Voted the #1 BEST BOOK (1999) by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers - the largest and most influential worldwide association of professional pet dog trainers. Fun training with toys, treats, lures, and rewards. Easy, fun-loving, dog-friendly methods for teaching basic manners off-leash, and for temperament modification and behavior problem troubleshooting. Written from the dog's point of view and emphasizing natural motivational methods to teach your dog to want to do what you want him to do! "How To Teach A New Dog Old Tricks is the best book by dog training's leading genius. The most relevant, important piece ever written on the subject of dog behavior and training. Some fields are lucky enough to be granted a giant: a figure whose contributions inspire awe and are unsurpassable. Ian Dunbar is that in dog behavior. There is no single person on the face of the planet to whom dog trainers and owners (not to mention dogs) owe more." Jean Donaldson (author of The Culture Clash)
Veterinarian, animal behaviorist, and dog trainer, Dr. Ian Dunbar received his veterinary degree and a Special Honors degree in Physiology & Biochemistry from the Royal Veterinary College (London University) plus a doctorate in animal behavior from the Psychology Department at UC Berkeley, where he researched the development of social hierarchies and aggression in domestic dogs.
He has authored numerous books and DVDs about puppy/dog behavior and training, including AFTER You Get Your Puppy, How To Teach A New Dog Old Tricks and the SIRIUS® Puppy Training video.
In 1982, Dr. Dunbar designed and taught the world's very first off-leash puppy socialization and training classes -- SIRIUS® Puppy Training. Subsequently, he created and developed the San Francisco SPCA's Animal Behavior Department, the American Kennel Club's Gazette "Behavior" column, which he wrote for seven years, and the K9 GAMES®, which were first held in San Francisco in 1993 and continue as annual events in Japan and France. He hosted the popular UK television series Dogs With Dunbar for five seasons and has appeared on numerous radio and television programs, including the Today Show (US) and Dash Village (Japan).
I love Dr. Dunbar, his down to earth approach to training is the best I've seen. Highly recommend this book, whether you have a puppy or an older dog, there's a lot of good stuff in here. The chapter on neutering is a bit outdated, but considering the publication date, that's not surprising.
Dunbar's tone is really condescending, which is not my preferred way to learn. That said, the techniques presented in this book for teaching commands and behavior patterns were useful. I relied much more on what I found in this book than in his puppy book.
When I got a puppy (!!!) it seemed like everyone recommended this book to me. A lot of it is hopefully common sense for most people (of course I want to reward my dog when he does something right, not punish him for doing something wrong), but the descriptions and scenarios Dunbar provides are so so so helpful. This book isn't just about how to teach a dog to "sit" (though that section has a lot of helpful tips), but how to teach dogs the relevance of commands which then motivates them to comply appropriately. The prospect of training my pup not to be a terror (not that he is, I just don't want him to become one...) seems more manageable now. Also, the prose - though sometimes dated - is ridiculously delightful.
Not impressed with a book for new dog owners whos "voice" clearly believes all new owners are idiots intent to screw up their dog (even if they are Trying -by Reading this guys book!. After reading several of Ian's books -i'm much less enthusiastic about his training methods simply because I respect myself way too much to wade through his condescention. Not a fan.
Ian Dunbar is a great teacher. When I was helping our local dog association with 'Puppy Kindergarten' classes we went to a seminar with this author. I learned a lot from him about dog behaviour, dog training, and human behaviour. This book encompasses his philosophy and teachings.