Karen Pryor's Blog, page 7
August 13, 2009
Talking about unusual animal behavior, such as saying "Thanks!"
I did a radio interview with animal behaviorist Pia Silvani that you can download or listen to on line.
Just go to PetLifeRadio.com and look for Teachers Pet and Karen Pryor, podcast #48
Here’s what KPA graduate and Certified Training Partner Irith Bloom said:
“I just finished listening to the podcast, which I loved. Ms. Silvani asked wonderful questions and Ms. Pryor gave wonderful answers. I especially enjoyed the succinct discussion of why P+ is fraught with problems and R+ is preferable, and the clear explanation of why a non-verbal marker is so effective. What a great "thumbnail sketch" of "Reaching the Animal Mind"! Well done!”
Long-time clicker trainer Deb Manheim commented on our discussion of dogs saying ‘thank you,’ in Reaching the Animal Mind, “I soo enjoyed the phone interview. And, it is my belief, no data here, just observations, that dogs do say thank you. My dear Michael O' did walk-by licks to Stacey B at the Denver APDT conference when she brought him a bowl of cool water, and after every meal, no kidding, after every meal, my Wendy walks over to me and licks my leg. Just one quick lick. I do believe it! :-).”
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
Just go to PetLifeRadio.com and look for Teachers Pet and Karen Pryor, podcast #48
Here’s what KPA graduate and Certified Training Partner Irith Bloom said:
“I just finished listening to the podcast, which I loved. Ms. Silvani asked wonderful questions and Ms. Pryor gave wonderful answers. I especially enjoyed the succinct discussion of why P+ is fraught with problems and R+ is preferable, and the clear explanation of why a non-verbal marker is so effective. What a great "thumbnail sketch" of "Reaching the Animal Mind"! Well done!”
Long-time clicker trainer Deb Manheim commented on our discussion of dogs saying ‘thank you,’ in Reaching the Animal Mind, “I soo enjoyed the phone interview. And, it is my belief, no data here, just observations, that dogs do say thank you. My dear Michael O' did walk-by licks to Stacey B at the Denver APDT conference when she brought him a bowl of cool water, and after every meal, no kidding, after every meal, my Wendy walks over to me and licks my leg. Just one quick lick. I do believe it! :-).”
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
Talking about unusual animal behavior, such as saying "Thanks!"
I did a radio interview with animal behaviorist Pia Silvani that you can download or listen to on line.
Just go to PetLifeRadio.com and look for Teachers Pet and Karen Pryor, podcast #48
Here’s what KPA graduate and Certified Training Partner Irith Bloom said:
“I just finished listening to the podcast, which I loved. Ms. Silvani asked wonderful questions and Ms. Pryor gave wonderful answers. I especially enjoyed the succinct discussion of why P+ is fraught with problems and R+ is preferable, and the clear explanation of why a non-verbal marker is so effective. What a great "thumbnail sketch" of "Reaching the Animal Mind"! Well done!”
Long-time clicker trainer Deb Manheim commented on our discussion of dogs saying ‘thank you,’ in Reaching the Animal Mind, “I soo enjoyed the phone interview. And, it is my belief, no data here, just observations, that dogs do say thank you. My dear Michael O' did walk-by licks to Stacey B at the Denver APDT conference when she brought him a bowl of cool water, and after every meal, no kidding, after every meal, my Wendy walks over to me and licks my leg. Just one quick lick. I do believe it! :-).”
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
Just go to PetLifeRadio.com and look for Teachers Pet and Karen Pryor, podcast #48
Here’s what KPA graduate and Certified Training Partner Irith Bloom said:
“I just finished listening to the podcast, which I loved. Ms. Silvani asked wonderful questions and Ms. Pryor gave wonderful answers. I especially enjoyed the succinct discussion of why P+ is fraught with problems and R+ is preferable, and the clear explanation of why a non-verbal marker is so effective. What a great "thumbnail sketch" of "Reaching the Animal Mind"! Well done!”
Long-time clicker trainer Deb Manheim commented on our discussion of dogs saying ‘thank you,’ in Reaching the Animal Mind, “I soo enjoyed the phone interview. And, it is my belief, no data here, just observations, that dogs do say thank you. My dear Michael O' did walk-by licks to Stacey B at the Denver APDT conference when she brought him a bowl of cool water, and after every meal, no kidding, after every meal, my Wendy walks over to me and licks my leg. Just one quick lick. I do believe it! :-).”
