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30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog: The Loved Dog Method
From Oprah’s dog trainer and the New York Times bestselling author of The Loved Dog —a groundbreaking thirty-day plan for coaching dogs of all ages to become housebroken, happy, and well behaved within one month.
Long known as a dog coach to the stars—her clients include Oprah Winfrey, Ben Affleck, Courteney Cox-Arquette, Owen Wilson, Natalie Portman, and Larry King—Tamar Geller changed the way Americans relate to their dogs with her bestselling book The Loved Dog . Her approach is simple and down-to-earth. Instead of utilizing the negative and often painful feedback of physical dominance, choke chains, and prong collars, Tamar recommends love, play, and mutual respect as the keys to a happy home for dog and human alike.
Now, Tamar makes her Loved Dog™ Method accessible for everyone with this day-by-day guide that will lead you through the first thirty days with your new dog—or help you make a fresh start with your current dog. Drawing on her studies of wolves in the wild and basing her method on the principles of child development, Tamar uses an "instincts versus choice" approach that satisfies a dog’s Seven Basic Needs and will result in a pet with good manners.
30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog covers every question commonly asked by people embarking on the momentous journey of dog why it’s important to choose the appropriate dog for you and your lifestyle, what you can expect from a puppy versus an adult dog, how to introduce your new dog to your home, and how to respond when things don’t go according to plan. Tamar guides you every step of the way, from addressing undesired behaviors in your dog to crate and paper training him to introducing him to other dogs and helping him become relaxed with strangers. Included are important but often overlooked tips about the use of words and body language to communicate, the power of play, and the amazing value of teaching your dog some lighthearted pet tricks.
Along the way, Tamar debunks myths in need of that dogs are frequently "alpha" by nature and need to be dominated; that discipline is the key to dog training, and that "success" only means getting your dog to do what you want. Instead, she shows how to align your dog's wishes with your own to create a rich and enduring relationship that works wonderfully for you both.
Gentle, firm, and effective, 30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog will build your relationship with your dog to make every new day together a day of love, joy, and discovery.
Long known as a dog coach to the stars—her clients include Oprah Winfrey, Ben Affleck, Courteney Cox-Arquette, Owen Wilson, Natalie Portman, and Larry King—Tamar Geller changed the way Americans relate to their dogs with her bestselling book The Loved Dog . Her approach is simple and down-to-earth. Instead of utilizing the negative and often painful feedback of physical dominance, choke chains, and prong collars, Tamar recommends love, play, and mutual respect as the keys to a happy home for dog and human alike.
Now, Tamar makes her Loved Dog™ Method accessible for everyone with this day-by-day guide that will lead you through the first thirty days with your new dog—or help you make a fresh start with your current dog. Drawing on her studies of wolves in the wild and basing her method on the principles of child development, Tamar uses an "instincts versus choice" approach that satisfies a dog’s Seven Basic Needs and will result in a pet with good manners.
30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog covers every question commonly asked by people embarking on the momentous journey of dog why it’s important to choose the appropriate dog for you and your lifestyle, what you can expect from a puppy versus an adult dog, how to introduce your new dog to your home, and how to respond when things don’t go according to plan. Tamar guides you every step of the way, from addressing undesired behaviors in your dog to crate and paper training him to introducing him to other dogs and helping him become relaxed with strangers. Included are important but often overlooked tips about the use of words and body language to communicate, the power of play, and the amazing value of teaching your dog some lighthearted pet tricks.
Along the way, Tamar debunks myths in need of that dogs are frequently "alpha" by nature and need to be dominated; that discipline is the key to dog training, and that "success" only means getting your dog to do what you want. Instead, she shows how to align your dog's wishes with your own to create a rich and enduring relationship that works wonderfully for you both.
Gentle, firm, and effective, 30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog will build your relationship with your dog to make every new day together a day of love, joy, and discovery.
416 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 2010
49 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
April 5, 2013
There was a lot of good information on positive ways to interact with and train your dog in this book. I like that. However, the frequent name-dropping of Hollywood clients, such as Oprah, got more than a little tiresome. Also, the narrator’s cloyingly sweet tone in the audiobook became annoying quickly.
