Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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55 of 55 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is the most helpful book I've read on the subject., 2 Sep 1999
By A Customer
Perhaps living with many dogs which are allowed certain permissions, such as sleeping on the bed, but with rules, has allowed the authors certain insights that I have not seen elsewhere. I have a golden retriever, which should be classified as highly trainable. After reading many behavior books, nothing was really working. The authors explained that this is because first you must deal with the dominance issue. The authors are very specific in what your actions mean to your dog, which you would never guess on your own. I found our family was making many mistakes even though it was obvious we had a dominance problem. Another insight was that the dog knew exactly what we were asking for; when he didn't respond, he had his own reasons. This book clearly shows what your dog wants for rewards and is great fun to read. I learned that what dogs want for motivation for learning is no different than any of us humans.
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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very encouraging for those of us who don't own a collie!, 31 May 2002
By A Customer
Leaving aside the obvious fact that the author is writing from the other side of the pond, the enthusiasm she has for the subject is like a breath of fresh air. For those of us who are attempting to train the not-so-easy-to-train breeds, I found the advice and methods to be both practical, helpful, and most important of all, effective. It is encouraging to read that it will, and does, take an age to train these 'not Lassie' dogs to retrieve. But the author encourages every step of the way. I find it a source of great solace and encouragement; and heartening to read someone saying what I found out the hard way, that for my dog, 'no payola, no worka!!' He CAN count!! I now know it's not me, it's the breed. If you are a trainer of a club with the more difficult than normal dogs in classes such as a whippet, staffie, bull dog, gaze hound or sled dog, this is the book for you. If you own one of the more difficult breeds, as I do, and are struggling with the ethos of 'standard English training', ie they do it because they love you (rubbish) you will find it a useful tool - once you have accustomed yourself to the very American way of writing. I lent it to someone in the puppy class who owns a staffie, and she read it and is now nearly as good as my whippet puppy!! Happy training, 'cos as the author says, training is fun.
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29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful training advice for any dog - difficult or not!, 27 Oct 1998
By A Customer
Unlike so many other training titles, So Your Dog's Not Lassie is founded on a respect for dogs and their individual personalities, and a deep interest in the development of a strong relationship between handler and dog. The authors's philosophy: "Owners who will be successful with their independent dog dispense with the common mind set that they are the master and their dog is the slave. Instead, they know that respect and accommodation must go both ways." Fisher & Delzio emphasize making learning fun and relevant from the dog's perspective. This book will help anyone convince their dog that there is a good and pleasant rationale behind your training requests while simultaneously strengthening and enhancing the dog/owner relationship. Humane and sensible, the training methodology is totally congruent with the philosophy espoused - a rare find in dog training books. If this book has a failing, it is in the subtitle. While aimed at handlers of difficult or independent breeds, So Your Dog's Not Lassie is eminently suitable for training any dog of any breed. This humorous, well written and informative book is notably fluff free, and one that readers - both professionals & novices - will refer back to time and again. Highly recommended!
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