4.39 avg rating — 1,340 ratings

"Karen Pryor is one of the pioneers in clicker training, a trained ethnologist and yet writes with a style that is both accessible and entertaining. While much of her work now consists of working with dogs, she provides examples of how it can be applied to working with any creature - note that I didn't even qualify that with mammal (her anecdotes about the family fish are both entertaining and thought provoking). I have even used some of her suggestions with a grade 10 English class of particularly rowdy young guys, and seen interesting results. This book also has links and support videos on her www.clickertraining.com website. A practical read that also provides extensive resources, Pryor's work not only gives us tools to use in communicating with members of other species (and sometimes other members of our own) she also invites us to more deeply consider the ways in which living beings learn, are motivated and why we behave the ways we do in many situations. That she does so in a manner that respects the nature of the species with whom she works without romantically anthropomorphizing them, is a testament to her true dedication taking all creatures on their own terms, and valuing them for their own strengths, rather than berating them for failing to be human 'enough' to reflect what we want them to do to please us. "

4.31 avg rating — 2,769 ratings

"Forthright and unapologetic, ethnologist and dog lover Donaldson makes and compelling argument why it is necessary for us to stop anthroporphizing dogs, take them on their own terms and to communicate with them clearly, in a manner they will understand, so as to prepare them to live successfully and safely in a world where humans make the rules. Donaldson provides training trips, of course, but she also explains how and why cherished myths of doggiedom like Lassie not only short change dogs themselves but actually set up both dogs and human beings to be disappointed by our interactions with each other. "

4.46 avg rating — 810 ratings

"Aloff's book is a wonderfully detailed catalogue of contextualized canine body language - dog-to-dog and dog-to-human, one-on-one and in groups. While there is only a limited amount of actual training tips, per se, there are exercises and tips for observing your dog(s) for the cues that are meaningful among and to dogs - rather than those that are meaningful among or to human beings. Each photograph details what is to be looked for in that particular image, and for each dog (and human, or object with which or whom the dog(s) are interacting) in that image. The author blends years of experience, anecdotal observations and very detailed and non-biased observation in what ends up being a readable piece for what is, ultimately a catalogue of images. I certainly become much more aware of and more adept at (although I won't say much more adept at) noting the subtle elements of body language and facial expression in my three dogs, I started using some very "doggie" bits of vocab to try and sooth my dogs (all of who are rescues with anxiety issues, and have noted definite responses to my efforts. Sometimes I wonder if I am using my "dog" vocabulary with a particularly strong human "accent" - the tilts of the head I get in response sometime are apparently one piece of shared body language for "Huh?" but the information I learned from this book has increased both the quality and quantity of information my dogs and I appear to be successfully sharing across the species barrier, which in turn enables more successful training when using the clicker. "