Helpful Score: 4
I believe Jean Donaldson is a genius. I went to the Pawlitically Incorrect Dog Symposium at Marin Humane Society in 2002 and I was blown away by her! There was a segment where they took some of the shelter dogs that had specific behavior problems, and then they had 4 dog trainers that each use a different technique. There was one lady who taught guide dogs for the blind, and another guy who taught police dogs, and Jean. Well, there was this one chow mix that kept pulling on the leash and choking itself whenever anyone would try to walk it. Each of the trainers went up there and the police guy was jerking the poor dog around, the guide dog lady said that first she had to "bond" with the dog and sat there petting it for 5 minutes, but no one could get the dog to walk properly on the leash! So Jean was last and what she did was put a pile of treats on the ground about 15 feet away. Then with the dog on the leash, she started forward towards the food and each time the dog went ahead of her she said "too bad" and went back to the starting line. Well, after about 4-5 tries, the dog walked perfectly next to her until he got to the treats (and then she let him eat the whole mountain of treats.) That doesn't have anything specifically to do with the book, but it's just an example of her understanding of how a dog's mind works. I truly believe everything she says in this book. It is probably hard for most dog "owners" to grasp, but if you are one of those people, you probably wouldn't be reading this book in the first place. Anyway, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!
Helpful Score: 3
Simply the best dog book I have ever read. State of the art in dog training. It reads like a first-rate thriller.
Helpful Score: 2
The author offers a new prospective on the age old relationship between mankind and dogs. It discusses agressive behaviour in domestic dogs. You might not agree with all the author says but it is an interesting read none the less.
