Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 36-40 of 155
 Animals deserve only love and tenderness May 26, 2006
Ana (USA)
5 out of 46 found this review helpful
Animals should NEVER receive negative punishment (physical or mental). Why should you, when the positive reinforcemt methods have poved to work so well and makes your animal obey you out of respect and not out of fear as the negative reinforcement does? The use of negative reinforcemt stems from a lack of true understanding of canine psychology (as it is utterly unnecessary) and a need to be sadistic. As a veterinarian and animal lover, I strongly advise against this book.
How to beat your dog??? May 23, 2006
LD (Seymour, Connecticut)
5 out of 41 found this review helpful
This book is a disgrace! Our dogs are a part of our family. This book suggests beating your dog and instilling fear into him or her. Pass on this one if you can.
The best way to train your dog is through positive reinforcement. I have a labrador who was very diffcult as a young puppy. We called her "Rosemary's Baby" However, after a few weeks at a local dog obiedience school she is now a changed pup. And it only took a few weeks to see a drastic change. Now she is our angel.
If you are looking for advice on how to train your dog, then find a local dog obeidence school. Two things will happen that you can not get from a book. One your dog will become socialized with other people and dogs and two you will learn from professionals and others in your class who are going through the same thing you are.
As for the monks, "Do onto others as you would want done on to you" If you ever write a book about beating each other into submission, please e-mail me. That one I will buy!
medieval dog training May 3, 2006
Barbara Tosto (San Diego, CA)
19 out of 34 found this review helpful
Years ago, the trainer of my 3-months old coonhound recommended staying away from this book, describing it as "the best way to get your dog to be afraid of you and mess up your relationship forever!". But I wanted to read it, to know what it was all about... I cannot tell you how many times I was fuming realizing how ignorantly these Monks approach dogs' psychology and the physical and psychological violence they use. The temptation of throwing that piece of junk out the window was strong, but I read it through to make sure I could talk about it as bad as I can with the knowledge of its contents.
I am saddened to find out that they are still out there... This is the training philosophy for frustrated humans that need to dominate to compensate their own insecurities.
Meanwhile I am a trainer myself and I support a more constructive approach to dog training based on positive reinforcement. If you know nothing about dogs' psychology, and want to learn more from "The Voice" in dog behavior I suggest "The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia McConnell or "Culture Clash"
by Jean Donaldson or "The Power of Positive Dog Training" by Pat Miller.
If you would like to become a benevolent leader of the pack without imposing yourself to your dog with violence or fear, I suggest "How to be the Leader of the Pack...And have Your Dog Love You for It" ("How to" booklets from Dog's Best Friend) by Patricia B. McConnell.
All these books are written by professionals that have been working with dogs and studying dogs' behaviors, but they are very entertaining and easy to read and comprehend. Patricia McConnell also wrote a number of other books addressing specific behavioral issues.
 Thanks to This Book May 3, 2006
Shelby H. Swatek (Simi Valley, CA USA)
6 out of 10 found this review helpful
I took on a dog who had been declared as "having a screw loose" by an expensive Connecticut dog trainer. I knew this dog was beautiful and intelligent, but knew nothing about dog training. Thanks to this book, a spacious dog crate, and plenty of love, exercise, and patience, a champion Labrador who had been sorrowfully neglected became the love of my life. Within a week of my having him, more than a few people remarked how he was one of the best behaved dogs they had met. God bless Tucker, the beginning of a legacy of dog rescue and training. Also useful: Good Owners, Great Dogs by Brian Kilcommons.
Stay away from Mean Monks March 29, 2006
Reggie
9 out of 37 found this review helpful
I perused this book at the book store, and browsed through the pages. I read the chapter on discipline, and was quickly turned off by their approach. Especially as it describes how much pain to administer to your dog in order to get it to obey.
Everyone has a different approach to raising a dog. Just like there are lots of parenting styles out there. Personally, I have chosen a positive, patient parenting style with my own daughters. My dad never hit me -- I never hit them -- and it works. It just takes consistancy, structure, communication, respect, love, and patience. And lots of attention.
I once owned a dog when I was a teen. Back then, a lot of books espoused tough discipline. I didn't know what I was doing, and I screwed that dog up -- it had a mean streak. I definitely did not give that dog the time and proper attention that it needed. It began to growl or bite when I scolded it. And it finally chased down one car too many. It wasn't all my fault -- the dog's previous owner was an over-dominant alpha male type.
I now have a new dog. I knew it was a big responsibility, so I waited until I was much older to take it on. And with the experience of fatherhood, I've taken a positive approach. I've purchased books on positive dog training -- and am even trying a clicker approach. And it is working great -- and the dog is great. Immediately housebroken (used a crate) -- not one accident. Obedient and smart. Most of all -- the dog seems happy and loves the time and attention that I give it.
Yeah, the Monk book has a lot of stars. And it probably works, just like different parenting styles can work. But the positive books out there are also acclaimed -- and have lots of stars by them - if not more. So why not try that approach first. And should it ever fail -- well, you can always try the approach where you beat your dog later.
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