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Summary: Amazing insight into behavior modification
Review: In this book, Karen Pryor writes very clearly and effectively about the power of positive reinforcement (rewards) to modify behavior. Although it is not, as others have noted, a practical guide to training or modifying specific behaviors, it provides the necessary foundation-understanding of the theory behind the methods that will make the reader better at using the methods. As a professional dog trainer, I recommend this book to every pet owner - and to everyone else who wishes to modify behavior, whether that's the behavior of a pet, a person, or themselves!
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Summary: Fascinating, intellectually stimulating and fun to read
Review: I recently bought this book on the advice of a doggy foster "parent", as a prelude to adopting from a local rescue organization. While this is not a how-to or step by step guide for training your dog, it is an excellent and clear book about behavior and how to shape it in a positive way. I was surprised at how much information I found useful for understanding my own relationship with my parents and how to be a better manager. The anecdotes help clarify the concepts, as well as making for very entertaining reading, and I especially appreciated the series of charts comparing different training methods and showing what can work best for a slew of different behavior problems. My next purchase will be a clicker training instruction manual, and I think it will be all the more valuable because Pryor's book has helped me understand WHY positive reinforcement works. Her book really explains the philosophy behind the methodology. Kudos.
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Summary: Now: Someone that actually read the book
Review: Believe me when I tell you that those that criticized this book never read it and integrated its principles. Instead, these are people that might have vast experience with different systems that give them good results. The techniques they use have become second nature to them. They conclude: my system is different, my system works, therefore every thing else is crap. One reviewer rambled about how it mainly applies to dolphins because they are confined to a tank. The kindest thing I can say about him is that he never read DON'T SHOOT THE DOG. If he did, I would have to insult his reading comprehension. Little of what he rants about is even in the book. Instead of ranting about hearsay on the somewhat different topic of clicker training, allow me to tell you about "Don't Shoot the Dog". This book teaches far reaching techniques with universal application. I have trained dogs, horses, and wild caught birds of prey (which were flown free daily not confined to pools or tanks). Though I understand alpha dog training, use negative reinforcement, and have employed many successful techniques, this is one of my all time top 10 books on any subject and it is a MUST READ even for those that will never own a pet. Karen Pryor was in fact a trainer at Sea World but contrary to the title this book is not about the specifics of animal training. It is instead a handbook on behavioral modification complete with an introduction written by B.F. Skinner, the father of behavioral psychology. While he was not a man without faults, he was a huge contributor to some profoundly simplified techniques for modifying behavior. While an easy read (one long afternoon) the power of this book lies in studying the principles and then training yourself to modify behavior. In an entraining and practical manner Karen explains a principle, explains its applications and LIMITATIONS and then gives a scenario that illustrates how to apply this principle with an animal, an adult, and a child. A lay person soon learns that most instinctive responses to unwanted behavior are non productive. We have many roles in life and it is a rare person in which some of these roles don't require us to influence behavior. While people are not animals, behavior modification is behavior modification and we all use it. Unfortunately, more often than not we make critical mistakes that result in the opposite result we want and expect. I read this book 10 years ago. As soon as I did I wished I had read it about 25 years sooner. It brought greater success to training at opposite ends of the animal kingdom. It worked on free flying wild birds of prey that are not social creatures and interpret any negative reinforcement as a death threat. These wild animals can easily leave the trainer and return to the wild to fend for themselves. They get this chance every day. In fact it is nothing but unnatural that they will return from being a tiny speck in the sky just from operant conditioning and positive reinforcement. More amazing, they can be properly trained to do this within 10 days of being trapped from the wild, so much for the hilarious comment about it won't work on things that can run loose like dogs. Speaking of dogs, I have used it on Setters and Springer's not to mention a very strong willed, male Jack Russell Terrier, with a well developed alpha dog mentality. Karen never implies that negative reinforcement is not a legitimate tool. She simply fine tunes its use, timing, and consistency to give you an even more powerful tool. The principles in this book have greatly enhanced what was decades of successful training. Finally, don't under estimate these principles when it comes to inter- personal relationships. If you do, you missed a great part of what makes this a must read.
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Summary: Kudos for Karen Pryor's Honesty
Review: "Don't Shoot the Dog" is the best comprehensive guide I know of that encourages the use of Positive Reinforcement. There is no question that PR goes a long way and should always be used as a first option (with both animals and people). Karen Pryor's honesty in this book is to be applauded. While she champions using PR as far as it works to produce the desired result, she realistically acknowledges that PR does not always work. As a dog trainer and author using a balanced approach, I find her candor and her desire to make the world a better place for dogs and people quite noble. If all we needed in our relationships with dogs and people was to find the right reward, this would be the only book we would need. The structure of the book is easy to follow, and along with emphasizing PR, also gives excellent advice about the crucial element of timing in training. I also find this book useful as a tool to help people decide NOT to use muzzle restraining devices. If a dog training student of mine is thinking of using a muzzle restraining device on a dog, I have the student read Karen's comments about restraint as the bottom of page 101. Her clearly stated explanation hits the nail right on the head. Restraining has its place, but it isn't training. Karen's comments about rewarding the wrong behavior also makes a lot of sense. Our leaders in government would benefit from her political applications of her principles.
