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All Dogs Great and Small
The star of Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly imparts his wisdom on how to have the best relationship with your dog, told through the stories of some of the special dogs he’s loved and helped.
Happy Dog. Happy Owner. A dog with behavioral issues is an unhappy dog. And likely has an unhappy owner.
But the good news is that, at heart, every dog is good dog. Every dog wants to behave well for you and make you happy, but whether they're being diverted by fear, stress or uncertainty, something is stopping them.
The Dogfather. Having worked with over 5,000 dogs – from Great Danes to Chihuahuas, and everything in-between – he has seen every behavioural issue going, whether it’s aggression, house-destruction, refusal to obey commands or extreme anxiety. Through the stories of some of special dogs he’s loved or helped, he will give you the tools to understand and help your beloved pooch, and bring much-needed harmony to your home.
Happy Dog. Happy Owner. A dog with behavioral issues is an unhappy dog. And likely has an unhappy owner.
But the good news is that, at heart, every dog is good dog. Every dog wants to behave well for you and make you happy, but whether they're being diverted by fear, stress or uncertainty, something is stopping them.
The Dogfather. Having worked with over 5,000 dogs – from Great Danes to Chihuahuas, and everything in-between – he has seen every behavioural issue going, whether it’s aggression, house-destruction, refusal to obey commands or extreme anxiety. Through the stories of some of special dogs he’s loved or helped, he will give you the tools to understand and help your beloved pooch, and bring much-needed harmony to your home.
288 pages, Paperback
Published July 1, 2022
103 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
February 18, 2021
I’ve been a big fan of Graeme Hall’s television programme Dog’s Behaving (Very) Badly right from the start. I have an extremely anxious rescue Dachshund with many issues and am always looking out for helpful dog training tips.
I’ve read countless training guides before and never described one as gripping, but this book had me hooked from the start.
Graeme is a straight talking Yorkshireman with an amazing sense of humour, two things which are essential when dealing with our furry friends (and their owners!). His voice comes over strongly and he actually explains the psychology behind his training methods which I find is rare in this type of book.
The book taught me that instead of focusing on my rescue dogs issues, to think about how far he had come in the time he has been with us. There was a font of knowledge regarding the body language of a dog and Graeme dispels some of the myths of dog training. He includes amusing anecdotes and talks fondly of his two Rottweilers Axel and Gorden, who have now sadly died.
Many people in the dog training world are ‘dog people’ and harshly blame behavioural issues on incompetent owners. Graeme Hall is a ‘people person’ and a ‘dog person’, therefore he connects with humans and canines alike. His easy going manner gets the owner to open up to him and through this connection Graeme spots a well meaning mistake and explains how to correct it. There is no element of blame, just sheer pleasure that an owner and his dog can live happily together.
I highly recommend this book for experienced dog owners or anyone considering buying a puppy. It makes you see your dog in a totally different light. You realise that something as small as a facial expression (eg a smile) can have a big impact on your dog, that the tone of your voice is critical and that calmness is king!
I’ve read countless training guides before and never described one as gripping, but this book had me hooked from the start.
Graeme is a straight talking Yorkshireman with an amazing sense of humour, two things which are essential when dealing with our furry friends (and their owners!). His voice comes over strongly and he actually explains the psychology behind his training methods which I find is rare in this type of book.
The book taught me that instead of focusing on my rescue dogs issues, to think about how far he had come in the time he has been with us. There was a font of knowledge regarding the body language of a dog and Graeme dispels some of the myths of dog training. He includes amusing anecdotes and talks fondly of his two Rottweilers Axel and Gorden, who have now sadly died.
Many people in the dog training world are ‘dog people’ and harshly blame behavioural issues on incompetent owners. Graeme Hall is a ‘people person’ and a ‘dog person’, therefore he connects with humans and canines alike. His easy going manner gets the owner to open up to him and through this connection Graeme spots a well meaning mistake and explains how to correct it. There is no element of blame, just sheer pleasure that an owner and his dog can live happily together.
I highly recommend this book for experienced dog owners or anyone considering buying a puppy. It makes you see your dog in a totally different light. You realise that something as small as a facial expression (eg a smile) can have a big impact on your dog, that the tone of your voice is critical and that calmness is king!