I believe in positive training methods, I really do. However, this trainer implied that changing aggressive and troublesome canine behavior was simply a matter of getting your dog to love you through treats and petting. It’s often way more complicated than a few simple sessions of positive reinforcement. I applaud that she was attempting to get people to think positively and work with their dog’s issues rather than dropping the animal off at the nearest shelter. Unfortunately that is a very common response, and the author was clear and blunt about what actually happens when a dog or cat is discarded this way. People need to know that BEFORE they take on the responsibility of an animal and think long and hard before giving up.
So while giving people effective tools to work with the problems their companion animals have is a great thing, it is also important to be clear about the time and effort significant behavior change takes. It’s definitely worth doing, but the transformation seldom happens over-night or even within a 30 day period of time. In addition, I believe there is a place for negative consequences in training troublesome canine behavior that is not responding to more positive, “friendly” methods. You need to love your dog (or your child) enough to be the “bad guy” occasionally. It can save their life.
I’m glad I listened to this book. The author is an experienced trainer with much to offer. She just doesn’t have the entire answer for every dog in all situations. If her program doesn’t work with your dog(s), try some Michael Ellis training DVDs and use what works for you.
I believe in positive training methods, I really do. However, this trainer implied that changing aggressive and troublesome canine behavior was simply a matter of getting your dog to love you through treats and petting. It’s often way more complicated than a few simple sessions of positive reinforcement. I applaud that she was attempting to get people to think positively and work with their dog’s issues rather than dropping the animal off at the nearest shelter. Unfortunately that is a very common response, and the author was clear and blunt about what actually happens when a dog or cat is discarded this way. People need to know that BEFORE they take on the responsibility of an animal and think long and hard before giving up.
So while giving people effective tools to work with the problems their companion animals have is a great thing, it is also important to be clear about the time and effort significant behavior change takes. It’s definitely worth doing, but the transformation seldom happens over-night or even within a 30 day period of time. In addition, I believe there is a place for negative consequences in training troublesome canine behavior that is not responding to more positive, “friendly” methods. You need to love your dog (or your child) enough to be the “bad guy” occasionally. It can save their life.
I’m glad I listened to this book. The author is an experienced trainer with much to offer. She just doesn’t have the entire answer for every dog in all situations. If her program doesn’t work with your dog(s), try some Michael Ellis training DVDs and use what works for you.
May 2, 2013
This book is wonderful.
I've read a lot of dog training books, including a few by Cesar Millan and the Monks of New Skete, and this would be the one I'd recommend. I think it's really important that Tamar's methods are 99% positive reinforcement. Those are the kinds I've had the most success with, both in terms of dog behavior and bonding with my dog. Pat Miller's books are also great, but the organization of this one is just fantastic. It's also well-written and an easy read.
In this book Tamar Geller does what many other dog training books have trouble with - she tells you her philosophy of training, why it works, and gives you the big picture of it all, while ALSO teaching you how to train the individual behaviors. She's give you the step-by-step of how to train the basic commands and good manners in general and also gives you the explanation of why her method of training that particular behavior works. This gives you the knowledge you need to be able to adjust your training to your own dog when it's necessary.
I would 100% recommend this book to anyone - if you know nothing of dog training or if you're experienced. I have had my first dog 3 years and he's very well behaved (and a Canine Good Citizen) from lessons I've learned elsewhere (multiple training classes, multiple books), but I started reading this book to help train my second dog I just got from the Humane Society. I will be using this book to coach her in the right direction! She came to us very fearful and shy and Tamar has taught me that it's extra important to use loving methods. It makes total sense.
I've read a lot of dog training books, including a few by Cesar Millan and the Monks of New Skete, and this would be the one I'd recommend. I think it's really important that Tamar's methods are 99% positive reinforcement. Those are the kinds I've had the most success with, both in terms of dog behavior and bonding with my dog. Pat Miller's books are also great, but the organization of this one is just fantastic. It's also well-written and an easy read.
