Great Books About Dog Training
101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog
- ISBN13: 9781592533251
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
101 Dog Tricks is the largest trick book on the market and the only one presenting full-color photos of each trick and its training steps? The step-by-step approach, difficulty rating, and prerequisites, allow readers to start training immediately. Tips and trouble-shooting boxes cover common problems, while “build-on” ideas suggest more complicated tricks which build on each new skill. No special tools (such as clickers) or knowledge of specific training methods are required. Trick training is
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(out of 137 reviews)
List Price: $ 18.99
Price: $ 11.79
Dog Training For Dummies
- ISBN13: 9780764584183
- Condition: USED – VERY GOOD
- Notes:
That innocent face. Those sad, puppy-dog eyes. Let’s face it: puppies can make anyone’s heart melt. But without proper training, they can make even the most doting doggie moms and dads’ blood pressure soar. So before your new puppy has you jumping through hoops, stop and ask yourself, “Just who is the trainer here?” Dog Training for Dummies, 2nd Edition, shows you how to select the right training method for your puppy or adult dog, based on his unique personality, to reach your
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(out of 33 reviews)
List Price: $ 21.99
Price: $ 5.49
Cesar’s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems
- ISBN13: 9780307337979
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
“I rehabilitate dogs. I train people.” —Cesar Millan
There are at least 68 million dogs in America, and their owners lavish billions of dollars on them every year. So why do so many pampered pets have problems? In this definitive and accessible guide, Cesar Millan—star of National Geographic Channel’s hit show Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan—reveals what dogs truly need to live a happy and fulfilled life.
From his appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show to his roster of
Rating: (out of 757 reviews)
List Price: $ 13.95
Price: $ 6.91
How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond
- ISBN13: 9780307461292
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
From the bestselling author and star of National Geographic Channel’s Dog Whisperer, the only resource you’ll need for raising a happy, healthy dog.
For the millions of people every year who consider bringing a puppy into their lives–as well as those who have already brought a dog home–Cesar Millan, the preeminent dog behavior expert, says, “Yes, you can raise the perfect dog!” It all starts with the proper foundation in the early years. Here, Cesar tells you everything you need to
Rating: (out of 61 reviews)
List Price: $ 25.99
Price: $ 13.74
Review by Jennifer H for 101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog
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I received this book as a Mother’s Day gift from my sons. I train my dog for competition obedience and they thought I might like to have some “fun” things to train. The book is fantastic! There are lots of pictures and easy, step by step instructions for every trick! I love the way the tricks are categorized as being easy, intermediate, advanced and expert, there are tricks for dogs at every skill level. Also, for each trick the prerequisites are listed, some troubleshooting questions and answers and a small section called ‘Build On It’ that explains how you can build on, or improve, the featured trick! This book is a wonderful addition to my training library! You’ll love it!
Review by Eddie Landsberg for 101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog
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I suggest buying 3 copies of this book… not 1…
First, because its a great coffee table book… hey, Chelcy (the author’s dog) is a Weimeraner – - and both are very photogenic – - on top of it, the graphic design and lay-out of the book are not only sensitive and informative, but very visually appealing… You can feel the excitement and enthuisiasm
Second – - its a fantastic reference book… and the idea of thinking “tricks” instead of cut and dry obedience I think is great for both the trainer and the dog. Though most of the tricks do have elements of obedience to them, they are presented in a way that makes training your dog more fun and lightharded and you’re not thinking, “good dog”/”bad dog”/”leash correction” – - In fact, I like the way the author not only has troubleshooting tips for each tricks, but will even give some ideas how difficult the trick is, what tricks need to be learned first, and how long it takes some dogs to learn. – - Also, all descriptions use simple, practical and effective language… The descriptions match up with the photos and the points are gotten across in a way that communicates the ideas to you and teaches you to teach them to your dog.
Finally… buy a third copy because… some dogs *cough* have tendencies to nibble on certain people’s reading material, especially when allowed in the bed. (o.k. that’s an obedience issue.)
As for the tricks, they range from basic sit/stay/rollover agility type tricks – - to classics like “bring me a beer”/”bring the newspaper” as well as a few parlor tricks/routines. The book also explains standard hand signals as well as commands.