February 7, 2022
Brilliant read
Great read regardless whether you are looking to train your dog or just like dogs and would love to read a funny and entertaining book about them.
Great read regardless whether you are looking to train your dog or just like dogs and would love to read a funny and entertaining book about them.
August 11, 2023
I love 'Dogs behaving (very) badly' and although I don't own a dog I've always wanted to learn more about them and ideally get a few tips and tricks on how to treat them and understand them. This book most definitely serves that purpose. Graeme perfectly translates his excellent communication skills into this book and complex behaviour is made as simple as possible for the reader to understand. Make no mistake, Graeme doesn't pretend things are easy or that dogs will always respond the way that you want them to.
The book is full of funny moments and doesn't feel like a laborious read, chapters are short and focused on elements of dog behaviour making it very useful as a resource book to refer to in specific situations. If you find the show very interesting then I would highly recommend this book
The book is full of funny moments and doesn't feel like a laborious read, chapters are short and focused on elements of dog behaviour making it very useful as a resource book to refer to in specific situations. If you find the show very interesting then I would highly recommend this book
November 3, 2024
Th book is very well written and very accessible. Most of the information is in his tv show but it is delivered in a more detailed manner to help you be a better dog owner. Is advice is simple and great
March 1, 2021
3.5
Disappointed , thought I would have learnt more
Disappointed , thought I would have learnt more
December 20, 2023
Not only was his recent TV show a hit; this books is also amazing. Hopefully in the next few years I’ll get a German Shepherd or Cavalier King Charles; not only is this book funny and engaging it, was really informative on dog psychology and behaviour as well as that of humans.
Nice to see some of the examples that I saw on TV in this book; shame about Axel and Gordon the rotties! :(
Nice to see some of the examples that I saw on TV in this book; shame about Axel and Gordon the rotties! :(
June 16, 2021
In hindsight I think I barely knew or understood anything about dogs. What a fun and useful dog full of practical tips put in a simple and understandable way. Graeme has this British sense of humour that I quite like and the audiobook version of this book is even better as his way of telling the stories and jokes is even better. He has a manner of getting straight to the point while at the same time being respectful and kind which is exactly the type of character that works well with dogs. Although he sprinkles in stories of his own dogs and those dogs that he was called in to train or help the owners with, the book is structured in a very organised way that will make you understand dogs and training dogs in steps. Starting with his 3.5 rules. 1) Behaviour that feels rewarding will increase 2) Behaviour that feels uncomfortable will decrease 3) Some behaviours that are ignored will fade away. 3.5) Practice doesn't make perfect.
Graeme focuses a great deal of the book on this principle of course and the book continues from there. There is a very logical procedure to training dogs and nothing seems to be random. An overall lesson that I've learnt is that some senses that we use to communicate need to be sharpened while others not as much like our hearing as dogs don't use verbal language. A big point that might seem obvious but seems to often be done wrong anyway is that since dogs don't use words, they also don't understand words or sentences either. They rely much more heavily on voice tone and also the sounds/ques associated with a word. Touch is another one that people don't get right either as the intensity of the touch also has a different effect. It's sort of like a voice. Graeme explains on how good they are in reading us, regardless whether they understand what they are reading. They process that information faster than we do by reading our forehead wrinkles, nose flaring and ears. In regards to training dogs there were a couple of essential concepts that needed to be understood. One of them was how timing is a skill that must be mastered in order to train your dog. Consequences don't really exist for dogs and ignoring is not advisable because the owner often don't understand the dynamics and consequences of ignoring them for that specific amount of time. A popular tool of course to master the skill of timing, is the clicker or whistle. They serve as markers and you can then start with holding rewards to then build up your progress. He also clarisies the cons of these extra tools like their inconvenience as an object or in busy environments. Simpler is better for Graeme so h was a bigger proponent of skipping the middle man and using simple verbal ques such as "good" or "down". There are also impracticalities to the reward system too such as always having to have a reward for the dog so relying on their reward ADDICTION is a much better long term option as dogs can potentially unlearn something. Make it simple and build from there. Commands also have to be distinctly different as they can often be confused with the pronunciations. Later in the book Graeme talks about about dogs "understanding" or responding to different languages. It is difficult and possible but again, must be consistent in regards who