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| Dog Training For Dummies (For Dummies (Pets)) | 
 enlarge | Authors: Jack Volhard, Wendy Volhard
Publisher: For Dummies
Category: Book
List Price: $21.99
Buy New: $6.37
You Save: $15.62 (71%)
New (55) Used (30) from $4.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  26 reviews
Sales Rank: 24820
Media: Paperback
Edition: 2
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 408
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 7.3 x 1.1
ISBN: 0764584189
Dewey Decimal Number: 636.70887
UPC: 785555898981
EAN: 9780764584183
ASIN: 0764584189
Publication Date: July 22, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: New, never read, may have minor wear on cover.New, ships in 24 hours, 5 star seller, priority shipping available, may have remainder mark.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Mixed bag June 17, 2005
67 out of 75 found this review helpful
I thought the parts of this book that talked about training were, for the most part, quite good. The authors give clear instructions and reasons for their practices. For example, don't say "no" to your dog; tell him what you want him to do instead. If he's jumping, say sit, for example. Be consistent. Reinforce commands. Say commands only once. I could give more examples, but you get the idea: sound, sane, and humane advice. The advanced training sections started to lose me a bit. I found them tedious after a while.
Although the authors are very experienced with all aspects of caring for dogs, I thought they were reaching a bit with their nutritional and medical advice. They talked about homeopathic remedies as though they're proven treatments. They're not. Anecdotal evidence is not the same as statistically significant results from controlled studies. Their opinion on vaccines seemed dangerous and unbalanced. They have too much confidence in their alternative nutrition and treatment methods -- maybe they have some effect, but they're not perfect. A well-fed dog could still get fleas and infections and communicable diseases. After a while, they sounded like shills for the company that makes the supplements they use. Finally -- and I hope you'll excuse the e-shouting, but I cannot emphasize this enough -- DO NOT FEED YOUR DOG RAISINS, EVEN FOR A TREAT! Scientists haven't yet identified what it is about grapes and raisins, but they've been implicated in acute toxicity and even death in some dogs.
And as someone who makes a living from the written word, I have to say it seemed to me that the copy editor gave up on this book around Page 200. The text in the last half of the book is full of typos, errors, and repetitive writing -- not repetitive as in emphasizing a point, but repetitive as in restating the content of one paragraph in the next. Ugh.
The training advice was sound. Read this book for that, and disregard the rest.
 Great guide for any dog owner May 5, 2005
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
This book has very practical and effective techniques for training your puppy. I have found it very helpful during my first efforts at raising a family dog. Although the authors tend to get "New Age" now and then, it didn't take away from the overall message. I tend to ignore these passages, however some people may find them useful (making your own dog food for example).
I will be passing it to everyone I know who has a dog, young or old.
Great as a starting point in training your pet. November 4, 2004
13 out of 16 found this review helpful
This was the first book I bought on dog training. Its great because it covers a broad range of topics and is very easy to read. I got noticable results with my dog from their training techniques.
Its a good introduction and starting point from which to then go on to more specialized books.
Worthy of a Spot on Your Bookshelf January 1, 2004
33 out of 36 found this review helpful
This book gets put down a lot because it has a couple of flaws. However, overall, it is a great book on Dog Training, and it contains a lot of information the person trying to train their dog really needs to know. This book helps you get inside your dog's head and understand why he does and does not listen. It puts the world as your dog sees it in perspective and shows you how to communicate on his level so you can help him understand exactly what is expected of him.If you read this book you will become someone who can control their dog and have a happy, obedient canine companion.
Review from another veterinary technician November 27, 2003
23 out of 27 found this review helpful
Like another reviewer, I am also a veterinary technician and I strongly disagree with her dismissal of many things in this book on the basis that the authors aren't "medically trained". These authors are very experienced and respected people in the dog training/health fields. Their advice on rabies vaccination timing and commercial dog foods are, I believe, valid. The veterinary field (vets and technicians)is not a monolithic block. I personally know many licensed veterinarians
who agree wholehearedly with the health issues in this book. As someone who has a degree in veterinary technology (plus human physical therapy) I am dismayed by the attitude of many of my colleagues that vettech/vet school is the only place to receive valid training and information. There is minimal training inbehavior and nutrition.
I have found that the Volhard's training methods work quite well, and they are also followed and respected by many canine breeding/training professionals.
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