Bones, the sky, and dog training

I loved that book. It was lifechanging! I immediately wrote to Suzanne during one particularly meaningful section. She willingly wrote back and engaged in wonderful dialog with me. I hope to attend a training of hers as soon as she is in close proximity to me again. I can't wait! I apologized to Gracie for hurting her during training - there is no need for harsh corrections on the prong nor hanging her (I shudder that it was an option). She is what she is -- our family member first and foremost. If she can't get the attention for a Schutzhund title, then she won't get one. There are many other things she does extremely well - loves us, kisses us, goes places with us.....

I read the book, along with numerous others, including the Monks, Leerburg stuff, a guy I despite who had has collie killed, etc. Some books even a bit more liberal, albeit I hate using that term.

The bottom line is this is the best book I have ever read regarding dogs and as I and my GSD's head out for a camping trip in a few weeks I will give it another read.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

LOVED the book. Got a bit repetitive and boring at times, but the stuff to be learned was priceless. I will buy the book and reread it sometime.

Bones is one of my favorites, also. It is one I bring out to re-read sections at random.

Jan Fennell, Patricia B McConnell are other favorites who just plain make sense and work for me and my dogs.

I attended one of her seminars years ago and would jump at the chance to attend another. She is amazing.

I would give my right arm to go to one of her seminars. I love the book and just finished reading it again.

She has an interesting take on compulsion that I absolutely agree with. She is not against it --when it is necessary for the wlfare of the dog. One of her examples was car chasing or running into the street. All the cookies in the world will not protect the dog but compulsion will. But do we use heavy compulsion to teach obedience exercises? The dog (in her words) was drafted and we need to keep that in mind.

COmpulsion has a place but we need to insure that the place we put it in is for the dog's welfare and not for our personal gain.

Originally Posted By: middleofnowhere.... The underlying thought seems to be that the challenge isn't to make your dog do what you want but to have the dog want to do what you want -- she's advocating mutual understanding. Anyone else want to weigh in on this?

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Great book.

I trained Indy this way, and it worked great. It's hard for some dogs to cross over depending on the training they have had before.

If they have been taught only to respond because they are afraid of the correction, then it takes awhile to get them to understand that they will not be corrected for "trying things". Cross-over dogs may have a lot of difficulty learning to trust the handler, on many different levels.

My Max is one of those, and I regularly curse the folks that trained him before. He has been on a choke, on a prong, and an e-collar. Btw, he was never trained, just somewhat controlled on those. He is such a sweet boy, but all he learned from his previous owners is to tolerate any pain that is given him in order to do what he wants. That's hard to undo once it's imprinted.

I also loved this book.

We had a man bring his GSD to lure coursing this past weekend. He got the dog last fall to be his assistance dog. He was going to do all the training but fell ill so the GSD (about a year old) is rather untrained.

He said he was working with a trainer so that he could get the GSD to work for him.

I said no, you want to get your dog to work WITH you ... and you want them to WANT to do it.

Next time he comes back I will recommend the book!

I am reading the book for the second time. Rarely do I do that. except for Twain and Hemmingway.

I have served as a rescue for German Shepherds, and the only way these dogs could get better is using her advice.

Anythng harsh,would simply make these dogs more fearful. Suffice it to say these dogs have been abused enough.

The book, obviously, is highly recommended.