Anyone who has ever loved a dog should read this book. Rather than many other dog training books that talk about the dog’s behavior, this book talks primarily about the human’s behavior and how what we do, sometimes unconsciously, affects our dog’s behavior. It was really fortuitous that I found this book when I did as I had just brought a new dog into our home. It really helped me take a step back from everything I thought I knew about dog behavior from training my other dogs and put on a new lens. This book helped me shift the focus from all the things my new dog was doing “wrong” to what I could do differently to produce the outcome I wanted in my new dog. Even simple things like the tone and pitch of your voice, when to use repetition and when not to, and how to be the perfect level of aloof while continuing to build a bond with your dog are outlined in this book through scientific evidence and logical chains of reasoning that McConnell makes so clear, it surprised me I had not heard of them before.

McConnell is a dog behaviorist and dog trainer, so she has the knowledge and experience to back up her stories. But more than being reliable, she is human like the rest of us and admits to her own shortcomings and mistakes. She is relatable and clearly loves her animals as much as the reader. For new dog owners and veterans alike, I would highly recommend adding this book to your reading list. I’m surprised at how many new things I learned about dogs and humans and am already putting them into practice.

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Created May 28, 2019 at 4:32pm • Submit your own review...