says what in the specific language and must not have any overlap. In regards to the unlearning, Graeme talks about Generalization which talks about learning and doing a skill and one place and eventually being able to transfer that skill somewhere else in another situation. That's a human problem that they should relate to too. Graeme is careful to not constantly compare humans to dogs as there are parallels that humans should be understanding of but also should approach differently as they are not the same species and function differently too. Another essential concept to understand is the excitement management. A stand out example or story was that of different language interpreting what a happy dog is ,different to that of how a British or English speaking person would interpret a happy dog to be. In Eglish we assosiate Happiness with Excitement all the time which is why the wagging tail is associated with happy dog. Which is not necessarily the case. The are 100% excited but that does not always mean content or happy though. In regards to the excitement management, a dog needs to be alert in order to learn but there is also a point of no return in the excitement meter where they are purely irrational. great physical deeds require more attention than others. Measureing and manageing this meter will vary from dog to dog but it will certainly not be from 0 to 100%. Measure what level they start at and how fast they go up and not to be overlooked, what level of excitement/fear that YOU are at. This relationship between you and the dog is the last and essential concept that people in general I din't think have mastered as effectively for better or worse for the dog. That concept is that of the leader and follower.. Dogs have this relationship with all their relationships and it isn't as clear as it it may seem to us. It's not always about domination or bullying like it may imply but it also isn't about total submission to every desire that the dog has either. You have to ask yourself of what makes a good boss/leader? A smart, rewarding, stubborn and consistent one. Lastly, how can we read dogs better. Graeme breaks down each feature on dogs and how that can tell you how you know how they feel. Is the tongue visible, are they smiling, what direction are their ears pointing, can you see the white of their eyes and also what direction is their tail wagging? Amazingly, dogs can also be potentially left or right handed.
To wrap the book up, he gives the reader some practical tips in owning the dogs. Things like avoiding puppy farms and the importance or value of a good breeder. The need for puppies to experience a lot in order to learn and that is best done with their mother up to 8 weeks. Give them a wide variety of food to avoid pickiness and be patient of teenage "years" in dogs too. A important safety note is never to run or do exercise with a full stomach.
Wonderful book and would recommend to any dog lover that is willing to learn more.
Graeme focuses a great deal of the book on this principle of course and the book continues from there. There is a very logical procedure to training dogs and nothing seems to be random. An overall lesson that I've learnt is that some senses that we use to communicate need to be sharpened while others not as much like our hearing as dogs don't use verbal language. A big point that might seem obvious but seems to often be done wrong anyway is that since dogs don't use words, they also don't understand words or sentences either. They rely much more heavily on voice tone and also the sounds/ques associated with a word. Touch is another one that people don't get right either as the intensity of the touch also has a different effect. It's sort of like a voice. Graeme explains on how good they are in reading us, regardless whether they understand what they are reading. They process that information faster than we do by reading our forehead wrinkles, nose flaring and ears. In regards to training dogs there were a couple of essential concepts that needed to be understood. One of them was how timing is a skill that must be mastered in order to train your dog. Consequences don't really exist for dogs and ignoring is not advisable because the owner often don't understand the dynamics and consequences of ignoring them for that specific amount of time. A popular tool of course to master the skill of timing, is the clicker or whistle. They serve as markers and you can then start with holding rewards to then build up your progress. He also clarisies the cons of these extra tools like their inconvenience as an object or in busy environments. Simpler is better for Graeme so h was a bigger proponent of skipping the middle man and using simple verbal ques such as "good" or "down". There are also impracticalities to the reward system too such as always having to have a reward for the dog so relying on their reward ADDICTION is a much better long term option as dogs can potentially unlearn something. Make it simple and build from there. Commands also have to be distinctly different as they can often be confused with the pronunciations. Later in the book Graeme talks about about dogs "understanding" or responding to different languages. It is difficult and possible but again, must be consistent in regards who says what in the specific language and must not have any overlap. In regards to the unlearning, Graeme talks about Generalization which talks about learning and doing a skill and one place and eventually being able to transfer that skill somewhere else