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
Debunking Dominance Theory
Throughout the pet business right now, "dominance theory" is a popular explanation for absolutely anything that happens, from a puppy tugging on your trouser leg to birds flying up instead of down. Conquering "dominance" has become justification for absolutely any punishment people can think up, from shocking dogs to stuffing parrots into the toilet. (Yes, seriously.) And the awful thing is that otherwise sensible people believe this nonsense. Apparently the idea that some animal is trying to "dominate" YOU really resonates. Yikes—gotta stop that, right?
You may be pleased to learn that some British scientists have blown a hole in the whole dog dominance business. Researchers in companion animal behavior in the University of Bristol veterinary department studied a group of dogs at a re-homing center, and also reanalyzed existing studies on feral dogs. Their conclusion: individual relationships between dogs are learned through experience rather than motivated by a desire to assert "dominance."
According to these specialists in companion animal behavior, training approaches aimed at "dominance reduction" vary from worthless to downright dangerous. Making dogs go through doors or eat their dinners after you, not before, will not shape the dogs' overall view of the relationship, but will only teach them what to expect in those situations. [1]
In other words, that stuff is silly, but harmless.
"Much worse, techniques such as pinning the dog to the floor, grabbing the jowls, or blasting hooters [noise makers] at dogs, will make dogs anxious, often about their owner, and potentially lead to an escalation of aggression." [2]
Veterinarians and shelters are seeing the results of this misapplied dominance. As one veterinary behaviorist put it to me at a recent scientific meeting, "A puppy has to submit to whatever the owner does; it has no choice. Then around the age of two comes just one Alpha roll too many, and the dog defends itself at last and tries to take the owner's face off." So now the dog is in the shelter. And these dogs are fearful, unpredictable, and very hard to rehabilitate
Teaching people the power of clicker training is the benign and much more effective alternative. I'm so glad you all are out there, showing people through your own example and your happy, cooperative, attentive clicker dogs that there is a better way.
[1] If you'd like to read the original paper:
Bradshaw, John W.S., Emily J. Blackwell, and Rachel A. Casey. "Dominance in Domestic Dogs—Useful Construct or Bad Habit?" Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research (May/June 2009), 135-14.
[2] From a nice summary of the research:
"Using 'Dominance' to Explain Dog Behavior Is Old Hat," Science Daily, May 25, 2009.
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
You may be pleased to learn that some British scientists have blown a hole in the whole dog dominance business. Researchers in companion animal behavior in the University of Bristol veterinary department studied a group of dogs at a re-homing center, and also reanalyzed existing studies on feral dogs. Their conclusion: individual relationships between dogs are learned through experience rather than motivated by a desire to assert "dominance."
According to these specialists in companion animal behavior, training approaches aimed at "dominance reduction" vary from worthless to downright dangerous. Making dogs go through doors or eat their dinners after you, not before, will not shape the dogs' overall view of the relationship, but will only teach them what to expect in those situations. [1]
In other words, that stuff is silly, but harmless.
"Much worse, techniques such as pinning the dog to the floor, grabbing the jowls, or blasting hooters [noise makers] at dogs, will make dogs anxious, often about their owner, and potentially lead to an escalation of aggression." [2]
Veterinarians and shelters are seeing the results of this misapplied dominance. As one veterinary behaviorist put it to me at a recent scientific meeting, "A puppy has to submit to whatever the owner does; it has no choice. Then around the age of two comes just one Alpha roll too many, and the dog defends itself at last and tries to take the owner's face off." So now the dog is in the shelter. And these dogs are fearful, unpredictable, and very hard to rehabilitate
Teaching people the power of clicker training is the benign and much more effective alternative. I'm so glad you all are out there, showing people through your own example and your happy, cooperative, attentive clicker dogs that there is a better way.
[1] If you'd like to read the original paper:
Bradshaw, John W.S., Emily J. Blackwell, and Rachel A. Casey. "Dominance in Domestic Dogs—Useful Construct or Bad Habit?" Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research (May/June 2009), 135-14.
[2] From a nice summary of the research:
"Using 'Dominance' to Explain Dog Behavior Is Old Hat," Science Daily, May 25, 2009.
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
Talking about unusual animal behavior, such as saying "Thanks!"
I did a radio interview with animal behaviorist Pia Silvani that you can download or listen to on line.
