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Book by Doc

18K views 106 replies 41 participants last post by  CarolinaRose 
#1 ·
Doc from this forum wrote a book called Reflections From the Dog House.

I haven't finished it completely but it is a good read.

Lots of general information and history. Also practical advice for owners.

He also manages to step on many toes,
but if one keeps an open mind there is a lot of common sense to his discussion of extremes.

There are a few people on this forum mentioned in the book but I won't say who.


Anyway I think some of you would get a lot out of it.

For the record I do not know Doc personally and there is no financial interest or connection between us.
 
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#2 ·
I have it to, am definitely enjoying reading it, and recommend it ..
 
#11 ·
Barnes and Noble or Amazon have it.
 
#12 ·
Doc from this forum wrote a book called Reflections From the Dog House.

Doc wrote it with Kay Kenfield who was KHawk on this forum,
Kay had sent me some if the chapters
as they were being written!

It took a big effort to go because Doc and Kay live on opposite sides if he country but it was a labor of love for the breed
I got to visit Kay once with. Benny and we have corresponded through email
I could listen to her talk about dogs all day
 
#14 ·
I just had this book referred to me. Definitely looks interesting, I've already added it to my Amazon wish list and I'll hopefully be getting it soon. :)
 
#16 ·
I bought the book and love it. Made alot of sense. khawke has answered questions for me through pms and the book helped me understand more about genetic obedience, the swabian lines and just helped bring some common sense in looking at and applying the breed standard. Still going back and rereading. Reaaly liked the description of the Swabian lines.
 
#17 ·
As a general rule, I try to remain neutral about what other people's views on the breed are. If you like a certain kind of dog and have homes for them....it is not my place to tell you what to do in that regard. I have viewed some of Doc's posts as amusing and have always tried to be respectful, even if I don't agree with what he thinks a GSD should be.
Since I was somehow listed as a source for what is in the book, while not knowing it was even being written, I will simply say this. After receiving my complementary edition of the book and thumbing through a few of the pages, my first impression left me more than a little disappointed.

While I have made clear what I would like to see changed in SchH, the idea that SchH dogs are racing around a football field biting the first thing in sight and people who are participate are somehow prone to violence, pups out of titled parents are "bred to bite people" , etc. etc......( along with other outrageous claims), is absurd, inflammatory and simply beyond inaccurate.

For me, a book should be about informing people with accurate information, not getting even with people you disagree with on a forum while attempting to take an entire activity down with them. I have taken part in SchH for almost 40 years. SchH has preserved the breed to this point....make no mistake about that. Hopefully, people will realize adjustments are necessary for that to continue to be the case but simply making things up to tear down the effort of others in order to promote your version of the breed, is wrong on so many levels. Sorry, two thumbs down for this book.
 
#18 ·
Thanks for commenting, I was wondering the level of contribution that some of those listed had. I know I haven't been in the sport long...but I've visited clubs and met lots of dog people, and I've never had any of the terrible, abusive, experiences that Doc likes to talk about on here. I've actually had the opposite....lots of kindness, knowledge, experience, and most of all FUN!

Some of my sport "dog friends" are becoming my very best friends. They were around in the 80's and 90's and are trying to keep the sport fun and real. I've never felt ridiculed, overlooked, or belittled...even the first 9 months with my byb, health and temperament mess dog. They were extremely helpful with me in achieving everything I could with that dog, and telling me to keep with him, that I would learn a lot from him...etc. These are trainers that have gone to the worlds, trained teams that have gone to the worlds, titled and worked a butt load of dogs, are currently training police dogs that are going onto the streets as well as pet obedience for the pet homes....they've all been wonderful and helpful.

Also met quite a bit of the "crazy biting monsters" and they were mostly all nice dogs (and I mean this in mostly what I can evaluate...and that's the dogs off the field). Their handlers have strong bonds with them, quite a bit of them live in the home....They aren't just constantly looking for the closest decoy or sleeve to bite.

On a different note...I'm "aging/maturing" in my dog world....and realizing that breeders are going to breed what they want to, and my "idealized justice" of going toe to toe with them on a forum (of all places) is futile. I'm just going to support the breeders and trainers I like, and leave it at that. I seek out those working dogs, successfully, and try and learn from them, and I support breeders working and producing dogs that successfully work and seem to fit into the utility that the breed was meant to be....anything else just isn't worth the effort.
 
#19 ·
not going to spend money buying this book.....sounds like it will do more damage to the reputation of the breed and justification to breeders who breed out of standard....Sad that the publisher does not research the credentials of their authors

Lee
 
#23 ·
Sad that the publisher does not research the credentials of their authors
Unless I'm very much mistaken, this book is self-published, meaning that there is no "publisher" in the sense you're likely thinking of. In other words, there's no process of editorial selection or review.
 
#24 ·
Its one thing to spew nonsense on a forum and another to put it in print and charge people to read it.
from what i have read in the current reviews that is this book in a nutshell
sounds kinda skewed to me :shrug:
but a friend offered to let me borrow theirs when they are done
so maybe i will post my own review after i have actually read it :)
 
#25 · (Edited)
Well, as they say, there is no such thing as bad publicity. The mocking comments made by many on this thread have made me want to read this book all the more. Of course, I suspect, that most of the mockers have also not yet read the book in part, much less in its entirety. I will have a better perspective on that once I read the book, which I have now ordered… lol!
 
#29 ·
I'm going to say this once.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, however, I don't go around critiquing something I haven't even read.

I'm sure everyone who writes a book gives has their opinion and belief's thrown into a book such as this..There are alot of books written about gsd's, that personally I think are hogwash, but I don't go around on the internet critiquing them without reading them first and well, keeping an open mind , take from it what I want, and discard the rest.

I have quite a collection of gsd related books, and I'll tell you, there is one big time gsd person who wrote a few books, I burned them when I found out that person, was knowingly breeding her dogs to dysplastic, nervy tempered dogs, I've never seen a 'bash' fest on her, (tho she is deceased)..

With that, there are alot of posts here that are not only OT but making sarcastic fun of a member here who wrote a book.

With that, get over yourselves, go out and write your own book , if you don't like the book, don't buy it, if your not interested in it, again don't buy it.

It's like all these breeder referrals I see where there is no first hand knowledge..

Bottom line, give your opinion, but do it in a respectul way, and I'm removing ALL posts that are OT..

BTW I do have the book, but admit I'm not to far into it, time restraints,,
 
#30 ·
I have done some very heavy editing of this thread. If people have any questions about why certain posts were removed, please feel free to send me a PM.

Thank you,

ADMIN Lisa
 
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