Book Reviews

The International Institute for Applied Companion Animal Behavior conducted a poll. Here are the results:

POLL QUESTION: Please vote!! Best Dog Behavior Book for Owners of 2006 Books on behavior problems and/or behavior modification written for dog owners

CHOICES AND RESULTS
- Help for Your Fearful Dog by Nicole Wilde,  36.36% -
- Changing People Changing Dogs by Dee Ganley,  27.27%
- Dogs...Made Easy! A New Owner's Manual by Kathie Compton,  18.18%
- For the Love of a Dog by Patricia McConnell, 18.18%

POLL QUESTION: Please vote!! Best Professional Dog Behavior Book of 2006; Books on behavior problems and/or behavior modification written for dog professionals.

CHOICES AND RESULTS
- For the Love of a Dog by Patricia McConnell, 41.67%
- Changing People Changing Dogs by Dee Ganley,  33.33%
- Help for Your Fearful Dog by Nicole Wilde,  16.67%
- The Family in Dog Behavior Consulting by Lynn Hoover, 8.33%

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Hi Dee,

I received your book in the mail yesterday. Thank you. I spent some time perusing it last night and am favorably impressed. I particular like your emphasis on the importance of owner responsibility for management..."it is the owner's responsibility to MANAGE AND PROTECT the dog from situations the dog finds stressful." Too many trainers do not emphasize that point. I will recommend highly your explanation of "leadership". I look forward to reading the section on Exercises .

I heard about your book through the New England Border Collie Rescue discussion group. After more than 50 years in Obedience competition and teaching and working with "problem dogs" we adopted a BC from NEBCR and I have learned so much from our "journey" with her. Like Patty Russo, I started with dogs in the days of all negative reinforcement training. I had my Wake up call from a seminar by Karen Pryor many years ago. Of course I am still learning and loving it. Right now I’m feeling my big accomplishment is getting my husband (72 yrs old) involved in training and running our BC in Agility

I wish someone like you would manage to get published a popular entertaining book which might counter act such works like "Orson" by Jon Katz so that readers would realize that positive reinforcement training with proper management WORKS.

Keep up the good work!
Helen Specht , NADOI #536
Presently owned by: MACH Toven Wilderness Merlin UD (sheltie) Robin , CDX, NA, NAJ (rescue BC)

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Dee Ganley’s Changing People, Changing Dogs is a remarkable achievement.  It is clearly written and provides systematic advice that any pet owner can follow.  At the same time, it is comprehensive and deep enough that to be an extremely valuable resource for the professional trainer and consultant.  On my desk, I have a small collection of books by respected canine professionals that I refer to constantly.  Dee’s book now has an honored place in that collection, along with books by Jean Donaldson, Pat Miller, Karen Overall and Karen Pryor.  I know that I will reach for Changing People, Changing Dogs whenever I have a challenging case to tackle.

Congratulations!
Jim Barry, CPDT, CDBC

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One of our volunteers bought your book and is awestruck by it. I absolutely loved the way it is laid out, very accessible. Your book really communicates the information well, not all books are able to do that. Congrats!
Dana Rocco  NY

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“The goldmine of this book is the section on training exercises in the appendix. Ganley, refreshingly practical in her approach, explains to handlers exactly what to do with their hands, their eyes, and their voice and how to deliver rewards in order to achieve success. Her wealth of experience shines through as she shares with the reader exercises for a calmer, more attentive, well-behaved dog.”
Barbara Shumannfang
Author of Happy Kids, Happy Dogs: Building a Friendship
Right from the Start

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Some people have gifts.  Dee is one of those people, she has taken something amazingly complex and made it easy to understand.  Making something complex easy for anyone to understand is a gift.  Her book is extremely well organized, easy to read and guides the handler of a difficult dog through the process of behavior modification.

The entire book has a calm feel to it, so Dee not only describes how to help a challenging dog reach a more peaceful state, she actually models it through out the book. 

The book is organized into 7 easy to read sections beginning with communication which includes some wonderful pictures of dogs in a variety of emotional states.  Dee uses these pictures to educate the reader how dogs use their bodies to communicate.  The learning section provides an overview of how dogs learn and what methods the book uses to modify behavior.  Dee’s assessment section is not only useful to the pet dog owner but will also help professional trainers assess difficult dogs.  Training resources discusses a variety of tools clearly stating what tools are useful and which to avoid and why. 

Strategies and techniques discusses training and management ideas that will help a difficult dog attain initially a foundation and finally the self-control that will lead to behavioral change.  The final two sections discuss specific cases and the journey.  Specific cases help the reader internalize the message of Dee’s book and the journey helps the reader focus on the process of change, since it is only by changing ourselves that we can ultimately change our dogs. 

I predict this book will become a classic must read among dog training professionals and pet dog handlers. Dee thank you for sharing your gift with the world.