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Summary: Every animal owner needs to read this book
Review: This is my favorite training book (and isn't just about dog training- it's aboutoperant conditioning for the average Joe). It humorously and thoroughly explains how to influence and shape behavior using well-timed reinforcement. This book will be especially helpful to people trying to train animals to do unusual behaviors (such as disabled people who are self-training their own assistance dog). When you're done reading this, you'll understand how to break literally any behavior down into small manageable pieces that you can train for. But don't assume it's just for animal trainers. I know an excellent manager who read this book when he was first promoted to management. It's a quick-read, it's fun, and the info is very valuable. Certainly a "must read".
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Summary: not just for the dogs
Review: I've read quite a few dog behavior, training and intelligence books and always had this on the to read list because of its reputation of being the "bible" of dog training. But I didn't really want to read it because of the title, and hey, the cover isn't too imaginitive either. I know don't judge a book by a cover, but to be honest, reading has a sensual side too -- good clean lines, fits nice in the hands, smooth paper. You bookaholics know what I'm saying. So, I finally got around to reading this and I can see why people say this book is life-changing. Pryor spent very little time talking about dogs specifically but showed many examples on how these methods could be used with people with disabilities, your own kids, spouse, cat etc. I'm a trainer's assistant at a dog obedience school, and as I read this, it all looked familiar. It is basically the foundation philosophy of our school. It's a method of communication. A way to build a relationship and communicate what you want from your dog in a positive, punishment-free manner. Reading this book helped me clarify why we at the school do things as we do. And as I finished the book, I was thinking of one of the comments a woman made at a trainer's funeral. The gist was that she had learned from his gentle approach to the dogs, and this had spread to the way she approached people as well. It's true. "Clicker training" as some people call this training philosophy will spill outside of your doggy life and into other areas... if you come to this as a dog trainer. As a dog trainer, your dog doesn't sit when you say sit. Instead of getting mad and saying sit sit sit! jerking on the collar or pushing on the butt, first you think "does my dog understand 'sit?'" Then you'd break it down into it's components -- sit is an action (head goes up, butt goes down) and responding to the command requires that 1. the dog knows the action 2. the dog knows the word is connected to the action. Then you'd find a way to get your dog past whatever is hanging him up. So, if this is your habitual style of response to other's "mistakes," you will start to develop patience, compassion and clear communication. And those skills will take you far in life. And extra bonus -- besides learning training methods, you'll read alot of funny anecdotes about frisbee-playing elephants and bell-ringing hermit crabs too.
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Summary: I've just read most of the new version.
Review: All of the reader reviews currently on the page deal with the first edition. I just received the new edition. First, for those who are looking for a cook book to solve specific problems, this may not be it -- as a response to people who felt mislead by the title. This ISN'T a dog training book, what it is, is a manual and a philosophy for solving the problems in your life caused by other's behavior, whether it is your husband, your children, your pets, or your co-workers. The new edition brings in our new research and our ideas. Anecodotes are more relative and talk about people we all know and have met through the click-l list and other internet interactions. This is definately the definitive book on behavior modification, and it is infinitely readable. <CLICK> Good job Karen!
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Summary: great primer on operant conditioning
Review: This book explains the philosophy behind operant conditioning, as well as giving basic tips on how to work WITH your dog (or other trainee--this method can be used on cats, people, fish...). I'm grateful to the people who directed me toward positive training. Visit Karen Pryor's website or clickersolutions.com to learn more about clicker training and positive pet interactions.
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Summary: So.. Phydeaux won't listen to you....
Review: When I took into my home a totally disfunctional Australian Cattle Dog this was the first new addition to my bookshelf. I needed help in understanding his quirks and kinks and this was the book that did the deed. Bad dog? No! Bad handler/owner! This book provides very good insight into how to put together a behavior modification program for your disfunctional Phydeaux.
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Summary: Don't waste your $$
Review: Being a Professional Dog Trainer for the 15 years I have been asked many times my opinon about this book. Although it is not "bad" advice it certainly is not complete, and should not be used as the sole method of training. In order to teach a dog properly one must use a combination of "traditional" training, "altered" traditional training and "modern" (clicker) training. There must be a clear message of right/wrong/reward/correction for a dog to fully understand what is being taught. Yes you may easily teach a dog how to "sit" or "down" using a lure and a clicker, but for serious trainers who wish to keep their dog truly safe and teach such life saving commands such as the emergencey down-- such tools as the clicker are not the best to work with. The fact is, every dog is different. Some are correctable with just a "unhappy face" others are head strong powerful animals that need a firmer hand and a more no-nonsense approach. As long as the animal is treated humanely with love & patients, all forms of training have their purpose. People need to stop trying to be experts on issues they know very little about (it requires more then reading a book and teaching a trick or two to become an expert). Unless you see abuse or neglect, mind your buisness..You're intitled to your preference, and others are intitled to theirs...
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