Incidentally – - there I would like a refund for 2 of the tricks. One involves the human doing a handstand, the other a cartwheel… Trust me, if you’re the “bring me my beer” trick type, you won’t be doing those two…
All in all, this is one book that lives up to its own hype! Highly recommended!
Review by D. Abbenante for 101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog
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All I can say is WOW!!! This book is very well done, the pictures are so clear and colorful. A great book for beginners or professional trainers.
Each trick is detailed with easy to follow instructions.
I have been a trainer for 30 years and have never found a book like this one!
I am just very impressed!
Kudos to Kyra Sundance and her performing dog, Chalcy!
Debbie Abbenante
Action Pets USA
Review by Sheyna Steiner for 101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog
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This is a great looking book, the pictures are lovely. Beyond that, I don’t think it’s a very good training book overall. The step by step instructions are often lacking clear details to teach the tricks and I find it depressing that the author advocates using physical corrections. For instance teaching shake, she recommends “bopping” the dog in the face if she sniffs your hand instead of pawing and to teach heel she recommends “popping” the collar if your dog strays out of line. They’re just not necessary and even gentle corrections can destroy a softer dog’s motivation so why include them? Presumably people getting this book want to have fun with their dogs.
There’s also no mention of using a clicker in the steps, which I think would make it easier to teach some of the tricks…for instance using shaping if you have a dog who doesn’t automatically mouth toys.
Though it is a pretty book, I don’t recommend it as anything more than a picture book. It does have some good ideas but a better training book is “The Only Dog Tricks Book You’ll Ever Need.” I’m glad I bought both of them at the same time so I’m not stuck with this book by itself, though it seems fine with other books so I’m kind of neutral on it I guess.
Edited to add…the more I read this book the more I dislike it. Maybe I’m just stupid but I fail to see how pushing my dogs nose down teaches him to bow. Meanwhile shaping accomplished it in a week. Wish I had known the methods employed before buying this. Just a warning to anyone with similar concerns. Maybe I’m just crazy but I do wonder about the rave reviews here.
Review by Candypantz for 101 Dog Tricks: Step by Step Activities to Engage, Challenge, and Bond with Your Dog
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This book has been great!! I am on my 2nd copy, as I gave the first one away to a friend who fell in love with it, and am planning on buying a 3rd copy to send to another friend.
This book is very easy to follow and a pleasure to page through. The photo’s are fun, and make it a good pick for kids, who might not enjoy reading directions, as you can pretty much just follow the pictures. It includes hand signals and verbal cues, a lists of previous tricks to be mastered, and skill level. Whenever I run into a problem I go to the ‘trouble shooting’ section in the margin next to each trick, and it always has anticipated the snag and offers a helpful solution.
So far my chihuahua can sit, lay down, beg, shake hands, twirl, and roll over!! Not bad for a breed known for being yappy and being carted around like Cleopatra in handbags! I have had the book for about 5 months. We work all the tricks every night after her dinner. It’s her ‘school’ and she loves it! I think she has become more confident since we started training. I know she feels very proud of herself when she does it right.
I highly recommend this book.
Review by Debbie the Book Devourer for Dog Training For Dummies
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I thought the parts of this book that talked about training were, for the most part, quite good. The authors give clear instructions and reasons for their practices. For example, don’t say “no” to your dog; tell him what you want him to do instead. If he’s jumping, say sit, for example. Be consistent. Reinforce commands. Say commands only once. I could give more examples, but you get the idea: sound, sane, and humane advice. The advanced training sections started to lose me a bit. I found them tedious after a while.
Although the authors are very experienced with all aspects of caring for dogs, I thought they were reaching a bit with their nutritional and medical advice. They talked about homeopathic remedies as though they’re proven treatments. They’re not. Anecdotal evidence is not the same as statistically significant results from controlled studies. Their opinion on vaccines seemed dangerous and unbalanced. They have too much confidence in their alternative nutrition and treatment methods — maybe they have some effect, but they’re not perfect. A well-fed dog could still get fleas and infections and communicable diseases. After a while, they sounded like shills for the company that makes the supplements they use. Finally — and I hope you’ll excuse the e-shouting, but I cannot emphasize this enough — DO NOT FEED YOUR DOG RAISINS, EVEN FOR A TREAT! Scientists haven’t yet identified what it is about grapes and raisins, but they’ve been implicated in acute toxicity and even death in some dogs.