in another situation. That's a human problem that they should relate to too. Graeme is careful to not constantly compare humans to dogs as there are parallels that humans should be understanding of but also should approach differently as they are not the same species and function differently too. Another essential concept to understand is the excitement management. A stand out example or story was that of different language interpreting what a happy dog is ,different to that of how a British or English speaking person would interpret a happy dog to be. In Eglish we assosiate Happiness with Excitement all the time which is why the wagging tail is associated with happy dog. Which is not necessarily the case. The are 100% excited but that does not always mean content or happy though. In regards to the excitement management, a dog needs to be alert in order to learn but there is also a point of no return in the excitement meter where they are purely irrational. great physical deeds require more attention than others. Measureing and manageing this meter will vary from dog to dog but it will certainly not be from 0 to 100%. Measure what level they start at and how fast they go up and not to be overlooked, what level of excitement/fear that YOU are at. This relationship between you and the dog is the last and essential concept that people in general I din't think have mastered as effectively for better or worse for the dog. That concept is that of the leader and follower.. Dogs have this relationship with all their relationships and it isn't as clear as it it may seem to us. It's not always about domination or bullying like it may imply but it also isn't about total submission to every desire that the dog has either. You have to ask yourself of what makes a good boss/leader? A smart, rewarding, stubborn and consistent one. Lastly, how can we read dogs better. Graeme breaks down each feature on dogs and how that can tell you how you know how they feel. Is the tongue visible, are they smiling, what direction are their ears pointing, can you see the white of their eyes and also what direction is their tail wagging? Amazingly, dogs can also be potentially left or right handed.
To wrap the book up, he gives the reader some practical tips in owning the dogs. Things like avoiding puppy farms and the importance or value of a good breeder. The need for puppies to experience a lot in order to learn and that is best done with their mother up to 8 weeks. Give them a wide variety of food to avoid pickiness and be patient of teenage "years" in dogs too. A important safety note is never to run or do exercise with a full stomach.
Wonderful book and would recommend to any dog lover that is willing to learn more.
December 19, 2024
My dogs’ favourite TV show is Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly, in which genial, tweed-waistcoat-and-cravat-wearing Yorkshireman Graeme Hall sorts out the problematic behaviour of dogs up and down the land. An abiding theme is that the problems are usually at least as much those of the owners as of the dogs. People fail to realise the acute sensitivity that dogs have to a person’s body language, and although they dogs not be able to understand the details of human conversations, they are very aware of tone of voice. Dogs, you see, have co-evolved with humans for 40,000 years. The two species are, to an extent, symbiotic, and resolving the problematic behaviour of a dog usually requires some re-training of the owner. When watching the show I have wondered (even if my dogs might not have done) how Graeme (we feel we’re on first-name terms with him, chez Gee) got to be where he is today. This book tells all. For more than 20 years Graeme was a senior executive in a food company, until his interest in dogs and dog training took over. The book follows the lives of dogs from milk-sossage to old age, backing up his assertions with the latest scientific evidence, and is as friendly yet as plain-speaking as you’d expect from the Land of the White Rose. And there are lots of rather droll anecdotes. It probably helps if you like dogs — even better if dogs share your home, as one house in three in Britain does — but in any case is a heart-warming read.
January 24, 2021
Having watched Graeme Hall perform what look like miracles on Channel Five's Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly which is delivered in a non-patronising or overly bossy manner, I was more than a little interested to read his book.
If you want a book that will touch your heart as well as deliver bite-sized nuggets of advise for your furry friend, this is definitely a book for you. In the first half Graeme covers many of the common issues us dog owners witness, either in our own pooches or those we meet on our walks. The second half has some stories that illustrate how to put the theory into practice. So recall, something that our dog is not so good at. My heart sank when Graeme impressed on the reader how important it is to do most of the work when your dog is young - we'd tried that, failed and since then I'm more or less terrified to start again, although puppy steps have been made in 2021. Was it all a waste? Fortunately not, Graeme tells how he trained his rescue aged 3 from scratch and old dogs can learn new tricks.
A word of warning the book covers all subjects from getting a puppy to saying goodbye, the latter a brave but worthy inclusion!
Highly recommended we're busy tweaking our behaviour, yes Graeme is the Dogfather because he understands people as well as dogs!
