I have read many dog training books in the past 6 months, but this is the only one that really rang true for me. Jean Donaldson articulates what many dog owners have felt for some time: that yanking, yelling and regimentation do NOT constitute positive training methods. She rightly calls slip-collars and choke chains "strangulation collars," and makes it clear that the "leash correction" is simply a punishment -- and not a very effective one at that. Her whole training ethos is based on the premise that dogs are dogs, not people. That may sound pretty obvious, but it doesn't seem to be, at least not to traditional dog trainers. If you have a dog that likes to be a dog (interacts with both humans and dogs in the same manner, and doesn't like to be restrained in any way) Donaldson's training methods will save your sanity -- and perhaps your dog's life. This book is more than a manual, however, as it fully explains the theory before detailing the methods. Along the way, it provides a good read and some great laughs. This is also the first book I've read that describes some fun and effective training games to play with your dog, rather than just saying "play with your dog." It's not all fun and games though: I dare you to read the section called "Empathy 101" and remain unmoved toward the plight of the average family dog. My only (minor) complaint about "Culture Clash" is that it needs either a more detailed Table of Contents, an Index, or both. That said, however, I urge you to buy this book, and leave the traditional methods of dog training back in WWII, where they began, and where they belong!