And as someone who makes a living from the written word, I have to say it seemed to me that the copy editor gave up on this book around Page 200. The text in the last half of the book is full of typos, errors, and repetitive writing — not repetitive as in emphasizing a point, but repetitive as in restating the content of one paragraph in the next. Ugh.
The training advice was sound. Read this book for that, and disregard the rest.
Review by Starry for Dog Training For Dummies
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This book gets put down a lot because it has a couple of flaws. However, overall, it is a great book on Dog Training, and it contains a lot of information the person trying to train their dog really needs to know. This book helps you get inside your dog’s head and understand why he does and does not listen. It puts the world as your dog sees it in perspective and shows you how to communicate on his level so you can help him understand exactly what is expected of him.If you read this book you will become someone who can control their dog and have a happy, obedient canine companion.
Review by houses for Dog Training For Dummies
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This book was both useful and interesting for old hat dog owners and new ones as well. I initially found it at a friend’s house and while flipping through the chapters I decided I needed one for myself. Though I am very familiar with dogs, the behvioural sections helped me get a handle on my new puppies’ quirks and demands, particularly the section on typing your dog’s profile. They were a new breed for me, and rescues, so I appreciated the explanation of behaviours I was not familiar with. I liked this book enough to send it on to my parents when they recently got a new dog as well. I did not find the homeophatic information very helpful at all, however I don’t think the inclusion of that information outweighed the potential benefit of owning the book.
Review by E. Hall for Dog Training For Dummies
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This was the first book I bought on dog training. Its great because it covers a broad range of topics and is very easy to read. I got noticable results with my dog from their training techniques.
Its a good introduction and starting point from which to then go on to more specialized books.
Review by NewMom for Dog Training For Dummies
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We’ve never had puppies before, and suddenly we had two who were 7 weeks old. This book gave a great general outline of the attitude to take, the different ways to work with different kinds of dogs, common mistakes, and basic tips for overcoming them. I use very different physical methods than outlined in the book (i.e. I rarely use a leash when training), but the philosophy is pretty much the same. The only reason I give it four instead of five stars is that, indeed, the actual mechanisms of training weren’t for me. Our puppies can now sit, stay, down, high five, and not chase our cats (almost). Not bad for little ones!
Review by Lois Karasek for Cesar’s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems
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I have read the negative reviews of all the “spoiled-sports” who disagree with Cesar Millan’s philosophy of the dog-human relationship. I feel they are merely jealous of the fact that he has become a “media idol” in the dog-training arena and is now pulling in the big bucks.
As a dog rescuer who has taken in and re-homed over a thousand dogs over the past 10 years, I just wish Cesar had been around back when I first became so deeply involved in “pack mentality.” I’m sure that I could have made some better decisions, saved even more dogs’ lives, and dealt more effectively with some behavior issues.
Of course, time breeds experience, and by the time I first saw Cesar on the National Geographic Channel last year, I realized to my great pleasure that many of the things I had learned and was now utilizing myself were based on the very premise Cesar promotes.
Cesar’s philosophy is based on common sense: humans are human and dogs are dogs. Most dog owners become oblivious to any common sense they may have possessed prior to adding a dog to the household when they bring their “new baby” home.
There is nothing wrong with a “calm and assertive” approach with dogs, and nothing equally wrong with the dog being “calm and submissive.” This does not mean that you will have a frightened dog that will submissively urinate, cower in the corner or become a fear-biter.
As the supposedly more intelligent and sensitive being, you have to approach your relationship with your dog in a common sense manner and tempered with consideration for the natural temperament of the particular dog. But I do share and support the premise that dogs are much happier when they know that their human is the one “in charge.” They are relaxed, content and much more prone to “be good.”