If you want a book that will touch your heart as well as deliver bite-sized nuggets of advise for your furry friend, this is definitely a book for you. In the first half Graeme covers many of the common issues us dog owners witness, either in our own pooches or those we meet on our walks. The second half has some stories that illustrate how to put the theory into practice. So recall, something that our dog is not so good at. My heart sank when Graeme impressed on the reader how important it is to do most of the work when your dog is young - we'd tried that, failed and since then I'm more or less terrified to start again, although puppy steps have been made in 2021. Was it all a waste? Fortunately not, Graeme tells how he trained his rescue aged 3 from scratch and old dogs can learn new tricks.
A word of warning the book covers all subjects from getting a puppy to saying goodbye, the latter a brave but worthy inclusion!
Highly recommended we're busy tweaking our behaviour, yes Graeme is the Dogfather because he understands people as well as dogs!
August 1, 2021
This isn't my normal type of read, but I enjoy watching 'Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly) on TV and my dad bought this book and offered me the chance to read it. I don't have a dog myself but often go over and walk my parents dog so I thought, 'why not?' and gave this a go.
It tells stories from Graeme's career and some of the encounters he has had with dogs and their owners, but also offers some advice and wisdom on how to get the best behaviour and response from your dog. It's easy to read and flows really well, it reads like Graeme is talking to you, which I really liked.
There is a certain sarcastic humour to parts of it, and of course things that should be common sense, but I really enjoyed reading his take on training and situations and would definitely apply some of them to my own dog when I get one in the future.
A very interesting book with some helpful tips and tricks and some heartwarming stories too. A must for any fans of the show, or any dog owners.
It tells stories from Graeme's career and some of the encounters he has had with dogs and their owners, but also offers some advice and wisdom on how to get the best behaviour and response from your dog. It's easy to read and flows really well, it reads like Graeme is talking to you, which I really liked.
There is a certain sarcastic humour to parts of it, and of course things that should be common sense, but I really enjoyed reading his take on training and situations and would definitely apply some of them to my own dog when I get one in the future.
A very interesting book with some helpful tips and tricks and some heartwarming stories too. A must for any fans of the show, or any dog owners.
May 30, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this! It was great fun, amusing and very reassuring. The only reason I have marked it down a bit is because the chapter on “kids and dogs” wasn’t really about kids at all but babies only. Having a 4yr old at home it would have been useful to hear some tips for the relationship between children (younger and older) not just babies. I was a bit disappointed by that chapter. A lot of this book is about understanding and reading your dog to understand how to train them and what they might be thinking which I think is probably more helpful than “do this” and “do that” although on the face of it you might think it’s not telling you a lot. I’ve never watched Graeme’s program on the TV but I will do now as it seems there is almost always an answer to fix a dogs problem which is so reassuring to know having a new collie puppy at home determined to chase cars! 😩
March 7, 2021
Witty, charming, hilarious!
Please, please read this book if you are considering getting ANY dog! If I'd have been armed with the information gleaned from this book, we'd have been much more 'well equipped' to deal with our new welsh sheepdog puppy. As it was, we weren't, we gambled, we lost (so to speak). But, all was not 'lost' after reading this book - it just means we're now playing catch up.
This has been the most easy book to read relating to dog behaviour, the humour is present throughout (which helps A LOT) and the analogies help simplify how to see things from a dog's point of view.
Hopefully, we can now fix where WE went wrong with our lovely dog. Forewarned is forearmed!
So, when's the next book???
Please, please read this book if you are considering getting ANY dog! If I'd have been armed with the information gleaned from this book, we'd have been much more 'well equipped' to deal with our new welsh sheepdog puppy. As it was, we weren't, we gambled, we lost (so to speak). But, all was not 'lost' after reading this book - it just means we're now playing catch up.
This has been the most easy book to read relating to dog behaviour, the humour is present throughout (which helps A LOT) and the analogies help simplify how to see things from a dog's point of view.
Hopefully, we can now fix where WE went wrong with our lovely dog. Forewarned is forearmed!
So, when's the next book???
October 25, 2021
Full of nuggets of wisdom, felt a bit short
This book is full of little nuggets of wisdom and interesting facts useful to the less experienced dog owner and entertaining to boot. I blasted through it, including during nocturnal puppy potty breaks and have hopefully soaked up some useful maxims. It’s got 5 stars because it felt a bit short. I may be being unfair and perhaps short and easy to grasp is better or it’s just so easy/good to read. Will be re-reading to see if I retain more and if it becomes a go-to book (to cheer me up when shattered by the pupmaster if nothing else), will come back & give it a “5”.
