Rating: 
Summary: the Rosetta Bone of canine behavior
Review: This offbeat, even controversial, book resists the urge to anthropomorphise, which is probably one reason why so many people are upset with this book. To me, his explanations make a lot of sense. He even effectively refutes Rupert Sheldrake's belief that many dogs are psychic.Another reason people seem to hate this book is Budiansky's twisted Gary Larson-ish humor, which is evidently not to everyone's taste. A third is probably the fact that he advocates hitting, but only in cases where dominance is an issue between dog and owner. I can understand readers being angry about this, because I think with most dogs a much gentler, albeit still firm, approach is all that is needed. Also, I would think that getting into a dominance battle with a very large dog will likely end with you being sent to the emergency room. Other than that, his advice on training and punishment make a lot of sense, and are NOT the thoughts of a dog hater. Still, this is probably the best overall book on canine psychology that I have read.
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