I’m sure there are many other well-qualified dog trainers across the country, some of whom have written good dog-training books, utilizing equally-effective methods of training. There is and never will be “one” form only, but to trash Cesar Millan’s methods is to me nothing more than an undeserved “cheap shot.”
Review by Carolyn Rowe Hill for Cesar’s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems
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This is a wonderful reference book and makes for good reading as well. I bought the book to give as a gift to a young couple whose dog needs some behavior modification. I planned to quickly scan through it to get an idea of its contents, wrap it up, and give it away. However, I ended up reading it word for word and will add it to our library! (I can think of several dog owners and parents who could use the concepts in this book for raising both dogs and children. I’ll probably end up buying several copies as gifts.)
I notice that one reviewer complained about the frequent reference to the pack leader concept Cesar writes about. Perhaps that reader is unaware that in a reference book clarification in the form of repetition is needed for those who are looking up only one or two segments at a time, such as “Rules, Boundaries, and Limitations,” or “Dominance Aggression.” I found Cesar’s personal history and anecdotal material about him and others (Oprah Winfrey has a whole section on the relationship between her and her dog, Sophie) very interesting and enlightening. The book is clearly and concisely written. It is easy to see that Melissa Jo Peltier’s writing abilities were very helpful to Cesar.
Cesar was born in Culiacan, Mexico, and came here in 1990. He is now applying for U.S. citizenship. He has quite a story to tell about his childhood and his special relationship with dogs from the time he was a small boy. When he came here he noticed with dismay that American dogs had a number of “issues” related primarily to the fact that we Americans view our dogs as “four-legged humans” instead of dogs (animals). Our dogs need us to be calm-assertive pack leaders and to provide them with exercise, discipline and affection in that order. Cesar gives many illustrations of how this concept works and the fact that dogs use smell and the sixth sense of energy to evaluate other dogs and animals, including humans.
I highly recommend this book to dog owners and, as mentioned earlier, to those contemplating having children or who already have children who need help. In a nation with increasing numbers of obese children, I was struck by the #1 need of dogs as stated by Cesar: EXERCISE. Perhaps, we might consider the same order of needs for our children: exercise, discipline, and affection in order to grow happy, healthy, productive human adults.
Carolyn Rowe Hill
Review by Robin J. Baker for Cesar’s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems
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I have owned purebred field Springer Spaniels and a pure bred Border Collie. I didn’t believe in yelling or punishment myself. I found that my dogs paid more attention to my talking quietly and to a quiet rebuke than yelling ever did. It worked well for me in the past and some arrogance on my part assumed that I knew it all. I didn’t.
When the last of my dogs died this year, I decided I wanted to have another Border Collie as my last dog before I died. This dog I would find, would be my ultimate challenge though. At 12 weeks of age I excused his behavior because I’m told he is a Taurus. A few months later he began to attack his food dish in what I can only describe as “rabid”. Shortly after that he bit me when I walked by him while he was eating.
I was at a loss to what to do. He was a puppy. …But a puppy like this you don’t want to grow into a dog I thought. Then I saw a show called the Dog Whisperer. It made sense to me (hell I was brought up English! – if not for me why not the dog?) I was really worried that I might have to put this dog down until then.
I tried it Cesar’s way. I started walking and running the dog in my backfield for at least 45 minutes. What a charmer he became! I added some new rules “no couch” and he got even better. If my husband would stop letting him into his lap he would be much better I am sure!
Finally, I would like to add that as much as I worried about my dog (which I no longer worry about) at least one dog owner I know gave up on his once. He regretted his decision. Thanks to Cesar I don’t have to make that same decision.
Review by Devoted Pet Parent for Cesar’s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems
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I have been a dog parent for years and have consistently had a pack of dogs (3, 4, 5 at a time). I have tried positive reinforcement alone and it doesn’t work with dogs that have any tendency towards being stubborn, willful, or independent. When you have a pack of dogs you have to be the pack leader otherwise chaos will reign in your household. Before I began using Cesar’s methods my dogs tended to misbehave. They are much happier and better behaved with me being the pack leader.