In this book Tamar Geller does what many other dog training books have trouble with - she tells you her philosophy of training, why it works, and gives you the big picture of it all, while ALSO teaching you how to train the individual behaviors. She's give you the step-by-step of how to train the basic commands and good manners in general and also gives you the explanation of why her method of training that particular behavior works. This gives you the knowledge you need to be able to adjust your training to your own dog when it's necessary.
I would 100% recommend this book to anyone - if you know nothing of dog training or if you're experienced. I have had my first dog 3 years and he's very well behaved (and a Canine Good Citizen) from lessons I've learned elsewhere (multiple training classes, multiple books), but I started reading this book to help train my second dog I just got from the Humane Society. I will be using this book to coach her in the right direction! She came to us very fearful and shy and Tamar has taught me that it's extra important to use loving methods. It makes total sense.
June 4, 2014
This book would be better titled "30 WEEKS to a Well-Mannered Dog," but that probably wouldn't sell as many books since people these days want the magic bullet to instant results.
However, I've been incorporating some of the philosophy with my impossible dog, Goober, and have gotten fantastic results. I've even taught him how to speak on command, something I've never even attempted before. He's coming when I call him much better from out in the yard (Goober is a devout backyard hunter) and he's quit chewing up and eating any and everything inside the house and out in the yard. Best of all, he's trying to please me these days and he used to barely give a rip about me at all.
This is the best, most practical dog book I've read yet. I've been using the philosophy with my cats for years with good results; makes too much sense to apply it to dogs, but hey, better late than never. Gellar's techniques work!
However, I've been incorporating some of the philosophy with my impossible dog, Goober, and have gotten fantastic results. I've even taught him how to speak on command, something I've never even attempted before. He's coming when I call him much better from out in the yard (Goober is a devout backyard hunter) and he's quit chewing up and eating any and everything inside the house and out in the yard. Best of all, he's trying to please me these days and he used to barely give a rip about me at all.
This is the best, most practical dog book I've read yet. I've been using the philosophy with my cats for years with good results; makes too much sense to apply it to dogs, but hey, better late than never. Gellar's techniques work!
July 18, 2023
Anyone who interacts with animals of any kind will benefit from this audiobook. Tamar Geller provides an excellent introduction to the concepts and theory behind positive reinforcement training; how to apply it; and how to read, understand, and work with (not against) our dogs’ behaviour. The focus is on meeting dogs where they are at and helping them to become the best versions of themselves, not “the perfect pet”—this approach makes it unique from many other training references focused on training the perfect pet.
The chronological order of lessons is best set up for owners bringing home and training a young puppy. However, owners of older dogs and rescue dogs will still find valuable lessons. I recommend finishing the audiobook before bringing home your dog or starting training, so you can pick and choose what is most important. For example, for owners bringing home a new rescue, especially those living in urban areas/condos, house-training, walking on leash, and basic socialization will be top of mind by necessity in the first few days, but these lessons do not come until later on in the book.
While Tamar advocates for rescues throughout, I find this book lacking in some areas with sufficient detail for training rescues or dogs with difficult behavioural issues, and may serve as more of a starting point than a comprehensive guide to training. Areas I found lacking in detail:
- socializing nervous or reactive dogs on leash with additional examples of exercises to practice
- sleep training
- alternative options for leash-training beyond the “be a tree method.” For those without a backyard that may need to start walking the dog for bathroom breaks immediately, it’s not the most realistic option
- information on balancing food quantity / nutritional needs during periods of frequent training when many training treats are needed
The chronological order of lessons is best set up for owners bringing home and training a young puppy. However, owners of older dogs and rescue dogs will still find valuable lessons. I recommend finishing the audiobook before bringing home your dog or starting training, so you can pick and choose what is most important. For example, for owners bringing home a new rescue, especially those living in urban areas/condos, house-training, walking on leash, and basic socialization will be top of mind by necessity in the first few days, but these lessons do not come until later on in the book.
