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3rd out of 42 books
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22 voters
The Culture Clash
Winner of the Maxwell Award for BEST DOG TRAINING BOOK (1997) from the Dog Writers? Association of America. Voted #1 BEST BOOK (2000 & 2001) by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers?the largest and most influential worldwide association of professional pet dog trainers. The Culture Clash is utterly unique, fascinating to the extreme, and literally overflowing with inform...more
Paperback, 203 pages
Published
January 19th 2005
by James & Kenneth Publishers
(first published 1997)
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I'm marking this one DNF because I just can't bring myself to keep reading or to keep interested right now. I also adopted a puppy and, dare I say this aloud, who is so EASY it's unbelievable to me. I've always had nutty labs and retrievers who took years to settle down. My new little guy moved in, learned the routine and housemanners in only 2 weeks. I still can't believe my luck. He's cute and perfect too. I never get this lucky ;)
So, for now at least, I'm putting this book aside because I'm...more
So, for now at least, I'm putting this book aside because I'm...more
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A really interesting book. The basic premise is to stop anthropomorphizing dogs; don't believe the Disney fantasy of dogs who think like us and live to serve us. Just because they are supremely selfish doesn't make them any less enjoyable as companions. But understanding that will make you a better trainer and a happier family. Favorite quotes:
Dogs are not space intensive, they are time intensive. Given a choice between your time and a yard, virtually every dog on this earth will opt for more ti...more
Dogs are not space intensive, they are time intensive. Given a choice between your time and a yard, virtually every dog on this earth will opt for more ti...more
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This author is just so negative I am having to stop reading the book half-way through. She writes as though she thinks most (99%) humans are irresponsible morons. She scolds and complains continually throughout every chapter. Here and there she says something interesting about a training technique but those rare bits are simply not worth plowing through her insults.
The book might be useful for a first time dog owner with a puppy. Most of the training comments are directed towards small puppies....more
The book might be useful for a first time dog owner with a puppy. Most of the training comments are directed towards small puppies....more
Very good overall. The most common criticisms of this book are the tone and the organization. They are legitimate criticisms. The author is extremely sharptongued when it comes to dominance theory and anthropomorphizing. I personally find her derision amusing rather than insulting, but I concede that the tone isn't for everyone. I do appreciate someone who speaks bluntly and honestly rather than dancing around strong opinions, but I can see some readers being turned off by this. Personally, I fo...more
Jan 01, 2010
Harry Steinman
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
People who are in contact with dogs
Recommended to Harry by:
One of my mentors, Carol Bradford, one of the the world's best t
Shelves:
dogs
Humans apply human standards to dog behavior. This anthropomorphism mortally imperil dogs.
This theme underlies Donaldson's book--at once an objective (though eye-opening) exposition into canine behavior and an unabashedly polemic diatribe, railing against the harm we do by misunderstanding our Best Friends. We two-legs must understand that normal dog behavior includes behaviors that are acceptable and those that are not. Incessant barking, peeing on the carpet, chewing the shoes/furniture/handb...more
This theme underlies Donaldson's book--at once an objective (though eye-opening) exposition into canine behavior and an unabashedly polemic diatribe, railing against the harm we do by misunderstanding our Best Friends. We two-legs must understand that normal dog behavior includes behaviors that are acceptable and those that are not. Incessant barking, peeing on the carpet, chewing the shoes/furniture/handb...more
Embarrassing admission: I have known for years that this book was one of the "big" books on the topic of positive reinforcement dog training, but I never got around to reading it because I thought I was "beyond" it. I thought it was going to be about how to clicker train a dog to sit and why Cesar Millan is a moron. I thought, "I already know all that!" It turns out that this book is totally and completely amazing. It's full of valuable training games and tips, and it also shows you what life is...more
A very good book to explain behavior learning and how to train your dog using reward instead of punishment. She does a very good job of covering potential pitfalls and why other training methods (dominance, punishment) may not work. She does, however, harp on the downfalls of these other methods more than necessary, to the point where it is distracting from the rest of the information she is presenting. I especially liked the levels of training (kindergarten, high school, college) she presents a...more
I cannot recommend this book strongly enough if you have ever wondered what's going on in your dog's head. Jean Donaldson writes clearly (most of the time) in lay person speak about why your dog is behaving the way that it is, and what you can do preventatively and remedially to shape your dog's behavior.