No Cesar’s methods are not new, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t the correct methods. Just as our society has coddled our children to the point they have become spoiled brats, we have coddled our pets so they run a muck in our houses. Dogs are not humans, and we need to work with their innate behavior. Treating them as if they think like humans is a waste of time and is deterimental to their happiness.
People who critize Cesar’s methods really don’t undertand them. They are not about fear or pain. Tapping your dog with your foot, correcting it with a collar, getting its attention with a unique noise is not about fear or pain. Dogs, like children, must have “boundaries and limitations” and dogs are much happier when their human is in charge and makes them feel calm, secure, and safe.
Cesar does not say that you cannot use positive reinforcement for training. Cesar’s methods are not for training, they are for creating a foundation for a stong and peaceful relationship with your dog(s).
Review by Doug Druchunas for Cesar’s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems
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I’ve had dogs all my life, but this book gave me a whole new perspective.
Cesar Millan’s methods are based on the behavior of dogs living within packs. Packs are organised to the extent that there are pack leaders and followers. Instinctively, dogs need packs for survival, so they naturally follow the strongest and most stable dog and weed out weak, unstable dogs who threaten the effectiveness of the pack. When dogs are removed from their natural state, their pack instincts must be compensated or they become unstable.
The root of most dog problems that Millan is asked to correct originate not with the dogs, but with their owners who often view their dogs as furry little people. Even those dog owners who recognise that dogs are not people, use human psychology on their dogs. This often takes the form of affection and is often given to soothe the dog when it is acting stressed. But, affection given at the wrong time, when the dog is stressed, rewards the dog’s behavior and makes matters worse.
Millan has several formulas that he applies to different situations. If you accept that dogs are pack animals, it all makes sense. If you want to control your dog, you have to become the pack leader. As pack leader, you cannot be unstable. You must be calm and assertive or the dog will dismiss you as the leader, though he might be fearful. As pack leader, you need to give the dog what he needs: exercise (dogs roam all day), discipline (packs are organised and the leader sets the rules, boundaries, and limitations) and affection, in that order. People often mess-up their dogs by giving affection and not much else. This results in the dog assuming, in it’s mind, the role of pack leader. Every pack needs a leader and if you are not it, the dog will be.
Millan says that he rehabilitates dogs and trains people. Many of the situations he encounters are amusing, because some neuroses can be funny. But, once you get it (understand what you’re seeing and why it’s happening), the causes of the neuroses, along with the cures, become clear. Much of the cure for dog problems is in understanding what your dog’s movements are telling you and immediately acting to short circuit escalating behaviors. They telegraph virtually everything if you are attentive and understand the signals. Bad behavior can by stopped immediately by snapping them out of a state of mind that will lead, often within a second or two, to unwanted behavior.
I think Millan’s book is a practical and useful how-to guide and it gives you a basic understanding for building a mutually rewarding relationship with our flop-eared, furry friends.
Review by JillV for How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond
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I definitely recommend reading this book before bringing a new puppy into your life. There are so many puppies out there waiting for adoption. The problem is, they’re so cute and hard to resist that when we bring them home we feel sorry for them, don’t want to be “hard on them” so we let them get away with murder. Well….that cuteness doesn’t last long when that puppy grows up and develops bad habits. That’s right about the time people give up and many times wind up dropping their “new puppy” off at the shelter. This step can be prevented if we know how and this book gives us the knowledge.
How to Raise the Perfect Dog teaches us which puppy is best for our energy level and what to do from the minute we bring it home in order to become the proper leader. It teaches us how to breed respect within the family (pack) so that new puppy feels secure and confident. It is our responsibility to give our dog the best life from beginning to end. This is just one of several of Cesar’s books that tells us how to do just that.
Cesar and Melissa Jo make a great team!
Review by M. Byrd for How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond
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Years ago I found the Monks of New Skete’s books and videos. I also read as many dog training books as I could find. In every book, I learned something new and even moved on to teach dog obedience training. When I found Cesar for the first time, his concepts about energy, claiming, “nose-eyes-ears,” and pack leadership filled in the gaps of my dog knowledge. I wish I’d know this in the past with my other dogs, but as Cesar says, “Live in the moment.” Luckily I found about him when my Standard Schnauzer was abut eight moths old. Cesar has changed my life with my dogs.