While Tamar advocates for rescues throughout, I find this book lacking in some areas with sufficient detail for training rescues or dogs with difficult behavioural issues, and may serve as more of a starting point than a comprehensive guide to training. Areas I found lacking in detail:
- socializing nervous or reactive dogs on leash with additional examples of exercises to practice
- sleep training
- alternative options for leash-training beyond the “be a tree method.” For those without a backyard that may need to start walking the dog for bathroom breaks immediately, it’s not the most realistic option
- information on balancing food quantity / nutritional needs during periods of frequent training when many training treats are needed
April 28, 2024
Her training techniques, knowledge of dog behavior and body language, and other suggestions are all great. I have been applying them to my own dogs and they learn so quickly this way! I disagree on her nutrition recommendations but otherwise highly recommended read
May 31, 2022
Decent training methods, but the author is a shameless name dropper. 3⭐
October 28, 2023
The step-by-step instructions of how to teach various commands were very helpful, but the constant name-dropping and the preaching/shaming really took away from what would have otherwise been a great book.
January 10, 2011
An inconsistent blend of common sense, traditional instructions and milder forms of correction. The corrections she does choose to present are ones I do not object to, though other reviews have, however, one has to question the means by which the author makes the decision which to approve and which to pooh-pooh. It really is kind of a puzzle what she opts to promote and (in most cases) what she opts to speak out against. She's got it all wrong when it comes to defining terms like "alpha", "dominance", and "negative feedback", choosing to focus only on the negative connotations the first two terms have had in the past, rather than their true definitions and the positives of each. There's nothing "negative" about negative feedback, either. The author is confusing negative feedback with punishment. True negative feedback is the absence of feedback. For example, where praise would be positive feedback, lack of praise (lack of any kind of acknowledgment)is the "negative" feedback. If your dog is doing something you want to phase out, ignoring the behavior, rather calling attention to it, is a negative type of "feedback" that works in some situations. You've heard "the squeaky wheel gets the grease"? You've heard "positive attention or negative attention is still attention?"
Structure seems rather random and scattered, compared to her previous book.
Once again, nothing new here, though maybe the presentation makes it all more easily understood for some. Good if you want a "how-to" manual, complete with clear pictures and precise description.
Overall, unimpressive. Once you've read as many training/behavior books as I have, you can assess them pretty quickly. The main idea is that any given method might be the method that "clicks" for a person (where others didn't) who might not otherwise do anything at all.
User-friendly but not earth-shattering. Could do without all of the celebrity name-dropping and Oprah references (gag).
Structure seems rather random and scattered, compared to her previous book.
Once again, nothing new here, though maybe the presentation makes it all more easily understood for some. Good if you want a "how-to" manual, complete with clear pictures and precise description.
Overall, unimpressive. Once you've read as many training/behavior books as I have, you can assess them pretty quickly. The main idea is that any given method might be the method that "clicks" for a person (where others didn't) who might not otherwise do anything at all.
User-friendly but not earth-shattering. Could do without all of the celebrity name-dropping and Oprah references (gag).
June 3, 2015
This book would have been at minimum four-star - maybe even five star, except for two things. One, the interminable name-dropping. It's very useful for the author to share real-life training sessions to illustrate her points - but who really cares if the dog involved belongs to Oprah or Brad Paisley, or Joe the janitor down the block? The fame of her clients does not make me more confident in her methods - we all know how many crazy, goofy, and/or dangerous things celebrities become involved with, just because they can. The other item that bothered me were the Appendices - one on puppy mills, another on shelters and euthanasia. Having been involved with shelters for many years, I do not disagree with her observations - however I think she went overboard in this particular venue, while trying to convince owners to train rather than surrender. I expect that those people who would pick up this book to begin with are those who are looking to train (coach).....people who surrender generally do so without much of an effort to fix the situation. At any rate, she's given me some great ideas to try with my own dogs (one of whom is, to put it mildly, a bit of a challenger). For that, I thank her, and would recommend this book - just skip the Appendices for your own peace of mind.
March 21, 2021
This book is full of practical and common sense ways to make your life with your dog better. My rescue and I have been together for three short weeks, so we both have a lot of learning to do. So much progress was made during the few days as I listened to and incorporated the ideas Tamar presented.
The comments about name dropping are entirely accurate and probably unnecessary, but whatever!
The comments about name dropping are entirely accurate and probably unnecessary, but whatever!
September 29, 2020
I thought this was fine. Good ideas that we will use. Didn't like the name dropping to seemingly give her credibility.