Just go to PetLifeRadio.com and look for Teachers Pet and Karen Pryor, podcast #48
Here’s what KPA graduate and Certified Training Partner Irith Bloom said:
“I just finished listening to the podcast, which I loved. Ms. Silvani asked wonderful questions and Ms. Pryor gave wonderful answers. I especially enjoyed the succinct discussion of why P+ is fraught with problems and R+ is preferable, and the clear explanation of why a non-verbal marker is so effective. What a great "thumbnail sketch" of "Reaching the Animal Mind"! Well done!”
Long-time clicker trainer Deb Manheim commented on our discussion of dogs saying ‘thank you,’ in Reaching the Animal Mind, “I soo enjoyed the phone interview. And, it is my belief, no data here, just observations, that dogs do say thank you. My dear Michael O' did walk-by licks to Stacey B at the Denver APDT conference when she brought him a bowl of cool water, and after every meal, no kidding, after every meal, my Wendy walks over to me and licks my leg. Just one quick lick. I do believe it! :-).”
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
Just go to PetLifeRadio.com and look for Teachers Pet and Karen Pryor, podcast #48
Here’s what KPA graduate and Certified Training Partner Irith Bloom said:
“I just finished listening to the podcast, which I loved. Ms. Silvani asked wonderful questions and Ms. Pryor gave wonderful answers. I especially enjoyed the succinct discussion of why P+ is fraught with problems and R+ is preferable, and the clear explanation of why a non-verbal marker is so effective. What a great "thumbnail sketch" of "Reaching the Animal Mind"! Well done!”
Long-time clicker trainer Deb Manheim commented on our discussion of dogs saying ‘thank you,’ in Reaching the Animal Mind, “I soo enjoyed the phone interview. And, it is my belief, no data here, just observations, that dogs do say thank you. My dear Michael O' did walk-by licks to Stacey B at the Denver APDT conference when she brought him a bowl of cool water, and after every meal, no kidding, after every meal, my Wendy walks over to me and licks my leg. Just one quick lick. I do believe it! :-).”
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
August 11, 2009
"Your book changed my life..." department
Here’s a story from the Internet by Christina Waggoner
"I approached Karen Pryor at ClickerExpo. "Uh...I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Chris Waggoner and I loved your book..." I stammered. > Karen smiled and shook my hand and said, "Which one?">
"Don't Shoot The Dog" I barely managed to> get out.
In Chris’es mind, there was only one. She adds, “sorry, Karen-if it helps, I bought "Lads Before The Wind" at that Expo! Karen must have thought I was a bit soft in the head, but she was so polite and still thanked me.”
So, Chris, a few years later, let me explain!
Asking you "Which one?" was a private joke, and a little impolite of me. My FIRST book, in 1963, was "Nursing Your Baby." It was the first book ever written about breast feeding for mothers themselves, rather than a medical audience. It sold over a million copies in the next twenty years and I spent a lot of time working with La Leche League and helping mothers. For many years when someone came up to me and said "I loved your book" or "Your book changed my life" it was Nursing Your Baby they were talking about. So sometimes when a young woman comes up with that opening I still do wonder which book she is talking about.
Dog trainers of course seldom know me as the author of Nursing Your Baby. I should have remembered that. However Don't Shoot the Dog had a very slow start, and was hardly known to anyone for a long time. I remember vividly when for the very first time it was DSTD the person was talking about.
It happened in a shelter in Seattle. The person behind the counter said "Your book saved my life." I said Which one? She said "Don't Shoot the Dog. I had a doberman with major aggression problems." "What did you do?" I asked. She said calmly "I shot the dog."
Of course I am now waiting for the first person who comes up and says "Your book changed my life" and it is Reaching the Animal Mind they are talking about! Won't be long now...
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
"I approached Karen Pryor at ClickerExpo. "Uh...I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Chris Waggoner and I loved your book..." I stammered. > Karen smiled and shook my hand and said, "Which one?">
"Don't Shoot The Dog" I barely managed to> get out.
In Chris’es mind, there was only one. She adds, “sorry, Karen-if it helps, I bought "Lads Before The Wind" at that Expo! Karen must have thought I was a bit soft in the head, but she was so polite and still thanked me.”
So, Chris, a few years later, let me explain!