This new book about puppies is not too late for me even though my Schnauzer is now four years. It gave me a nice reminiscence of my dog as a puppy and reminded me to rehabilitate him as a dog, but also to find things to do that he will enjoy because of his breed.
IMO, if owners use Cesar’s new book along with the Monks of New Skete’s “The Art of Raising a Puppy,” there will be fewer surrenders to shelters during their dog’s adolescent stage. They’re a dynamic duo!
Peggy
Rochester, NY
Review by Cory Bagozzi for How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond
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I really liked this book. I found it very informative. As a huge fan of rescuing and also as a knowledgable person when it comes to responsible breeding, I was so glad Cesar put a chapter in dedicated to rescue and finding a good, reputable breeder. There is so much information that 95% of all people have no clue about. The majority of all people don’t know the difference between a responsible breeder and a back yard breeder. I am so glad Cesar is getting the word out so we can stop the overbreeding of dogs and stop the over crowding in shelters around the country. The one thing I didn’t like, was how he raised the dogs with another pack of dogs. Most people aren’t going to have a nice big garage dedicated to their dogs where they all sleep together cozy and warm. It would have been nice to see how to raise a puppy, as the only dog in the house. Other than that, great info, really recommend the book to anyone thinking about getting a puppy.
Review by Dr. David A. Silver for How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond
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This book is ony worthwhile if you are considering buying a puppy but not much help to those who may already have a dog. There is not much here for those who have a puppy and are looking for obedience training tips. The “Beyond” in the title is misleading.
A lot of Milan’s approach, I believe will not translate well to the average person with little or no obedience training experience. Milan for instance writes about projecting a “blocking energy” to keep a dog behind a gate. Maybe this works for Milan, but I don’t think it will work for most people.
There are some annoying things about this book. There is a blatant plug for Milan’s own brand of dog treats. The phrase “calm assertive energy” appears on nearly every page and often several times on a single page.
There was a section on the ten most common obedience problems people have with their dogs. This was not useful at all. It merely summarized things that had already been previously stated in the book or just stated the obvious.
The photos in the book were completely useless and the black and white photos were poorly taken (they could have used more contrast). The color photos were a mystery. Why were they included? They showed absolutely nothing of interest. There were six color shots of the minature Schnauzer, Angel. One of the photos showed Angel “looking to Ceasar for direction” and another showed Angel yawning. Another showed Angel chasing after a toy. If color photos were going to be used, they should have at least shown something instructive or interesting.
There are plenty of better written and more useful books out there if you are looking for obedience training for a puppy.
Review by Shanna Early for How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond
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This book is great–very informative, positive, and practical. I would recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about getting a puppy. As an experienced animal handler, I feel that this book is a great guide for the beginner and experienced alike. Among the things that I find particularly useful are the careful, step-by-step instructions, specific examples from puppies that Millan raised while working on this book, discussions from experienced breeders and dog trainers, and an extensive appendix of suggestions for further reading. The only thing not in the book that I would have loved would be a more thorough discussion of integrating the new puppy into a home that has older dogs already. While there is some discussion of this, it is not enough to provide the guidance I really would like.
While some dog trainers will denounce Millan’s methods as archaic and harsh, I would encourage readers to keep an open mind. While Millan does not employ a positive-reinforcement-only approach–which is what many of his detractors prefer–his methods are gentle and concerned only with the well-being of the dog. His methods have made a huge difference in my life and in my dog’s life. She is happier and more balanced when I follow Millan’s formula. Everyone who meets her comments on how well-behaved she is and takes great pleasure in petting and playing with her–even people who are typically frightened of dogs or just uncomfortable around them. As a high-energy, alpha-type dog, I don’t believe that would be the case if I had not followed Millan’s methods; for my strong-willed dog, positive reinforcement is only sometimes a strong enough motivation to encourage the behaviors I want, but discipline coupled with positive reinforcement is exactly what she needs.