Updated: I came back and read this again, now that we actually have our dog and are trying to remember the different techniques. Very useful and has good ideas.
Updated: I came back and read this again, now that we actually have our dog and are trying to remember the different techniques. Very useful and has good ideas.
March 6, 2024
Read twice all the way through, and then purchased a hardcopy to keep and take notes in. I Loved this view of dog-training!
July 2, 2023
My favorite of the dog training books we've read.
The audio version is free from the library and we are both re-listening to the book because it's so helpful. We're also looking for a used copy to purchase.
Tamar gives great examples and explanations to help the content stick in my memory. There are specific things we'd like to reference as needed, so we'd like to own the book. We don't buy books any more because usually after we read them, they aren't looked at again frequently, if ever. So it makes more sense for us to use the library.
I've never had a dog, so I wasn't familiar with dog training / coaching. We have a neighbor who screams "come back here" when their dog runs off, which has always seemed wrong--why would anyone want to go back to someone angrily yelling at them? (Also we have no idea why he doesn't use a leash).
I love animals, but dogs were often a confusing situation for me. To be honest, most dogs I've met I wasn't fond of. Instead of being calm, they would jump up on me, sometimes their nails scratching, barking, or licking. I am very short, so if it's a bigger dog their face was near mine and they were practically pushing me over. My default would be to keep turning so my back was facing them and pleading "No". Sometimes the owner would say "they're friendly" or "they're just saying hello"--okay, great that's your opinion, but I do not want a random dog jumping up on me while I'm walking in a public area! I've even had a dog nip me while volunteering and the owner brush it off (I kept turning my back so it got the back of my leg). It's crazy how inconsiderate some people are. I was heartened by Tamar's recommendation to ignore bad behavior, and you can also calmly say "No", since that's basically what I had been doing. I know some people will stick their knee in the chest of stranger's dog that come up to them, but again to me it seems like that's more the human caretaker's fault #1 train your dog so it doesn't jump up or approach strangers unless invited. #2 use a leash.
Tamar recommends positive reinforcement: use lots of affection, treats, and play to reward your dog :) Our newly adopted shelter dog already knew sit and shake (I don't think we would have taught him shake, but it has proven useful for step in harness or if his leash is stuck around his leg).
A few times he has gotten very excited to see us again and tries to jump up. As soon as I ignore him, he gets down immediately and then I praise "Good sit" or "good down" or whichever action he took. He doesn't try to jump up again. Same thing when he put his two paws on the couch where I was sitting, ignore, he removed his paws immediately and then I enthuse "Good sit" or "good down" or whichever action he took. He doesn't try to put his paws on the couch again. (We have 3 cats, so we are trying to phase in some rooms and furniture to our new dog so that the cats feel like they have 'cat-only' areas. He is allowed on another couch that has a blanket down, and connects that as his area.)
Highly recommend the positive training approach for all dogs and cats. I wasn't finding many videos from Tamar, so I recommend Zak George for videos.
The audio version is free from the library and we are both re-listening to the book because it's so helpful. We're also looking for a used copy to purchase.
Tamar gives great examples and explanations to help the content stick in my memory. There are specific things we'd like to reference as needed, so we'd like to own the book. We don't buy books any more because usually after we read them, they aren't looked at again frequently, if ever. So it makes more sense for us to use the library.
I've never had a dog, so I wasn't familiar with dog training / coaching. We have a neighbor who screams "come back here" when their dog runs off, which has always seemed wrong--why would anyone want to go back to someone angrily yelling at them? (Also we have no idea why he doesn't use a leash).
I love animals, but dogs were often a confusing situation for me. To be honest, most dogs I've met I wasn't fond of. Instead of being calm, they would jump up on me, sometimes their nails scratching, barking, or licking. I am very short, so if it's a bigger dog their face was near mine and they were practically pushing me over. My default would be to keep turning so my back was facing them and pleading "No". Sometimes the owner would say "they're friendly" or "they're just saying hello"--okay, great that's your opinion, but I do not want a random dog jumping up on me while I'm walking in a public area! I've even had a dog nip me while volunteering and the owner brush it off (I kept turning my back so it got the back of my leg). It's crazy how inconsiderate some people are. I was heartened by Tamar's recommendation to ignore bad behavior, and you can also calmly say "No", since that's basically what I had been doing. I know some people will stick their knee in the chest of stranger's dog that come up to them, but again to me it seems like that's more the human caretaker's fault #1 train your dog so it doesn't jump up or approach strangers unless invited. #2 use a leash.