Asking you "Which one?" was a private joke, and a little impolite of me. My FIRST book, in 1963, was "Nursing Your Baby." It was the first book ever written about breast feeding for mothers themselves, rather than a medical audience. It sold over a million copies in the next twenty years and I spent a lot of time working with La Leche League and helping mothers. For many years when someone came up to me and said "I loved your book" or "Your book changed my life" it was Nursing Your Baby they were talking about. So sometimes when a young woman comes up with that opening I still do wonder which book she is talking about.
Dog trainers of course seldom know me as the author of Nursing Your Baby. I should have remembered that. However Don't Shoot the Dog had a very slow start, and was hardly known to anyone for a long time. I remember vividly when for the very first time it was DSTD the person was talking about.
It happened in a shelter in Seattle. The person behind the counter said "Your book saved my life." I said Which one? She said "Don't Shoot the Dog. I had a doberman with major aggression problems." "What did you do?" I asked. She said calmly "I shot the dog."
Of course I am now waiting for the first person who comes up and says "Your book changed my life" and it is Reaching the Animal Mind they are talking about! Won't be long now...
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
"Your book changed my life..." department
Here’s a story from the Internet by Christina Waggoner
"I approached Karen Pryor at ClickerExpo. "Uh...I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Chris Waggoner and I loved your book..." I stammered. > Karen smiled and shook my hand and said, "Which one?">
"Don't Shoot The Dog" I barely managed to> get out.
In Chris’es mind, there was only one. She adds, “sorry, Karen-if it helps, I bought "Lads Before The Wind" at that Expo! Karen must have thought I was a bit soft in the head, but she was so polite and still thanked me.”
So, Chris, a few years later, let me explain!
Asking you "Which one?" was a private joke, and a little impolite of me. My FIRST book, in 1963, was "Nursing Your Baby." It was the first book ever written about breast feeding for mothers themselves, rather than a medical audience. It sold over a million copies in the next twenty years and I spent a lot of time working with La Leche League and helping mothers. For many years when someone came up to me and said "I loved your book" or "Your book changed my life" it was Nursing Your Baby they were talking about. So sometimes when a young woman comes up with that opening I still do wonder which book she is talking about.
Dog trainers of course seldom know me as the author of Nursing Your Baby. I should have remembered that. However Don't Shoot the Dog had a very slow start, and was hardly known to anyone for a long time. I remember vividly when for the very first time it was DSTD the person was talking about.
It happened in a shelter in Seattle. The person behind the counter said "Your book saved my life." I said Which one? She said "Don't Shoot the Dog. I had a doberman with major aggression problems." "What did you do?" I asked. She said calmly "I shot the dog."
Of course I am now waiting for the first person who comes up and says "Your book changed my life" and it is Reaching the Animal Mind they are talking about! Won't be long now...
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
"I approached Karen Pryor at ClickerExpo. "Uh...I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Chris Waggoner and I loved your book..." I stammered. > Karen smiled and shook my hand and said, "Which one?">
"Don't Shoot The Dog" I barely managed to> get out.
In Chris’es mind, there was only one. She adds, “sorry, Karen-if it helps, I bought "Lads Before The Wind" at that Expo! Karen must have thought I was a bit soft in the head, but she was so polite and still thanked me.”
So, Chris, a few years later, let me explain!
Asking you "Which one?" was a private joke, and a little impolite of me. My FIRST book, in 1963, was "Nursing Your Baby." It was the first book ever written about breast feeding for mothers themselves, rather than a medical audience. It sold over a million copies in the next twenty years and I spent a lot of time working with La Leche League and helping mothers. For many years when someone came up to me and said "I loved your book" or "Your book changed my life" it was Nursing Your Baby they were talking about. So sometimes when a young woman comes up with that opening I still do wonder which book she is talking about.
Dog trainers of course seldom know me as the author of Nursing Your Baby. I should have remembered that. However Don't Shoot the Dog had a very slow start, and was hardly known to anyone for a long time. I remember vividly when for the very first time it was DSTD the person was talking about.
It happened in a shelter in Seattle. The person behind the counter said "Your book saved my life." I said Which one? She said "Don't Shoot the Dog. I had a doberman with major aggression problems." "What did you do?" I asked. She said calmly "I shot the dog."
Of course I am now waiting for the first person who comes up and says "Your book changed my life" and it is Reaching the Animal Mind they are talking about! Won't be long now...
