Rating: 
Summary: Dog Lover
Review: The best dog book on the market.It's hard to imagine that the folks who wrote negative reviews of this book actually read it!! They have taken a very small portion of the training philosophy -- the notion that SOMETIMES it is necessary to punish a dog, so here's how to do it properly -- and ignored the true emphasis of the book, which is developing a strong, positive relationship with your dog. We have owned two Labs. One was pretty sure he was the alpha dog up to the day he died at age 15. We on some very rare occassions had to punish him and found the techniques extremely effective and, if followed correctly, very humane. The one we have now is a more submissive dog and can be corrected with a firm "NO", and, yes, even an occassional growl. It works very well. The Monks address these differences between a dog's temperament and how to adapt your training. It was one of the many things I liked about this book -- no "one size fits all". Before we adopted our current dog, I spoke with numerous breeders and discussed this book with each of them. Every one felt it was an excellent book.
Rating: 
Summary: started with this book but have found better aproaches
Review: I trained my first dog using this book and another by the Monks of New Skete. Six years later, as I began training my second dog, I re-read the books and became uncomfortable with the degree of force recommended. So I looked farther afield and found other approaches that are kinder and better suited to how I want to work with my best friends. I recommend reading "Bones would rain from the sky" by Susanne Clothier before selecting a training approach.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Insight and Understanding for any dog owner
Review: This book was written with utmost respect and understanding for dogs. The monks understand the pack dynamic and have devised a training manual no dog owner should be without. Many people bash this book claiming it teaches you to hit your dog, but this is untrue. First and foremost the monks emphasize the importance of praise and patience when training your dog. Only when all else fails, and only for exttreme behavior (agression / biting), do the monks recommend physical punishment. The monks are not big on treats, but not because it spoils the dog. Rather, they prefer verbal and physical praise because it creates a closer bond between owner and dog. I would recommend both "How to be your dog's best friend" and "The art of raising a puppy" to any current or will be dog owner. An investment well worth the money and time to read.
Rating:
Summary: Common sense and uncommon sensitivity
Review: The Monks of New Skete have great respect for their dogs, and truly enjoy them. Their socialization and obedience training methods are based on common sense and on innate wolf/dog behavior. They drive home the point that our dogs are *not* people. If you try to housebreak a dog as you would potty-train a toddler, you'll end up frustrated, to say the least. Note: They only advocate "hitting" in extreme circumstances where the dog shows serious aggression against a human. And they have based their under-the-chin cuff on disciplinary measures used by wolves and mother dogs to curb behavior that is unacceptable to the pack. Even if I can't imagine smacking my dog under the chin, I understand their reasoning and trust their judgment. They exude both sensibility and sensitivity when it comes to discipline. Beyond that, the rest of their advice is based on benevolence and a thorough understanding of how dogs think and react. I recommend this book ("The Art of Raising a Puppy" even more so) to anyone who is serious about having a happy, well-socialized, well-trained dog.
Rating:
Summary: Timeless Wisdom
Review: I have used this book to train all types of family pets, both puppies and adults, from Golden Retrievers to Wolf Hybrids and it works! My friends refer to me as "the Dog Lady" because I always seem to have some tip to help with their dog's training. It's no secret that I get it all from this wonderful book. With insight into the canine psyche that is years ahead of its time, the monks help the dog owner understand the mind of the dog. The section on discipline is tempered with a word of caution, and encourages you to take your cue from your dog -- excellent advice. They are also decades ahead of their time in suggesting Vitamin B complex as "behavioral insurance," making the early connection between vitamin supplementation, good diet, and behavior. With the focus on human brain development and vitamin supplementation in the media these days, its amazing that the monks were making this connection with dogs more than 20 years ago. A must read for all dog owners.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book that My Dog Loves
Review: Yes, my dog really does love this book. She drags it off the coffee table a lot! I love it too, not to eat but to read. It's an easy read for kids like me and the training methods really work. My dog comes quicker than ever and she's only a puppy. Note: although this book has stern physical punishments, saying "no-no" to a dog that bites doesn't work, lol.