This book is full of little nuggets of wisdom and interesting facts useful to the less experienced dog owner and entertaining to boot. I blasted through it, including during nocturnal puppy potty breaks and have hopefully soaked up some useful maxims. It’s got 5 stars because it felt a bit short. I may be being unfair and perhaps short and easy to grasp is better or it’s just so easy/good to read. Will be re-reading to see if I retain more and if it becomes a go-to book (to cheer me up when shattered by the pupmaster if nothing else), will come back & give it a “5”.
February 17, 2022
A fantastic read I very much enjoyed. Having had dogs all my life so far, even I learned so much from this book. I sadly lost my last dog a number of months ago and am about to pick up a new puppy soon and I would highly recommend this book for anyone getting a puppy or new dog soon. It's sort of like a memoir crossed with a "how-to guide" as the second half of the book is a bit like a training hints and tips manual in a way. A highly enjoyable, at times hilarious read, by an author who clearly loves dogs and dog training, which really comes across in his writing. 10/10 would recommend to anyone who loves dogs.
February 1, 2022
3.5 star rating. If anyone enjoys Graeme’s programmes on Channel 5 then they will enjoy this book too. Lots of useful tips, good advice and information especially for us hapless owners see things from a dog’s perspective. The programmes do have a slight edge though as you can see more clearly how it all works in practice. Interesting and entertaining apart from the gags which you could see coming! Shame that 86 to 100% was taken up by the index which is a considerable chunk. I was given this ARC by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 31, 2022
A Christmas present. This is a book by a dog trainer who I am vaguely aware presents a programme on dog training and problem dogs. You know the sort of thing - 'a dog bites', , which leads to 'he is very anxious', which leads to dealing with underlying issues and a better dog. This is a run through of basic dog psychology, flavoured with some of his more entertaining stories.
It's fine. It's not a manual, more of a companion piece. Did I learn anything? Not really. But it was easy to read, and I didn't disagree with it.
It's fine. It's not a manual, more of a companion piece. Did I learn anything? Not really. But it was easy to read, and I didn't disagree with it.
February 24, 2024
A must read book for all dog owners. The first part is full of useful insight into the way dogs operate and what to do as an owner to get the best out of training. It is a very wordy book but also enjoyable.
The second part is about specific training issues. This part of the book is shorter and the advice is less detailed than I would like. Maybe I need to read his other book on training puppies for that.
He is definitely a nice trainer with good people skills, something the rest of the established dog world should take note of.
The second part is about specific training issues. This part of the book is shorter and the advice is less detailed than I would like. Maybe I need to read his other book on training puppies for that.
He is definitely a nice trainer with good people skills, something the rest of the established dog world should take note of.
August 22, 2024
My standard for a great non-fiction book is when I’ve had to write a lot of information on my notes for reference. This was one of them. And a bonus is that I laughed and I cried.
Hall shares stories of dogs he has worked with over the years, and shares some interesting and fascinating dog psychology. He offers advice for dogs from puppyhood to end of life. Some bits were comedy gold, and of course the penultimate chapter where he talks about end of life was very depressing. He does finish on a positive note which is great. Overall, an enjoyable and comprehensive resource for dog owners.
Hall shares stories of dogs he has worked with over the years, and shares some interesting and fascinating dog psychology. He offers advice for dogs from puppyhood to end of life. Some bits were comedy gold, and of course the penultimate chapter where he talks about end of life was very depressing. He does finish on a positive note which is great. Overall, an enjoyable and comprehensive resource for dog owners.
September 5, 2021
Enjoyable
Having read many, many books on dog training over the years, this is the first one I can say was enjoyable from start to finish. Not only was it entertaining but there were nuggets of great advice along the way. I've only seen a couple of parts from his programmes on TV, and to be honest, was a bit sceptical that it wasn't staged. Not after reading his book. I'm off to see if I can find anything else Graeme has written!
Having read many, many books on dog training over the years, this is the first one I can say was enjoyable from start to finish. Not only was it entertaining but there were nuggets of great advice along the way. I've only seen a couple of parts from his programmes on TV, and to be honest, was a bit sceptical that it wasn't staged. Not after reading his book. I'm off to see if I can find anything else Graeme has written!
