Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

When I read the first few chapters of this book, I thought, "I've heard all this before." How to pick a dog...well, I choose shelter or rescue animals, and you don't have the luxury of visiting the breeder, evaluating the parents, etc. I also was a little annoyed at the focus on Veterinary Behaviorists. But as I read on, I really started to like this book. I liked the in-depth approach to the whys of dog behavior AND the specific methods of eliciting the behaviors you want and discouraging the behaviors you don't. The authors also displel the 'dominance' myths that some experts use to explain and train dogs. I especially liked the chapter on solving common problems. For instance, one of the common problems is pulling on the leash when taking a walk. Many behaviorists call an act of dominance, and that you have to show the dog who's boss. But the authors argue that leash pulling is not a dominance problem (they use a case to explain); it's a behavior problem. They then go on to discuss how to solve it--step-by-step. They also talk about the tools you need to solve it (no retractable leash, the right collar, etc.). Of all the training books I own, I think this is the one that I'll keep at hand. It not only gives clear solutions to problems, but also does so in a positive, humane way. I'm glad that I took a chance on 'another' dog training book. This one was worth reading.