Tamar recommends positive reinforcement: use lots of affection, treats, and play to reward your dog :) Our newly adopted shelter dog already knew sit and shake (I don't think we would have taught him shake, but it has proven useful for step in harness or if his leash is stuck around his leg).
A few times he has gotten very excited to see us again and tries to jump up. As soon as I ignore him, he gets down immediately and then I praise "Good sit" or "good down" or whichever action he took. He doesn't try to jump up again. Same thing when he put his two paws on the couch where I was sitting, ignore, he removed his paws immediately and then I enthuse "Good sit" or "good down" or whichever action he took. He doesn't try to put his paws on the couch again. (We have 3 cats, so we are trying to phase in some rooms and furniture to our new dog so that the cats feel like they have 'cat-only' areas. He is allowed on another couch that has a blanket down, and connects that as his area.)
Highly recommend the positive training approach for all dogs and cats. I wasn't finding many videos from Tamar, so I recommend Zak George for videos.
July 6, 2021
This was a fantastic listen! I learned so much! I wish I would have had this years ago when we were training our first and second dogs. I made so many unknown errors...well, also that was the philosophy at the time, but this makes so much sense. It's a bit like Love and Logic for your child, just such a common sense approach when you think about it. I don't have a dog now, but I recommend this highly to anyone who is considering getting a dog, or anyone who has had a dog for years. Dogs are never too old to learn and this could make a huge improvement if your dog has some bad habits you'd like to replace with more acceptable behaviors to make both of you happier and increase your love bond. I will reread it when our traveling days are over and it makes sense to get another dog to dote on when we're home consistently.
November 14, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. I have heard a lot of the tips before through a variety of different podcasts and books, but she did a very good job of summarizing her philosophies in one place. They are also very doable tips that anyone can implement into their lives without being a professional dog trainer. The biggest tip being: always have some treats around to award good behavior and help your dog associate new/scary situations with pleasure. I listened to the audiobook and I could hear her passion and love of dogs. It really just inspired me to be a better dog mom to my shelter boy.
July 27, 2020
Amazing perspective on how to coach our dogs!
This is a phenomenal book to help train, or rather “coach” our dogs, and make sure we as owners understand their seven basic needs. A wonderful read!! This is a book I will re-read as a refresher as I continue to work with our dogs for years to come.
This is a phenomenal book to help train, or rather “coach” our dogs, and make sure we as owners understand their seven basic needs. A wonderful read!! This is a book I will re-read as a refresher as I continue to work with our dogs for years to come.
March 12, 2022
Liked this book so much that halfway through the audiobook I went ahead and ordered the paperback version. I'm ready to reread the beginning again and this time take notes, and hopefully be ready when our new rescue dog arrives in a week! Excited to put these lessons in to practice, even though I think it's going to be a lot longer than 30 days to train him!
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April 16, 2023Read the whole thing to get a framework of the philosophy before we get our dog and start trying things. The basic method is to provide positive reinforcement often, so that your dog knows you love it and will love you and do what you want it to. To reinforce by pleasure and not by pain or fear. So basically how I try to parent my kids…..:)
July 4, 2020
This coincides with most of the training my dogs have had in the past. I really like the building of skills laid out here. I’ve even learned things I didn’t know. This is one of the few books I feel like I want to purchase as a reference rather that just checking out of the library.
February 21, 2018
Love her ideas!! Can’t wait to get our puppy:)
September 26, 2019
Mostly common sense approaches for training a well mannered dog. I will use some of these tips to train our new puppy some day.
August 11, 2021
I loved this book. It helped a lot before we got a puppy this year.
January 2, 2022
I recommend this book over Cesar Milan’s book. It provides guidance and even suggests games.