June 24, 2022
I got this book and a few others after deciding we would get another dog, we sadly lost our dog Molly nearly 2 years ago, she was 15 years old,and we were absolutely heartbroken, our home hasn't been the same since and missed not having her around. This book is great, I have enjoyed reading it, it has alot of help and advice and is going to help me with our new puppy. I'm glad I brought it and to have it at hand when I need it. I would recommend it.
March 7, 2021
So refreshing to read a book that mixes up understanding dog behaviour, memoir, practical tips on dog training, humour and anecdotal stories. I genuinely learned new things about dogs and how to try and fix my own dog's most annoying habits. You can hear Graeme Hall's friendly, reassuring voice throughout. A lovely read.
March 15, 2021
Fabulous insight into Graeme Hall’s world as a dog trainer. I watch his TV show & this was just as good. Lots of great tips for dog training. I did shed a few tears at the end though. I think Graeme should write another book all about stories of all the dogs he was worked with over the years. It would be a great follow up book.
April 17, 2021
I love watching Dogs behaving (very) badly, so it was a no-Brainer that I’d get the book and read as soon as I could!
Absolutely lovely, Graeme’s helpful tips and lovely anecdotes were a great read! (Even if the last chapter left me a weeping mess RIP Axel and Gordon 😢)
I’m sure some of the useful tips have already been helpful with my very boisterous border collie pup!
Absolutely lovely, Graeme’s helpful tips and lovely anecdotes were a great read! (Even if the last chapter left me a weeping mess RIP Axel and Gordon 😢)
I’m sure some of the useful tips have already been helpful with my very boisterous border collie pup!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2023
Such a delightful, heartwarming read. This is one I listened to on Audible and I think that hearing some of Graeme's stories in his own voice made it all the more enjoyable.
There are some interesting and funny anecdotes mixed in with helpful training tips and explanations on canine psychology.
A lovely read that any fellow dog owner/lover will enjoy I'm sure.
There are some interesting and funny anecdotes mixed in with helpful training tips and explanations on canine psychology.
A lovely read that any fellow dog owner/lover will enjoy I'm sure.
October 1, 2023
Interesting and Entertaining
Great book
Loved the way it was written and the added humour
Although the last chapter had me tearful
The final chapter lifted the spirits again
Graeme comes across as a real dog lover
I have watched his TV programme and he certainly has a gift with dogs. Thank you.
Great book
Loved the way it was written and the added humour
Although the last chapter had me tearful
The final chapter lifted the spirits again
Graeme comes across as a real dog lover
I have watched his TV programme and he certainly has a gift with dogs. Thank you.
June 13, 2024
There's some overlap with Graeme's puppy book, which I found helpful to reinforce those messages.
It's quite a light and digestible book, suitable for anyone with a general interest in dogs (there are some charming characters, canine and human!), and probably a good starting point for people who want to learn more but feel a bit nervous about some of the more technical books out there.
It's quite a light and digestible book, suitable for anyone with a general interest in dogs (there are some charming characters, canine and human!), and probably a good starting point for people who want to learn more but feel a bit nervous about some of the more technical books out there.
December 23, 2024
I've always loved Graeme's shows, so this has been on my TBR list for a while. It was so interesting to finally find out the little clues that he looks for when assessing a dog and working out how to train them. The information on dogs body language is invaluable, but also the information this book gives about scientific studies is really interesting. A must read for every dog owner.
March 5, 2021
Good read for all dog owners
Well written, easy to understand and to apply to your own dog problems. Helps better understand why the problem occurs or persists and is possibly made worse by the owner without realising
Well written, easy to understand and to apply to your own dog problems. Helps better understand why the problem occurs or persists and is possibly made worse by the owner without realising
June 9, 2021
I had no affinity with dogs until our daughter bought a black labrador puppy Floki who is now a bit more than a year. She gifted us this great book to help us have an even better relationship and understanding. Fantastic book!
October 18, 2021
Brilliant audio read. Really enjoyed the stories and learnt a lot. Going to have a rerun listen so that I can really digest his advice, read by the author, love his dulcet tones, highly recommend this book.
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