Customer Reviews:
 No one should have a dog without this book! March 17, 2007
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
I read this book about 15 years ago, and lent it to my brother. I never got it back! I just purchased it again.
This book explains not only what to do with a puppy, but what NOT to do and why. Dogs are pack animals, part of the family, but the owner(s) must be the alpha. The book explains this. It explains why a dog shouldn't be locked in the kitchen at night, but included in the owner's bedroom, however, not in the bed.
It explains the fear period, and training methods that work using prevention, praise, and correction rather than punishment.
If you have a dog with problems, or are getting a puppy, get this book before you get any other.
Monks know dogs February 18, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Recently purchased a gsd puppy and the breeder recommended this book as a training suppliment. Although I have spent my life around dogs it had been a good 10yrs since I last had a puppy. while I waited for my puppy to get old enough to come home I read this book and was amazed at the details. While we often expect our pet to be our best friend I think that we sometimes forget the friendship works both ways. Am happy to write that using recommeded techniques my puppy was house trained in the first week. GSD's are a wonderful breed and while I found it wonderful to get ideas from such reknown breeders I believe this book would be beneficial to any new dog owner no matter the breed.
 disappointing and silly February 7, 2007
4 out of 24 found this review helpful
Although there are good rules at the end of this book, it is only useful to someone who can spend his/her entire day exercising the dog. Any dog who is so tired from exercising eight hours a day is going to behave well. It is a silly book. I found Marley and Me more useful.
 A not so modern view of dog training January 29, 2007
20 out of 29 found this review helpful
I wanted to read the revised edition to see what had really changed about the Monks' philosophy, and was disappointed to find that there is still such an emphasis on punishment. I prefer to "catch my dog doing something right", and reward the behavior I want. So, compared to some of the more progressive methods that emphasize dog-friendly, but still effective, techniques, this book falls short of what I expected to see. As a trainer, I am much more impressed by the step-by-step method in Peggy Tillman's "Clicking With Your Dog". I also recommend that new owners, in particular, read Patricia McConnell's "The Other End of the Leash", Jean Donaldson's "The Culture Clash" and Cheryl Smith's "The Rosetta Bone" to gain a perspective on how humans miscommunicate with dogs. Now that I have adopted a more positive approach, I have happier and more obedient dogs.
(And, for a dynamite "come when called", no one beats Leslie Nelson's "Really Reliable Recall" - even the Monks. If you want your dog to be a partner and companion, not a slave, pass on this one.
A Super Dog Training Book! January 28, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This book has it all. It is an exceptionally interesting read, well laid out and full of clear and precise instructions for a well trained dog and "how to be your dog's best friend". I had trouble putting the book down and found the information invaluable in working with my recently acquired 3-legged puppy. I have read various other dog training books but this makes sense! I particularly appreciated the clearness of the instructions; this book has become my dog "bible" which I refer to over and over again. I also purchased the Monks of New Skete DVDs which, too, are excellent!
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