October 10, 2022
Some concrete advice for training.
July 6, 2024
Very helpful for a new dog owner. I like her philosophy that you meet the 7 basic needs of your dog and most behavior issues will be resolved. She also explicitly teaches you how to train your dog in basic behaviors. Worked very well for our newly adopted dog!
January 4, 2014
I plan to use this book, along with Cesar Millan's "How to Raise the Perfect Dog" to train my new puppy. Geller says that you don't need to force your dog into submission, you want to win him over by fulfilling all of his needs and making him want to do what you want because he loves you so very much...like children want to make the right decisions to appease their parents.
She recommends "making a party" for your dog when he does something well at first--giving him a "jackpot" of treats and giving lots of loving praise.
She has trained many celebrity dogs, and name drops which is a bit annoying, but I really liked that she used the examples to tell about how she trained dogs in different situations.
This one isn't focused on puppyhood, but on all stages of life with a new dog. It goes through day by day what to do your first month with him home.
She recommends "making a party" for your dog when he does something well at first--giving him a "jackpot" of treats and giving lots of loving praise.
She has trained many celebrity dogs, and name drops which is a bit annoying, but I really liked that she used the examples to tell about how she trained dogs in different situations.
This one isn't focused on puppyhood, but on all stages of life with a new dog. It goes through day by day what to do your first month with him home.
September 1, 2019
When I changed over and became a "sitter" as opposed to the "I will come over and let your dog out" person, I noticed I was having problems with some of the dogs. The dogs were pulling on their leashes, jumping on me and on other people and in general being aggressive. If I didn't fix this problem fast, I was going to quit and/or get hurt by some of the bigger dogs.
I did my research and discovered I didn't like the Cesar Millan method. Being a "pack leader" all day doesn't work for me - it is too exhausting because you have to be on point all day long.. I was skeptical if the method would work for me on those days when I just didn't feel like being a "pack leader".
This book filled my needs. The author's method worked. It was quick, it was immediate and effective. Finally, it did not undermind the owners. It worked for me no matter what method the owners used on their animals.
I did my research and discovered I didn't like the Cesar Millan method. Being a "pack leader" all day doesn't work for me - it is too exhausting because you have to be on point all day long.. I was skeptical if the method would work for me on those days when I just didn't feel like being a "pack leader".
This book filled my needs. The author's method worked. It was quick, it was immediate and effective. Finally, it did not undermind the owners. It worked for me no matter what method the owners used on their animals.
February 10, 2013
Was really impressed with this book and it's recommendations until I got to about Day 27. Ms. Geller would hate for someone who wasn't an expert in her field to start giving training advice. Yet, she gives potentially dangerous veterinary medical advice. It is hard enough teaching my clients that raw diets are potentially dangerous to them and their pet and have no proven benefits. It is especially hard convincing them that recipes that have not actually been reviewed by veterinary nutritionists are everywhere and can have serious health consequences for their pets. I was excited to recommend this book until my clients until Ms. Geller stepped well outside her area of expertise.
May 22, 2015
I loved this. It was all about positive reinforcement and bonding with your dog, rather than correcting behaviors I think it helps build trust and strengthen the bond between humans and their canine companion(s). Must read! I have to say, it's more humane / loving to teach dog tricks with this (since I always need a treat and a positive state of mind, as opposed to intimidating a dog with harsh tones and maybe physical reinforcement) and it makes sense. I like the respect the author has towards dogs and I liked the appendix about dog shelters and adopting vs buying a purebred dog.
5 stars!
5 stars!
July 24, 2015
I found this book really inspiring.I won't use everything, but the basic concepts made such s difference! My new dog sits for food and to go out, and will generally stay calm on the leash. Making great progress with staying calm when meeting other dogs on walks.
The basics were really just about how to connect with my dog, to understand his needs, and how to use treats to create positive associations with me, home and desired actions. It sounds so simple, and it really is, but I would never have gotten there on my own.VERY grateful for this book.
The basics were really just about how to connect with my dog, to understand his needs, and how to use treats to create positive associations with me, home and desired actions. It sounds so simple, and it really is, but I would never have gotten there on my own.VERY grateful for this book.
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