially helpful is the week by week detailed description of what a new owner may expect developmentally from the puppy, and what the puppy needs for each stage of growing. I've given this book to every new puppy parent I've known!

5 comments about 101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog.

1. My dog and I have had literally hours of fun learning a lot of these tricks. The directions are straightforward, and the generalized training tips throughout the book are really useful. Tricks are much less "loaded" than traditional obedience, yet they reinforce good behavior and help strengthen the bond with your dog.



2. Kyra and her beautiful Weimaraner Chalcy take us step by step through teaching our furry children new tricks. Starting from the basic obedience trick training (sit, down, stay, etc), to more elaborate expert tricks like jumping rope. This book does a wonderful job of breaking down the teaching methods, positioning, hand cues, and trouble shooting. There's even prerequisites to different tricks. I recommend this book to all dog parents. It's a must have!!!



3. This is coming from the point of view of a first time dog owner. I had a dog when I was a kid, but this is my first to really be fully responsible for. I just got him a few months ago, he is 2 years old and a cattle / aussie herding type. I already taught him sit, stay, down, come, on my own but since he's smart I wanted to teach him more.
   
   WOW he is going to learn everything in this book. The book offers great straight-forward techniques that really WORK. It's easy to pick out 2-4 tricks to work on at a time, as each trick has a dedicated page or 2-page spread.
   
   In 3 days of having this book, my dog has already learned "shake hands" and "crawl", and he's on the way to knowing more including "jump over my leg", "bow" and "say your prayers". I would have had no idea how to train him to do these things but the real photos of the process for each command, as well as the real world common problems that happen with each command & tips to overcome them are fantastic.
   
   I especially love that these tricks help continue to build the bond between me and my dog, as well as my role as his leader. He really seems to enjoy the training time and focuses in earnest. (Maybe it's the extra special treats that accompany the sessions :)



4. Everything you need is right here. Gorgeous layout, detailed instructions, lots of pictures, every trick you could want and more.
   Get ready to have the dog that's the life of the party. Enjoy!



5. This book has been great!! I am on my 2nd copy, as I gave the first one away to a friend who fell in love with it, and am planning on buying a 3rd copy to send to another friend.
   
   This book is very easy to follow and a pleasure to page through. The photo's are fun, and make it a good pick for kids, who might not enjoy reading directions, as you can pretty much just follow the pictures. It includes hand signals and verbal cues, a lists of previous tricks to be mastered, and skill level. Whenever I run into a problem I go to the 'trouble shooting' section in the margin next to each trick, and it always has anticipated the snag and offers a helpful solution.
   
   So far my chihuahua can sit, lay down, beg, shake hands, twirl, and roll over!! Not bad for a breed known for being yappy and being carted around like Cleopatra in handbags! I have had the book for about 5 months. We work all the tricks every night after her dinner. It's her 'school' and she loves it! I think she has become more confident since we started training. I know she feels very proud of herself when she does it right.
   
   I highly recommend this book.

5 comments about Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength.

1. His ability to market is LEGEND...Does his program work long-term for all? I wish it did. Is it one of the best books every written on fitness? It's certainly one of the most helpful and widely read, if not applied. If you have never seen it before, it may just blow you away. Will it be your long term solution? Lot's of good, solid, advice; difficult to follow long-term.



2. I've benefited immensely from Bill Phillips' 1999 mega-bestseller, Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength (BFL). It dramatically helped to rekindle my passion for fitness.
   
   Using the BFL approach, by combining dreaming; goal-setting; planning; tracking; frequent small meals; weight training and brief but intense aerobic training, I personally completed multiple, 12 week transformations. I clarified and achieved goals. I burned fat and grew muscle. My physical strength skyrocketed. Many felt astonished when they saw me in person and when they viewed my before and after photos. Frequently others, even strangers, stopped me for advice.
   
   During such journeys, I studied, learned and made ongoing progress in my fitness. I reliably kept my body fat low - and I've kept it low. Thanks to patterns of action learned from such practices, even when I've sometimes "drifted," I'm convinced that I've kept nutrition, training and fitness at much higher levels than I ever would have without the influence of BFL.
   
   With time, I also learned and put into practice other fitness strategies. (These others included a 12 week transformation using a BFL-similar program from the 2002 book, ABSolution: The Practical Solution for Building Your Best Abs, written by Bill Phillips' brother, Shawn Phillips.) In the process, I learned volumes about the impact of training and nutrition on my mind and body.
   
