Customer Reviews

The Art of Raising a Puppy

5 star:		(79)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

My dog is now 2 1/2 years old and people always ask me how we trained her to be so loyal, obedient, loving and playful - my answer is "I read this book called The Art Of Raising A Puppy written by some monks in New York and started using it when she was 8 weeks old". I have recommended this book to other friends who have raised their puppies with the monk's philosophies and their dogs are the same - loyal, loving, obedient, and playful.

The book stresses the importance of understanding why your dog does things so you can help train/correct them the best way. When you use the methods in the book it seems your puppy obeys earlier and needs to be corrected less than others who do not. Good luck with your training - I hope your relationship with your dog is as rewarding as ours has been.

By the way I do a lot of work with the local humane society and they are big on "clicker training" - I have seen many animals trained with this method and they don't have near the bond with their trainers as those I've seen trained with the monks methods. Just wanted to mention that.

Some monks make wine, some monks are scholars, and the Monks of New Skete breed, raise, and train dogs. This book show a good path to help decide on the right kind of puppy for you and how to introduce the pup into your family. The point of view is that your dog is a member of your family, but is the dog in the family. Building a good relationship with your dog from the start is the best way to avoid problems down the line. I especially liked the charts maping physical and behavioral characteristics of pups to the type of care/personality they will have as they grow. It helps you avoid a dominant dog if you don't have the disposition to help him or her succeed in your "pack." The techniques and recommendations are included in easy to read text that helps you develop a better understanding of your dog and helps you be a better leader of your pack. If you have kids and want a dog, don't miss this guidebook on making your dog understand his/her place in your family or pack. Avoid bites and stitches and get your pup off to the right start.

Don't forget "How to Be Your Dog's" best friend, it you have already selected your new best friend. (you don't need both books.)

At first I thought this new-age "doggie" duty might be a bit ... out there, especially penned my monks, but I can admit when I am wrong, as I was in this case.

This is THE best book for anyone who owns a dog and wants to understand their canine companion. It is very easy to read and completely understandable. The monks' philosophy makes perfect sense. I feel a bit guily about ways we trained the family dog when I was a kid, but times have changed and these are reflected in this book.

As an adult about to embark on getting my dog, I researched ... a lot ... until a friend suggested this book. This is the first book I recommend to people. It provides clear information, offered in step by step stages of a dog that kept me fascinated while I waited for my puppy. I was well prepared to meet the demands of my seven week old puppy when she arrived.

If you only buy one book on raising dogs, this should be it!

I train search and rescue dogs and base my assessment of a puppy off the test in this book. They did a very good job of covering the care of a pup for the first 8 weeks of life. If you are looking to become a breeder, or already are one, this book is a must!

I picked up this book, determined to be a better pet owner. And I'm grateful to the Monks of New Skete for preparing such a thoughtful, educational text for people like me. This is a wonderful book that taught me a lot about my dog, why she acts the way she does, and what I can do about unwanted behavior. From the birth of these loyal, precious animals to testing for temperament, then moving toward training, I've developed a much better understanding of what it means to work with a puppy. Or rather, to train myself. This text is highly recommended for all dog owners, regardless of age, for it contains a wealth of information that should be shared with everyone before bringing home a loving pet such as a dog. Another great book for dog owners that I recommend is "Cesar's Way" by Cesar Millan, and for the cat lovers -- "Cats are Rascals" by Nowiki

The Monks compile a great deal of knowledge into one very informative, very well-written, hard-to-put-down book. This book focuses on the development, both physiological and psychological, of puppies: from the dams pregnancy and whelping on. They address what to do, what to avoid, nutrition, etc., for each phase. I strongly suggest that you also read "How to be Your Dog's Best Friend". In the latter book (their first) they make it very clear that you should read not only their book, but many others on the training and evolution of dogs and a variety of other related subjects and provide a recommended reading list. Having read both books (and many others), I felt that they had no pretensions (as some do) to be the utmost authority on the subject. Nonetheless, as for puppy books, this is my number one pick, my guidebook.

This book is good for those like these methods. I prefer to "clicker train". I did although think it has a clear veiw of its training methods and if you are that sort of trainer I reccomend this book. I did find though that possibly they referred to their other book a little too much. Some of their ideas made sense but as for their "scruff shakes" I did not find very workable as well as uncomfortable to carry out(i tried). If you are looking for positive training methods I do not recommend this book(try Ian Dunbar). However if you beleive in "traditional" methods of dog training try it, I think you will like it.

I've read over a dozen dog-training books and if you are going to own one dog-training book this is the one to get. The Art of Raising a Puppy is an incredibly comprehensive book that has everything you need to know about getting a puppy, raising it properly, and turning it into a well trained dog. If there's one negative to the book, it's that there's more information than the average dog owner can use. However, you can take as much or as little as you want from this book. The important thing is to read it. If you're going to purchase two dog-training books, I also recommend the Canine Good Citizen.

These gentlemen are right on the mark for dog training. We used their philosophy for raising our strong-willed huskie-border collie mix. She is the most wonderful dog imaginable and we owe it all to the Monks' method. Everyone compliments us on her behaviour and temperament.

This book is a great help to all puppy owners, new and veteran alike. The monks knowledge of the pack dynamic and the puppy's maturation into adulthood are amazing, to say the least. This books helps guide a puppy owner from day one to adulthood. Basic training and care information any dog owner should know. Even for those who may not agree with all the monks training methods, this book is still a great resource. If you are more of the new age mind of dog training, this book still is a nice companion to a new style training book. I would suggest getting one of each (The power of positive dog training is ok...) and see which methods best suit your and your dog's personalities. No 1 method will suit everyone. But no one should be without this book.