Often, we humans tend to erroneously believe that our dogs "know" what we want from them even if we haven't really ever trained it into them, and this book helped me see why my expectations of...more
Often, we humans tend to erroneously believe that our dogs "know" what we want from them even if we haven't really ever trained it into them, and this book helped me see why my expectations of...more
Aug 13, 2009
Heather
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Dog owners & potential dog owners
Recommended to Heather by:
Animal behavioralist on message board
Shelves:
nonfiction
I got a copy of this book when we got our Boxer, Duchess. It was highly recommended on the Boxerworld message boards, and I needed all the help I could get!
I have to say that even though I normally find this type of book (nonfiction/how-to) very difficult to read, I had no problem finishing Culture Clash. Ms. Donaldson makes several very good points as to dogs' nature and why certain training methods work or don't. We began implementing her suggestions, and before too long we had a very well-be...more
I have to say that even though I normally find this type of book (nonfiction/how-to) very difficult to read, I had no problem finishing Culture Clash. Ms. Donaldson makes several very good points as to dogs' nature and why certain training methods work or don't. We began implementing her suggestions, and before too long we had a very well-be...more
Perfect book for me this past week when I was absolutely fed up with my [failed:] training of Mingus. Brought me back to Dog Basics through a well explained "culture" comparison of Dog vs. Human. Through easy to understand text, clear graphs, well organized chart comparisons, and an extremely helpful basis of having the reader (i.e., human) see the world through a dog's perspective -- Donaldson urges dog owners to give the dog a break in it's world, but also use this dog culture knowledge to bes...more
This is an excellent book and is a must read for every dog owner, especially those who think their dogs have a favorite pink jacket and sparkly collar. The author clearly describes why the 'Disney Myth' is harmful to the dog/owner relationship. Training is discussed and the author thoroughly supports all of her theories. Now, it's time for someone to write an equivalent book about horses so horse lovers will stop expecting their horses to heal, bond, love and re-parent them. Let's honour and res...more
Jan 31, 2009
Jessie
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
all dog owners
Shelves:
non-fiction,
petsanimals
Jean Donaldson is so mad at dog owners. I was sort of expecting her to punch someone in the first few pages. But she's 100 percent right.
"There is no question whatsoever that the second view [she's referring to B.F. Skinner as opposed to the Walt Disney anthropomorphism view] is correct. The question is really no longer which interpretation is the truth but rather why anyone still argues the point. Amazingly, this information has been around for decades, yet most people who own dogs haven't lear...more
"There is no question whatsoever that the second view [she's referring to B.F. Skinner as opposed to the Walt Disney anthropomorphism view] is correct. The question is really no longer which interpretation is the truth but rather why anyone still argues the point. Amazingly, this information has been around for decades, yet most people who own dogs haven't lear...more
This should be required reading for every person who gets a dog. This book explains how dogs learn (principles of reinforcement) and how they do NOT learn (choke collars, punishment after the fact, etc.), why they do what they do (classical/operant conditioning history, innate behavior), and what they are NOT capable of (spite, desire to please, "understanding" human language). There are countless dogs out there that could potentially lead much "happier" lives if their owners would just change t...more
This is not only a great guide about how to train dogs, but it is also very insightful about dog behavior. What I liked about this book is that she doesn't just tell you how to do things, but she gives very good reasons as to why. Because of this, I can't imagine training dogs in any other way besides positive reinforcement; positive reinforcement just makes so much sense. She explains all her training techniques from the perspective of the dog. She emphasizes that dogs and humans are very diffe...more
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This was a great book and I highly recommend it for anyone that owns a dog. She touches on behavior, training and psychology. Her insights into why dogs do what they do and how they perceive the world are extremely valuable to me as a dog owner. Her training methods focus on positive reinforcement (which I agree with), but even if you don't I think some value could be gained from her methods. She has a witty way of pointing out some of the absurd things that have been done in the name of trainin...more
This book is probably one of the best dog training books out there. It's the only book that I've found that really, truly, describes the positive reinforcement (+R) method which in a nutshell involves ignoring unwanted behavior and rewarding good behavior.