   I also found value in Bill Phillips' other books, the 2002 Body for Life Success Journal (BFL-SJ) and the 2003 Eating For Life (EFL). BFL-SJ further emphasizes and assists with planning and tracking, while EFL can help clarify and vastly expand healthy eating options. In the form of success stories and related tips, both books offer additional inspiration.
   
   Much more recently, however, I finished my first reading of Shawn Phillips' new (2008) book, Strength for Life: The Fitness Plan for the Rest of Your Life (SFL). I'm already reading it again. Even though I've read dozens of books about fitness, SFL now stands as my favorite. G. Porter Freeman and Lynn Lingenfelter - whose physique and life transformations Bill Phillips dramatically profiled in the BFL book - both have enthusiastically endorsed SFL. To read their words, I recommend visiting the Amazon page for SFL.
   
   In an email message that he widely distributed on May 1, 2008, even Bill Phillips recommended Strength for Life, calling it "very smart," "positive and powerful."
   
   SFL looks at BFL's limitations and in my opinion makes clear how to surpass them. To find out much more about why I recommend SFL, I suggest reading my review of it, which also appears on Amazon's SFL pages.
   
   As a complement to any fitness program, I also highly recommend the concise book, Eat by Choice, Not by Habit: Practical Skills for Creating a Healthy Relationship with Your Body and Food, by Sylvia Haskvitz. By my standards, Eat by Choice, Not by Habit (EBC) wonderfully integrates the consciousness of Marshall Rosenberg's amazingly powerful Nonviolent Communication (NVC) process. I predict EBC will provide additional tools for dealing with "failures" in compassionate, self-accepting and insight-producing ways. I predict such ways will dramatically help a person to cultivate inner peace, growth and further progress.
   
   A person could draw inspiration and information from all the Bill and Shawn Phillips books. I know I have. Even if a person did, though - or if one chose only one book - I'd still recommend Strength for Life to frame whatever else one did.
   
   One might ask about supplements. All the Bill and Shawn Phillips books recommend some supplements. Even so, all such books admit that each of their programs can be done without supplements. I've done 12 week transformations sometimes with more supplements, sometimes with hardly any. Either way, I've felt deeply satisfied with my results. I remain convinced that nothing fuels the body like real, healthy food. So I heartily recommend making such food the centerpiece of any nutritional strategy.
   
   In short, I'll remain forever grateful for Body for Life. Now, though, I even more highly recommend Strength for Life.



3. This is a great program.
   
   First of all and most importantly, you DON'T have to buy his supplements!! He never says that in the book! It is true that if you use, for example, a protein shake it will help you lose weight and build muscle, but you don't have to and the workouts will still work! Even Slim Fast sells a high protein shake, just use that if you want something.
   
   The workouts are TOUGH. I had for months been spending 8 hours per week in the gym with little to no results. These BFL workouts make maximum use of your gym time and teach you how it feels to make your workouts work! (not painful, just not a walk in the park). I jog and the cardio workouts blew me away, the interval training is hard! I thought "no way 20 minutes will be enough!" because I had been running for 45 minutes 4x a week. Well, they do work! My metabolism is totally made over and my 20 lbs finally came off!
   
   Diet: In a nutshell he teaches you how to eat small healthy balanced meals throughout your day. It's not gimmicky or "low carb or whatever", it's plain healthy eating to fuel your tough workouts.
   
   It's true he doesn't go into th much nutrition basics, like why you should eat such and such. As he says in the beginning, this book is for people who know what they should be doing but they just aren't doing it. Motivation! Most people learn the basics just by picking things up on the news and/or in magazines.
   
   I totally recommend this program. Just try it for a month if you're intimidated. Change your life! Like anything else, you have to commit to doing it. If you do it WILL work!



4. Worth the money. I met one of the people who successfully completed his program and found it was what I need. It has everything you need to do to be successful in the book.



5. I have a BS in Health Science and was curious to read this book to see if it was quacky. Pretty much everything in the book is true to what my professors in health, nutrition, and physiology explained. I didn't have any classes on weight training, but my spouse is an athlete and agreed with the methods Bill Phillips recommends. It sounds like a good program if you're really ready for a lifestyle change. Go for it!

5 comments about Be the Pack Leader: Use Cesar's Way to Transform Your Dog . . . and Your Life.

1. Have been watching Cesar's show on N. Geographic for 2 years now and after buying this book have truly realized the dedication and discipline necessary one needs to having the dogs live a more comfortable and purposeful life. Not only do my 2 Rottweilers listen to me more as a pack leader, my wife actually says I have changed as a person especially in temperament! Thanks to Cesar, its never too late to change one's old ways. I highly recommend this book to those who want to improve their relationship approach with their canines.



