Customer Reviews

Surviving Your Dog's Adolescence: A Positive Training Program

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I recommend this book to all of my clients with young dogs. Not only does Ms. Benjamin offer excellent ifnormation on obedience training, she also provides insights on canine personality types and some very good advice on problem solving.

I found this book highly interesting and helpful. It gives practical training tips in ways the new dog owner can understand and easily put into practice... There is absolutely no negative training in this book. It all focuses on the positives of relationship, describing and teaching language a dog can understand. I found it extremely helpful. I would highly recommend it to any current or prospective dog owner.

I'm not sure why one reviewer said this book used negative methods for dog training such as alpha rolls and scruff shaking, because I saw neither mentioned in the book. The author does recommend "a quick pop followed by an immediate release" when using a leash to train, but this is a perfectly sensible and harmless way of getting the dog's attention.

The author continually emphasizes the importance of praise, praise, and more praise in teaching your dog the proper way to behave, and her methods really live up to the "positive" claim in the title. This is a very reader-friendly book as well. The writer presents her information in an easy-to-read and often humorous format, all the while providing sound advice. I highly recommend this book as both human and dog friendly!

An excellent analysis of problem dog behaviors and training methods for overcoming them, aimed toward younger dogs but appropriate for all ages. The author correlates breed type and original function with the particular sorts of mischief the dog may get into, and explains what to do to redirect the dog's energy and attention into positive activities. Especially helpful for first-time dog owners.

This book is important for two very strong reasons: 1) it alerts dog owners everywhere that their dogs have a teenage stage; and 2) it counters the newly-prevelant ideas that training is 100% positive and you can avoid corrections completely.

I am an advocate of using the friendliest and most positive methods available. BUT, a whole generation of children was raised by parents who were permissive, and look how that turned out. Yes, you sometimes have to tell your dog (especially when they hit adolescence) no!

That said, I can't give it an all-out endorsement because I don't totally agree with it. I don't think you should rely on collar corrections for non-leash work. "Put on the collar and correct the dog for this, that, and the other." If the naughty behavior is occuring off-lead, you need to find an off-lead deterrent. Also, she is a bit limited in her options. By discarding everything reward trainers do, she overlooks some good advice. So, this book isn't the end-all be-all. BUT, the message that your bratty teen needs some structure and leadership is so important, and so lacking in most modern materials, that it's worth the read.

P.S. Absolutely nowhere in this book does the author advocate alpha rolls or scruff shakes or any other physical reprimand. Don't know where that reviewer was coming from.

Wonderful well written easy to read book. I found it very insightfull and full of great advice. I do not agree with the use of a slip collar and the jerk method, as I prefer to use a prong collar. The rest of the book was very helpful in correcting my adolescent dogs problems

Ms. Benjamin leaves an indelible mark on the understanding of dogs with this work that recognizes that the time between puppyhood and adulthood is not limited to us humans. The excellent methodology outlined in this text denotes a person with an uncommon insight into the minds and behavior of dogs. The techniques described in the book are both helpful and thorough - follow them and you will get the job done. This is not a book for those who would build a relationship between a dog and the liver snaps in their pocket. It is a book for those who want to enjoy a warm relationship between themselves and their dogs. It DOES NOT recommend alpha rolls in shape or form.

Don't be fooled by the title. There's nothing positive about the methods in this book. Collar pops, scruff shakes, and alpha rolls have no place in the positive trainer's toolbox. There are much more dog-friendly techniques available. I would send this to the second-hand store, but I don't want anyone else to pick it up.