Good Dog, Bad Dog: Dog Training Made Easy

Rating:
Summary: the best dog training book i've read
Review: as a dog trainer & affecionado, i find this book a must-have, since it acknowledges the different training methods for different temperments of dogs. this is the only book i've read (out of more than i can count!) that goes into detail on the different corrections & praises appropriate for each temperment of dog. surely you cannot correct a dominant rottweiler the same way as a skittish yorkshire terrier! this book also gives recommendations to the most common behavior problems. he also has a brief synopsis with training recommendations for the most common breeds and i have yet to have come across a breed to train that is not in this book. if you buy only one book, buy this one! (if you buy two, buy "mother knows best")

Rating:
Summary: Missing some key points
Review: as a dog trainer & affecionado, i find this book a must-have, since it acknowledges the different training methods for different temperments of dogs. this is the only book i've read (out of more than i can count!) that goes into detail on the different corrections & praises appropriate for each temperment of dog. surely you cannot correct a dominant rottweiler the same way as a skittish yorkshire terrier! this book also gives recommendations to the most common behavior problems. he also has a brief synopsis with training recommendations for the most common breeds and i have yet to have come across a breed to train that is not in this book. if you buy only one book, buy this one! (if you buy two, buy "mother knows best")

Rating:
Summary: This is the perfect source for training your new terror.
Review: Good Dog Bad Dog is a very detailed in the course of training your new member of the family. Matthew Margolis and Mordecai Siegal are good writers and they have a lot of experience in this category. I may only be 12 and not even have a new puppy but I still loved reading this one of a kind, five star book!

Rating:
Summary: Uncle Matty's the best!
Review: I live in Southern California where we hear Uncle Matty on the radio, and I got one of his trainers to come out and work with our dogs. It works!!


Rating:
Summary: Good Dog, Bad Dog: Dog Training Made Easy
Review: Informative and witty, but the substance of training gets lost in all the excess verbiage, making it difficult to zero in on specific training. Actual training instructions are hazy and undiliniated from text.

Rating:
Summary: Just In The Nick of Time
Review: Thank goodness I got this book when I did! We bought it because we just got a new addition to our family that will live inside with my wife and myself - a blue standard poodle named Pepper. Surely, without having read this and modifying our behavior, this puppy would have thought his name was "no" instead of Pepper. My wife would also have remained subordinate to Pepper in our "pack." It is packed with such good information for dog owners who want a well-behaved dog. It would pay anyone even planning to get a new puppy to read this book "prior to" the aquisition as it contains valuable behavioral information on 100 different breeds the authors have had first hand experience with in training. Even if you plan to teach your dog (old or new) just a few of the basic commands, there are right and wrong ways to do even that. A must read for folks who care about dogs!

Rating:
Summary: Missing some key points
Review: This book is great if you have a dog that is having problems with obedience. It keys on different dog personalities and ways for the dog to become obedient. However, this book falls short on several items. For example, it fails to give the importance of hand signal commands and verbal commands at the same time. (It does list it on some commands but not all). My two golden retrievers listen more to our hand commands than they do our words and tone. Secondly, it misses some other minor, but important commands. My favorite is the "Leave It" command, that is not listed in this book. We use this one on walks, when our dogs want to pick up every leaf and piece of paper left on the ground. This has to be one of the most effective commands that I have needed.

I would highly recommend getting a couple of dog training books rather than one. I haven't found one that gives me all the information that I need. If you are looking for a great second book, I would recommend "Good Owners, Great Dogs". Happy training.

Rating:
Summary: I was suprised!!
Review: This is the best book I have found that uses the kind of method every dog owner should practice. In just 4 days my schnauzer has stoped chewing on things other than her toys. The book discribes in detailed step by step method to break bad habits and creat peace of mind with the master.

Rating:
Summary: Good General Info - Too cursory on breeds!
Review: We own a 95% basenji, so naturally we turned to the "expanded" breed entries. It was barely a full page, and some information was just plain wrong!

The authors say "its OK to leave your basenji alone for long periods because its not a 'nervous' breed". No mention was made of crating which is essential for this breed if they are left alone. Basenjis are also very pack-oriented and will be very unhappy if left without human or canine companionship for very long. I didn't expect the authors to include every relevant fact about a specific breed; but I did expect them to get what they did include right!

If you own a basenji, or are thinking of owning one, or another other purebred, I strongly recommend purchasing a book specific to your breed. This one will very likely shortchange your breed, and should not be used as a sole authority.

Rating:
Summary: Good General Info - Too cursory on breeds!
Review: We own a 95% basenji, so naturally we turned to the "expanded" breed entries. It was barely a full page, and some information was just plain wrong!

The authors say "its OK to leave your basenji alone for long periods because its not a 'nervous' breed". No mention was made of crating which is essential for this breed if they are left alone. Basenjis are also very pack-oriented and will be very unhappy if left without human or canine companionship for very long. I didn't expect the authors to include every relevant fact about a specific breed; but I did expect them to get what they did include right!

If you own a basenji, or are thinking of owning one, or another other purebred, I strongly recommend purchasing a book specific to your breed. This one will very likely shortchange your breed, and should not be used as a sole authority.