Rating: 
Summary: ... a classic made better ...
Review: The original "How to be Your Dog's Best Friend" is by any measure, a very complete and substantial dog book ...
This new revised edition is more than set to continue as a "classic" in its own right ... The revision is quite substantial - incorporating new understanding & the changes that have taken place in dog training over the past decade ... and the book continues to mirror the love & devotion that Skete Monks have always had for dogs.
Your Dog's Best Friend is by concept and intent is not just a "mere" dog training manual and offers much much more to the reader ...
The book covers a whole spectrum of topics from ... how to find/select a puppy ... cooking for your dog ... basic grooming ... basic training ... training for obedience competition ... including a section comprising of 9 chapters on how to deal with common problems related to living with dogs (with a chapter how to cope, when a dog passes on) ...
Not so commonly found in other dog books ... Your Dog's Best Friend also has a section titled "Sensitivity Exercises" ... dealing with issues of dog behaviour & dog behavioural patterns, and explains dog loneliness, dog silence and dog dreams ... This section also suggests various exercises (massage) and training (round robin recall of life), designed to enhance and make precious the people/dog relationship ... GREAT! ...
Another great section covers the spectrum of "Environments" where the Monks of New Skete explore city/urban life, suburban/country life and the great outdoors.
Written in conversation-like style, the book comes alive through the use of well chosen anecdotes, humour and the Monks' own distinctive approach & philosophy to life & living ...
The book makes for very easy reading, and in its clarity - makes for easy appreciation & understanding ...
But most of all - I have come to really like this book because - it touches me ...
"Myths, Mutts, and Monks" ... "What is a Dog?" ... bring warmth to the printed page, and the book urges the reader to begin a wonderful journey towards deeper & greater understanding of our canine friends ...
The Monks write " ... Because dogs are guileless and utterly themselves, they lack the capacity to deceive. if we take seriously the words they speak to us about ourselves, we stand face-to-face with our own truth."
A very good book ...
Rating:
Summary: Learn How Your Dog Thinks
Review: This book changed the way I relate to all dogs, not just my own. This is a book by true dog lovers -- people who don't see dogs as human children but, rather, complex creatures descended from wolves, now reliant on humans, and with their own unique way of thinking and perceiving the world. I loved my dogs before I read this book, but after reading it the first time, I felt that I actually *understood* my dogs, and felt that I knew what it took to make them not just happy in a moment, but content for a lifetime. I've had three dogs now, each from a shelter or on his or her way to one, and this book helped me address different behavior issues with each. I wish everyone who is thinking of giving their dog up, particularly because of a behavior problem, would read this book. Our animal shelters would have a lot less dogs, and a lot more homes would have dogs, as a result.
Rating:
Summary: Great book written with honesty and insight
Review: I think that this is one of the best books I have ever read, period. Not just about dogs. The book is written very simply and clearly. It is also written with out fear or favour for political correctness but with just the dog's welfare and their needs in mind, so that you can have a well trained dog. Please do not listen to the people who are crying hoarse because of the discipline portion of it.
I am a Hindu and when I read this book , I could feel the earnestness and love with which this book was written. The monks seem to have a natural understanding of the dogs which has to come out of a natural and complete understanding of oneself.
The book is about how you can give what your dog needs to make it feel better and have a fruitful and happy life and not about what you or the media think they need to make you feel better.
I hope I have the opportunity to meet these monks.
Rating:
Summary: This book saved my dog!
Review: The first day I had my rescue dog he snapped at my 1-year-old daughter. I was contemplating sending him back, but someone suggested this book to help teach him "pack" behavior, i.e. that he is lower in the pack hierarchy than my daughter. It wasn't long before my daughter could safely do anything with him. I was also able to housebreak him, crate train him, and just make him a good dog based on the training techniques.Yes, the discipline techniques can seem a little extreme, but they are by no means inhumane. And they WORK because the dog understands. My dog usually "got it" after one time and stopped the behavior. I have not had to discipline him for anything in several years. Now he understands from just a look, a word or a gesture. This book helped us get to that point. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: Although I grew up with dogs until I was 21, I am now 26 and buying my own first puppy, so I thought I would research training a bit before I bring home my new lab. What I really liked about this book is that is spent a lot of time explaining the reasons behind the recommendations. It allows you to understand why certain methods are effective, and why it fits with the way that a dog's mind works. I found this book much better and more thurough than other books on the subject. Many books seems to be a step-by-step intruction manual on how to train your dog. This book is more like taking a short course on how and why training works. All the negative reviews of this book have to do with dicipline. Please ignore these people. You can read for yourself the sections dealing with discipline using the "look inside this book" feature. You will see that the authors have a true love of dogs and that they only use dicipline in a humane manner with the least amount of force necessary. I highly recommend this book to everyone form a first-time dog buyer, to someone who has spoent their lives around dogs.
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