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The Book Reviewed
Richardson, J. & Cole, L.S. (2001) The Dog Whisperer: The essential guide to understanding and raising a happy dog.
Australia: New Holland Publishers.
Cover summary
Comprehensive and effective, ‘The Dog Whisperer’ is the essential guide to training your canine companion. Based on the premise that the modern dog still shares many of the behavioral characteristics of its ancestor, the wolf, this book will show you the ten keys to effective training and how to put those keys into practice. By following the three R’s of dog training – reward, reinforcement and reprimand – you can have a well-behaved dog that obeys your every command.
This informative and entertaining book also details how dogs help humans in different working environments, and offers valuable advice on choosing the best dog for your lifestyle. So whether your pooch has Top Dog syndrome, digs up the garden, or barks incessantly, ‘The Dog Whisperer’ enables you to solve dog behavior problems effectively, and offers a revealing insight into the mind of the dog – ultimately leading to an improved relationship between you and your canine friend.
Review
With 3 dogs sharing my home, I found this book extremely helpful in dealing with their behavioral problems. Upon reading this book, I found out that what I thought I was doing right with the best of intentions, was not the best for my dogs. The book begins by introducing the link between the wolf and the domesticated dog and seeks to help the reader understand the pack animal culture. In other words, to understand the mind of dogs, we have to look at its ancestors, since the author asserts that “the dog has inherited the mind of the wolf” (pg. 2). Once the reader learns to understand the mind of the dog, it will be easier to understand why behavioral problems arise and how we can change our dog’s behavior by changing our own behavior, because ultimately it is our behavior that we have to change in order for the dog’s behavior to change. Thus, change fundamentally depends on training the individual who cares for the dog, and then training the dog itself.
The author further lists the ten keys to effective training which are essential for behavior modification to take place. The author details certain case studies of the above steps put into practice so as to help the reader understand the application of these steps. The author then further explains certain training techniques and how to put them into practice.
Practical and easy to understand, I feel that this book is a must have for individuals who have dogs living with them and for individuals who are thinking of taking care of a dog in the future, so that they realize what companion animals involve.
On a last note, the author argues that some people should never own a dog, either because they don’t have the time to devote to the dog, or else because they simply do not have the right temperament to manage a dog. I agree fully with his argument; many animals are left on their own for many hours and since dogs are pack animals, this goes against their instinct and they do suffer because of this. The more we try to recreate a dog’s natural environment by taking into consideration the dog’s natural instincts, the happier the dog will be.
by Christine Garzia B.Psy (Hons)
Christine manages Public Relations for the Vegetarian Society of Malta.
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