Why only three stars? This vitriolic book is hard to read. The author is apparently so fed up with owners who don't have a clue that she rarely holds back any opportunity to disparage any and all owners. The book drips in hatred for the mistake...more
Why only three stars? This vitriolic book is hard to read. The author is apparently so fed up with owners who don't have a clue that she rarely holds back any opportunity to disparage any and all owners. The book drips in hatred for the mistake...more
I believe Jean Donaldson is a genius. I went to the Pawlitically Incorrect Dog Symposium at Marin Humane Society in 2002 and I was blown away by her! There was a segment where they took some of the shelter dogs that had specific behavior problems, and then they had 4 dog trainers that each use a different technique. There was one lady who taught guide dogs for the blind, and another guy who taught police dogs, and Jean. Well, there was this one chow mix that kept pulling on the leash and choking...more
I have never read a book on dog training as extensive as this one. Holy COW! I had a hard time keeping interested because she just kept going on and on without really telling you HOW very clearly, until the last chapter, which was the best chapter in the book. I really wanted to know what Ms. Donaldson had to say, but the length of each section was amazing. If she could have toned it down, just a tad, I would have definitely given her a 5.
A really good book when it comes to explaining some dog behavior myths and understanding how a dog thinks.
On the other hand, it wasn't good at explaining training to the average person. Youre better off reading Don't Shoot The Dog and How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves in conjunction with this to actually understand positive reinforcement before going into this one for training advice.
On the other hand, it wasn't good at explaining training to the average person. Youre better off reading Don't Shoot The Dog and How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves in conjunction with this to actually understand positive reinforcement before going into this one for training advice.
A good book for someone still learning and wanting to understand dogs, written well and a good insight that most dog owners really need, however she does harp on too long about 'positive only' training methods and why using any kind of punishment is wrong. I'm not in aggreeance with this (I believe you must train for action AND abstinence) so it did irritate me in that respect.
I saw this book recommended on one of the dog sites I visit about how to really train dogs. The book was a bit dated and in my opinion, everyone has their opinions on how to train dogs and no one and everyone is right in the same ways. Somethings I agreed with and some I didn't. I did learn some stuff but more on facts then in actual stuff I'll put into practice. I am still learning!
An excellent book for examining the way dogs really think (as opposed to the Disney, humans-in-fur-coats attitude) and learning to use that method of thinking, along with operant conditioning, to elicit desired behavior from your dog while using positive reinforcement. Everyone with dogs or thinking of getting a dog should read this book; I wish I'd read it before I got my first puppy.
All I can say is wow. This book is a must read for dog owners and is in direct conflict with the Ceasar Milan style of training. The author demonstrates why the CM style works but why it's not the best method, then shows you a better way, then demonstrates it using many common examples.
You'll never look at your dog the same way again!
You'll never look at your dog the same way again!
In my opinion this is compulsory reading for all dog owners. I have lost count of how many times I've read this. Yes she has a beef at the general populous approach to dogs, treating them like furry babies being her biggest gripe, but the consequences are highlighted in an easy read style.
I am so glad my friend Kate recommended this book when we got our dog, Cora. It made a world of difference in how I approached training and just beign with my dog. It helps you understand life from the dog's perspective and help make our pup a happier one, I'm sure.
One of the best dog training books ever. EVER. That being said, it might be a bit dense for people that are unfamiliar with the subject, the terminology can get a little confusing if you don't already have a firm grasp on what Donaldson is talking about. However, if I could make every dog owner read this book and actually put it's principles into practice I would in a heartbeat. I've heard some people complain that the book has an annoyed tone, and as someone who deals with idiotic dog owners fa...more
This is the most educational book you can ever read about raising a happy, normal dog. It has helped me tremendously with my three dogs and I recommend it to anyone who is thinking about getting a dog, has a dog, or had a dog.
Examines dog behavior that is normal for dogs, but unwanted by humans. Provides instruction in giving dogs healthy outlets for natural behavior and training that doesn't punish dogs for being dogs.
We had to read this for my Intro to Vet Tech class. The professor emphasized that the author's tone was harsh because at the time she published it, dominance theory was still very popular. So I went in knowing the book would be very negative in its language. If I had to rate this book on content, I would give it a 9. On delivery, a 4. It's not a book I would ever recommend to a client or layperson looking for training techniques.
Anyone with a dog in their life should read this book. This book unlocked a whole new understanding of dog behavior and made me even more fond of the domestic canine.
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“Because behavior is under the control of its consequences, obedience training is about providing consequences to the dog. Life is a never-ending series of:"If you do this, this happens, if you do that, another thing happens." There are two kinds of things that happen in life, good things and bad things, so there are four kinds of consequences: good stuff can 1) start and 2) end; bad stuff can 1) start and 2) end. Your dog is constantly trying to start the good stuff, end the bad stuff, avoid ending the good stuff, and avoid starting the bad stuff. He's playing his entire environment, including you, this way. If you can recognize this and exploit it, *voila!* Control of the dog.”
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