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
"Your book changed my life..." department
Here’s a story from the Internet by Christina Waggoner
"I approached Karen Pryor at ClickerExpo. "Uh...I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Chris Waggoner and I loved your book..." I stammered. > Karen smiled and shook my hand and said, "Which one?">
"Don't Shoot The Dog" I barely managed to> get out.
In Chris’es mind, there was only one. She adds, “sorry, Karen-if it helps, I bought "Lads Before The Wind" at that Expo! Karen must have thought I was a bit soft in the head, but she was so polite and still thanked me.”
So, Chris, a few years later, let me explain!
Asking you "Which one?" was a private joke, and a little impolite of me. My FIRST book, in 1963, was "Nursing Your Baby." It was the first book ever written about breast feeding for mothers themselves, rather than a medical audience. It sold over a million copies in the next twenty years and I spent a lot of time working with La Leche League and helping mothers. For many years when someone came up to me and said "I loved your book" or "Your book changed my life" it was Nursing Your Baby they were talking about. So sometimes when a young woman comes up with that opening I still do wonder which book she is talking about.
Dog trainers of course seldom know me as the author of Nursing Your Baby. I should have remembered that. However Don't Shoot the Dog had a very slow start, and was hardly known to anyone for a long time. I remember vividly when for the very first time it was DSTD the person was talking about.
It happened in a shelter in Seattle. The person behind the counter said "Your book saved my life." I said Which one? She said "Don't Shoot the Dog. I had a doberman with major aggression problems." "What did you do?" I asked. She said calmly "I shot the dog."
Of course I am now waiting for the first person who comes up and says "Your book changed my life" and it is Reaching the Animal Mind they are talking about! Won't be long now...
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
"I approached Karen Pryor at ClickerExpo. "Uh...I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Chris Waggoner and I loved your book..." I stammered. > Karen smiled and shook my hand and said, "Which one?">
"Don't Shoot The Dog" I barely managed to> get out.
In Chris’es mind, there was only one. She adds, “sorry, Karen-if it helps, I bought "Lads Before The Wind" at that Expo! Karen must have thought I was a bit soft in the head, but she was so polite and still thanked me.”
So, Chris, a few years later, let me explain!
Asking you "Which one?" was a private joke, and a little impolite of me. My FIRST book, in 1963, was "Nursing Your Baby." It was the first book ever written about breast feeding for mothers themselves, rather than a medical audience. It sold over a million copies in the next twenty years and I spent a lot of time working with La Leche League and helping mothers. For many years when someone came up to me and said "I loved your book" or "Your book changed my life" it was Nursing Your Baby they were talking about. So sometimes when a young woman comes up with that opening I still do wonder which book she is talking about.
Dog trainers of course seldom know me as the author of Nursing Your Baby. I should have remembered that. However Don't Shoot the Dog had a very slow start, and was hardly known to anyone for a long time. I remember vividly when for the very first time it was DSTD the person was talking about.
It happened in a shelter in Seattle. The person behind the counter said "Your book saved my life." I said Which one? She said "Don't Shoot the Dog. I had a doberman with major aggression problems." "What did you do?" I asked. She said calmly "I shot the dog."
Of course I am now waiting for the first person who comes up and says "Your book changed my life" and it is Reaching the Animal Mind they are talking about! Won't be long now...
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
"Your book changed my life..." department
Here’s a story from the Internet by Christina Waggoner
"I approached Karen Pryor at ClickerExpo. "Uh...I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Chris Waggoner and I loved your book..." I stammered. > Karen smiled and shook my hand and said, "Which one?">
"Don't Shoot The Dog" I barely managed to> get out.
In Chris’es mind, there was only one. She adds, “sorry, Karen-if it helps, I bought "Lads Before The Wind" at that Expo! Karen must have thought I was a bit soft in the head, but she was so polite and still thanked me.”
So, Chris, a few years later, let me explain!
Asking you "Which one?" was a private joke, and a little impolite of me. My FIRST book, in 1963, was "Nursing Your Baby." It was the first book ever written about breast feeding for mothers themselves, rather than a medical audience. It sold over a million copies in the next twenty years and I spent a lot of time working with La Leche League and helping mothers. For many years when someone came up to me and said "I loved your book" or "Your book changed my life" it was Nursing Your Baby they were talking about. So sometimes when a young woman comes up with that opening I still do wonder which book she is talking about.