Rating: 
Summary: I wish I could give this book zero stars.
Review: If you hit your dog, you are abusing your dog. Plain and simple. Cut and dry. To discipline means to teach - not to hit! Hitting is not disciplining. Animals are ours to love - not to abuse. Please do not purchase this book. Buy something that encourages a mutual relationship of respect between you and your dog.
Rating:
Summary: Simply the Most Important Book on the Subject
Review: This book profoundly changed my approach to dogs. It is clearly an essential guide for anyone who wants a richer relationship with the dogs in their lives.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for a positive loving relationship with your dogs
Review: I wonder if people who talk about this book advocating beating of dogs actually READ the text of this book. If you want a book that teaches you how to be a part of the pack, have dogs that love and respect you, and have impecably behaved dogs this is a great book. We have THREE large dogs, all raised (in general) under similar principles. The book teaching that "training" a dog is not 30 min at the park 3 times a week, but how we interact with them on a day to day basis. This includes being consistant at all times and INCLUDING the dogs as part of the family (NOT just tossed in a kennel in the back yard). Because they are well behaved, our dogs can do with us anywhere, lay down and stay outside a bookstore, hike in the woods without splitting and be wonderful companions to be around. We are able to have people over to the house who are afraid of dogs (since the dogs will LISTEN and go lay down, not jump on people) and they really are part of the family. Yes, the "roll over" can definately be abused and should only be used for MAJOR disiplinary actions. Since we have three dogs, we get to watch "pack" behavior on a regular basis. I challenge someone who says natural dog behavior does not include "roll over" to watch a group of dogs at liberty. New dogs, young dogs and dogs that step out of line end up with a mouth at their neck. The bottom line is there are certain behaviors that can lead to problems that are dangerous for people but more importantly the dog. Somehow they HAVE to learn that behaviors like biting or raising a lip are NEVER the answer.
Rating:
Summary: Understanding the dogs relationship to family
Review: This book is absolutely marvelous. For the intelligent dog owner, it is absolutely perfect. The suggestions are honest, straight-forward, and practical. For the idiots, well, it's just going to ruin their dog because they don't understand their dog enough to judge a situation appropriately. ONLY buy this book if you are willing to take a critical look at your dog and what they are doing and why they are doing things. You must be willing to work with your dog, and continually assess where you are with your pet and how they are responding to training. It is not a "fix it quick" kind of book, there are no shortcuts here. But if you want to learn how to develop a closer relationship with your dog and learn how your dog sees it's world and responds to it, this is the book for you. Yes, they do talk frankly about physical punishment, but let's be honest here - no one reading this review who cares about their pet wants to use physical punishment, and neither do the monks. But should you need it or find yourself giving in to it, this book is honest about what methods of physical punishment will do more harm than good. It shows you how to redirect that physical punishment into a constructive correction rather than beating your dog and turning it into a neurotic mess. Yes, positive methods are better, the book does not suggest that they are not, but sometimes punishment happens, and a responsible dog owner needs to know what is taking it too far before they actually make that mistake. The goal is preventing mistakes by the owner, not teaching you to beat your dog. So the people who claim that they made a mistake are, in my opinion, people who didn't understand how to continually monitor their dog. Yes, they would have been happier with another book and they might not have ruined their dog. But then, they could also have actually listened to the dog as well as to the book, and figured out what was and what wasn't working. So I recommend this book to those owners who love their dog and are willing to take a long-term look at their dog, their own behavior, and the relationship they want with thier dog. The monks are insightful, caring, and show a clear respect for the dogs. Don't let the negative opinions sway you unless you feel that a dog training manual is a step-by-step list of things you should do. If so, this is not the book for you. You will need to learn to listen to your dog, you will need to learn to adjust your behavior to accomodate your dog's training, and you will need to be able to notice minute changes in your dog's behavior. Training, as discussed in this book, is a dynamic process, and you must be able to be in tune with that aspect of the process.
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