2. This book thus far has been helpful with understanding how to treat my dogs more like a dog rather than babies. It is hard to realize that mabye your dog is not the one who wants the babying, but you need to do it. I have definetely become a better leader for them and they are a happier for it. I will definetely start paying attention to other peoples dogs, because they really tell on you, the real you.



3. Wether you own a dog or just want to brush up on your skills as a leader in society, this book offers inspiration and great tools.



4. After reading "Cesar's Way" it looks like I'm in for more of the same thing. I haven't quite finished the book, but I'm afraid I'm going to get tired of reading the same thing over and over. I learn more from the videos and the show so I've decided to just order those. However, I firmly believe Cesar is right and you have to 'train' the people, not the dog. If the owner is a true pack leader, the dog will naturally follow along!



5. Millan's methods are both outdated and dangerous, the alpha roll being one of the better known and more dangerous of them. The term was first coined by the Monks of New Skete, who (as well as Millan) base the technique on wolf research. However that research has since been disproved, and even the Monks of New Skete have retracted this method and discourage people from doing it. Yet Millan continues, in spite of current research on behavior and learning processes in animals. An alpha roll is a very good method for getting your face bit off by a dog. That and scaring a dog.
   
   His dominance centered methods sound great, but fall far short of reality. Dogs do not live in rigid structures, but rather dominance is fluid and highly situational. Again, current wolf research from the last several years supports this and debunks previous beliefs of how wolf society works. In addition, its problematic when you attempt to take wolf society and apply it to a human-dog pack - its not a cookie cutter mold that can be applied everywhere.
   
   Millan does get some things right, because he is accurate that you do need to be a leader to your dog. Its his methods that are dangerous and harmful. You need not dominate your dog in order to lead. For more information on methods that work better and without the pitfalls of dominance and punishment based training, refer to trainers and actual PhD behaviorists such as Patricia McConnell, Pat Miller, Ian Dunbar, Karen Pryor, Victoria Stilwell (who has a show on Animal Planet,) Nicholas Dodman, and so many more who advance both science based training, and methods that foster cooperation and respect as well as joy between your dog and you.

5 comments about Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems.

1. This is an excellent book, it all makes sense. Yep, I was one of those people who spoiled the dog and didn't get all the responses I expected - although never a red-zone dog lucky me! My new pup is happier then ever. It's an eye opener. I'm sure some people have a problem with the fact that they may be creating the issues their dogs have (and that they could be wrong in the "training" they're doing), most do not want to take responsibility for their own faults/health etc. so to take responsibility for their animals....this would be tough. Great reading for all dog owners.



2. I enjoyed reading this book. Although I didn't always agree with everything, there is much merit in what Cesar teaches. I do notice the difference that exercise makes in my dog's disposition. I don't have time to do as much of the exercise as he suggests, but I now make it an important part of my day to make sure we get our walk done!
   
   Whether you use this as a dog training guide, or get some tips from it, it is easy to read and very engaging!



3. Having seen Cesar on TV, I was a bit disappointed in this book after reading a few chapters. It seems to go on and on and on and on about the same thing - being the leader and giving off calm-assertive energy. OK! OK! We get the point!! However, I LOVE to watch Cesar and he is right on the money about dogs. I just wish it was more info on working with my dog than his philosophy (even though he is 100% right).



4. Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems
   
   I've been reading his books slowly. I have so many books to read so I'm savoring him. I've enjoyed learning about his background growing up in Mexico and coming to this country to persue his dream and his consequent success. What I've learned I've shared with the rest of the family who find him interesting. Why no one else ever considered the psychology of dogs but Cesar Milan is remarkable. It took a young man growing up on a farm with working dogs to bring his experience and observations to dog training. I'm not even a dog person; I have always lived with cats. Recently I moved in with my daughter and granddaughters. They have a beagle who has a few bad habits that I'm trying to deal with so I began watching Cesar's show. And that's when I discovered this body of little known knowledge and found it fascinating. And then I learned that there were books. I haven't read enough about correcting the problems and I don't know if I will have any support from the rest of the family but I have found discovered a new interest-dog psychology. Thank you Cesar Milan.



5. Cesar's book is a fantastic read! You can apply his logic to not only dogs but family, friends and work. It's all about attitude and how the world around you relates to your energy. Your dog will love for it and you will feel empowered in all aspects of your life.
   
   Easy read, a must!!!