Dog trainers of course seldom know me as the author of Nursing Your Baby. I should have remembered that. However Don't Shoot the Dog had a very slow start, and was hardly known to anyone for a long time. I remember vividly when for the very first time it was DSTD the person was talking about.
It happened in a shelter in Seattle. The person behind the counter said "Your book saved my life." I said Which one? She said "Don't Shoot the Dog. I had a doberman with major aggression problems." "What did you do?" I asked. She said calmly "I shot the dog."
Of course I am now waiting for the first person who comes up and says "Your book changed my life" and it is Reaching the Animal Mind they are talking about! Won't be long now...
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
"I approached Karen Pryor at ClickerExpo. "Uh...I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Chris Waggoner and I loved your book..." I stammered. > Karen smiled and shook my hand and said, "Which one?">
"Don't Shoot The Dog" I barely managed to> get out.
In Chris’es mind, there was only one. She adds, “sorry, Karen-if it helps, I bought "Lads Before The Wind" at that Expo! Karen must have thought I was a bit soft in the head, but she was so polite and still thanked me.”
So, Chris, a few years later, let me explain!
Asking you "Which one?" was a private joke, and a little impolite of me. My FIRST book, in 1963, was "Nursing Your Baby." It was the first book ever written about breast feeding for mothers themselves, rather than a medical audience. It sold over a million copies in the next twenty years and I spent a lot of time working with La Leche League and helping mothers. For many years when someone came up to me and said "I loved your book" or "Your book changed my life" it was Nursing Your Baby they were talking about. So sometimes when a young woman comes up with that opening I still do wonder which book she is talking about.
Dog trainers of course seldom know me as the author of Nursing Your Baby. I should have remembered that. However Don't Shoot the Dog had a very slow start, and was hardly known to anyone for a long time. I remember vividly when for the very first time it was DSTD the person was talking about.
It happened in a shelter in Seattle. The person behind the counter said "Your book saved my life." I said Which one? She said "Don't Shoot the Dog. I had a doberman with major aggression problems." "What did you do?" I asked. She said calmly "I shot the dog."
Of course I am now waiting for the first person who comes up and says "Your book changed my life" and it is Reaching the Animal Mind they are talking about! Won't be long now...
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
"Your book changed my life..." department
Here’s a story from the Internet by Christina Waggoner
"I approached Karen Pryor at ClickerExpo. "Uh...I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Chris Waggoner and I loved your book..." I stammered. > Karen smiled and shook my hand and said, "Which one?">
"Don't Shoot The Dog" I barely managed to> get out.
In Chris’es mind, there was only one. She adds, “sorry, Karen-if it helps, I bought "Lads Before The Wind" at that Expo! Karen must have thought I was a bit soft in the head, but she was so polite and still thanked me.”
So, Chris, a few years later, let me explain!
Asking you "Which one?" was a private joke, and a little impolite of me. My FIRST book, in 1963, was "Nursing Your Baby." It was the first book ever written about breast feeding for mothers themselves, rather than a medical audience. It sold over a million copies in the next twenty years and I spent a lot of time working with La Leche League and helping mothers. For many years when someone came up to me and said "I loved your book" or "Your book changed my life" it was Nursing Your Baby they were talking about. So sometimes when a young woman comes up with that opening I still do wonder which book she is talking about.
Dog trainers of course seldom know me as the author of Nursing Your Baby. I should have remembered that. However Don't Shoot the Dog had a very slow start, and was hardly known to anyone for a long time. I remember vividly when for the very first time it was DSTD the person was talking about.
It happened in a shelter in Seattle. The person behind the counter said "Your book saved my life." I said Which one? She said "Don't Shoot the Dog. I had a doberman with major aggression problems." "What did you do?" I asked. She said calmly "I shot the dog."
Of course I am now waiting for the first person who comes up and says "Your book changed my life" and it is Reaching the Animal Mind they are talking about! Won't be long now...
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
"I approached Karen Pryor at ClickerExpo. "Uh...I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Chris Waggoner and I loved your book..." I stammered. > Karen smiled and shook my hand and said, "Which one?">
"Don't Shoot The Dog" I barely managed to> get out.
In Chris’es mind, there was only one. She adds, “sorry, Karen-if it helps, I bought "Lads Before The Wind" at that Expo! Karen must have thought I was a bit soft in the head, but she was so polite and still thanked me.”
So, Chris, a few years later, let me explain!
Asking you "Which one?" was a private joke, and a little impolite of me. My FIRST book, in 1963, was "Nursing Your Baby." It was the first book ever written about breast feeding for mothers themselves, rather than a medical audience. It sold over a million copies in the next twenty years and I spent a lot of time working with La Leche League and helping mothers. For many years when someone came up to me and said "I loved your book" or "Your book changed my life" it was Nursing Your Baby they were talking about. So sometimes when a young woman comes up with that opening I still do wonder which book she is talking about.
Dog trainers of course seldom know me as the author of Nursing Your Baby. I should have remembered that. However Don't Shoot the Dog had a very slow start, and was hardly known to anyone for a long time. I remember vividly when for the very first time it was DSTD the person was talking about.
It happened in a shelter in Seattle. The person behind the counter said "Your book saved my life." I said Which one? She said "Don't Shoot the Dog. I had a doberman with major aggression problems." "What did you do?" I asked. She said calmly "I shot the dog."
Of course I am now waiting for the first person who comes up and says "Your book changed my life" and it is Reaching the Animal Mind they are talking about! Won't be long now...
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
"Your book changed my life..." department
Here’s a story from the Internet by Christina Waggoner
"I approached Karen Pryor at ClickerExpo. "Uh...I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Chris Waggoner and I loved your book..." I stammered. > Karen smiled and shook my hand and said, "Which one?">
"Don't Shoot The Dog" I barely managed to> get out.
In Chris’es mind, there was only one. She adds, “sorry, Karen-if it helps, I bought "Lads Before The Wind" at that Expo! Karen must have thought I was a bit soft in the head, but she was so polite and still thanked me.”
So, Chris, a few years later, let me explain!
Asking you "Which one?" was a private joke, and a little impolite of me. My FIRST book, in 1963, was "Nursing Your Baby." It was the first book ever written about breast feeding for mothers themselves, rather than a medical audience. It sold over a million copies in the next twenty years and I spent a lot of time working with La Leche League and helping mothers. For many years when someone came up to me and said "I loved your book" or "Your book changed my life" it was Nursing Your Baby they were talking about. So sometimes when a young woman comes up with that opening I still do wonder which book she is talking about.
Dog trainers of course seldom know me as the author of Nursing Your Baby. I should have remembered that. However Don't Shoot the Dog had a very slow start, and was hardly known to anyone for a long time. I remember vividly when for the very first time it was DSTD the person was talking about.
It happened in a shelter in Seattle. The person behind the counter said "Your book saved my life." I said Which one? She said "Don't Shoot the Dog. I had a doberman with major aggression problems." "What did you do?" I asked. She said calmly "I shot the dog."
Of course I am now waiting for the first person who comes up and says "Your book changed my life" and it is Reaching the Animal Mind they are talking about! Won't be long now...
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
"I approached Karen Pryor at ClickerExpo. "Uh...I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Chris Waggoner and I loved your book..." I stammered. > Karen smiled and shook my hand and said, "Which one?">
"Don't Shoot The Dog" I barely managed to> get out.
In Chris’es mind, there was only one. She adds, “sorry, Karen-if it helps, I bought "Lads Before The Wind" at that Expo! Karen must have thought I was a bit soft in the head, but she was so polite and still thanked me.”
So, Chris, a few years later, let me explain!
Asking you "Which one?" was a private joke, and a little impolite of me. My FIRST book, in 1963, was "Nursing Your Baby." It was the first book ever written about breast feeding for mothers themselves, rather than a medical audience. It sold over a million copies in the next twenty years and I spent a lot of time working with La Leche League and helping mothers. For many years when someone came up to me and said "I loved your book" or "Your book changed my life" it was Nursing Your Baby they were talking about. So sometimes when a young woman comes up with that opening I still do wonder which book she is talking about.
Dog trainers of course seldom know me as the author of Nursing Your Baby. I should have remembered that. However Don't Shoot the Dog had a very slow start, and was hardly known to anyone for a long time. I remember vividly when for the very first time it was DSTD the person was talking about.
It happened in a shelter in Seattle. The person behind the counter said "Your book saved my life." I said Which one? She said "Don't Shoot the Dog. I had a doberman with major aggression problems." "What did you do?" I asked. She said calmly "I shot the dog."
Of course I am now waiting for the first person who comes up and says "Your book changed my life" and it is Reaching the Animal Mind they are talking about! Won't be long now...
Get more on Karen Pryor at SimonandSchuster.com
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