Thought it might be cool to have a book review thread?

Mine is - Canine Body Language, a photographic guide. Interpreting the Native Language of the Domestic Dog - by Brenda Aloff Click the link to find out where to get it from!

This is one of my 'bibles' and it is easy to read and understand too with absolutely loads of photos with explanations of even the most subtle signals that a dog uses. Invaluable if you want to be able to see what dogs are REALLY conveying in videos, pictures and clips and of course, in real life! Beware though as once you have learned how to read dogs properly, your enjoyment of certain programmes may be ruined.

I've got that on my dogbook wishlist with Amazon :-) pricy but sounds like it'd be worth it.

Mine is currently 'Control Unleashed' by Leslie McDevitt. Brilliant book on how to calm & focus over-reactive dogs and create confidence in unconfident dogs, using cool clicker training 'games'. It works for maggie being highly excitable/easily distracted but would also be specifically for those who are reactive/shut down due to fear or aggression. http://www.crosskeysbooks.com/contro...paperback.html

There is a 4 DVD set which goes with it too but I havent seen that, although it was highly recommended to me.

It was originally geared towards performance dogs in agility or flyball type settings, but all the games are completely suitable for general doggie life skills. An absolute must have if you have a nutty dog (i mean that in the nicest possible way of course)!!

I ordered it recently and have been very pleased with it. I did find it slightly wordy and would have been better to have the Games maybe ordered slightly easier, but the actual concepts are great and have alreay started putting them into practice with maggie with immediate positive results (obviously not completely sorted, but I can tell she is getting it straight away).

A great game is the "Look at that" game to turn something previously highly arousing into a cue to watch the handler automatically, rather than forcing the dog to 'watch me' etc instead of looking at what it wants to.

A lot is based on the Premack Principle and reframing techniques.

__________________

Excellent idea for a thread, Caroline!

I've been assured that the Brenda Alloff book will appear on my birthday! I'm now looking forward to it more than ever!

Great choice, Katie. Leslie McDevitt's book is terrific and I can definitely second your recommendation.

That Brenda Aloff book is one of the 'must haves' on our college book list. Haven't gotten around to ordering it yet though! One of my recommended books is Dominance:Fact or Fiction by Barry Eaton. Anyone who thinks that CM is god in the dog training world should read this & they might change their minds! Definitely one to read & for those of you who don't like reading-it's only a short read! Lol

Seems like a few of you are getting that book then! On the link I gave, it is on offer.

I really must get hold of Barry Eatons book 'Dominance Fact or Fiction' myself as I have read so much about it and never actually read it! I do have his book Hear, Hear!: A Guide to Training a Deaf Dog: Amazon.co.uk: Barry Eaton: Books as I bought it when I did private training with a lady with a deaf dalmatian. I got her a copy as well and gave it to her as a reward for her patience and commitment when the lessons came to an end. She tried so hard and the dog went from being a mad, out of control, spoilt brat to a sheer pleasure (albeit a clown!) to have around.

Well, like I said Caroline, it's a short read, I think I read it in 1 afternoon, but I found it interesting. I must check out that link the next time I'm ordering books-bloody list for college has so many!lol. Another 1 I have ordered is Angela White's Dog Training Instructors Manual, it comes highly recommended by the college. To be honest, I have about 15 different books on canine behaviour, communication etc, but I haven't got time to read them properly with all the assignments I have to do!

Barry Eaton's book should be on everyone's must read list!

Another excellent book which presents a set of persuasive and contemporary alternatives to the many outdated theories of training and behaviour we still keep on hearing about is Alexandra Semyonova's The 100 Silliest Things People Say About Dogs. You can read more about it on the Nonlinear Dogs website: Nonlinear Dogs
Highly recommended!

I got the Brenda Aloff book last year, as someone that knows not a lot about reading dogs body language I thought it would be a good book to have, whilst I do like it I wish the pictures were a bit clearer they're not great quality, I do like the book though and have learnt from it.

Terri

It must be hard to get photos of some of the more subtle gestures that a dog makes though. On the whole, the book is eeasy to read and understand and after that, the reader should be observing dogs in nreal life to put their new knowledge to the test. I know that at the first dog show that I attended (just to watch) after first learning about Calming Signals, I was almost incensed at how a Cocker Spaniel, giving off all the classic signs of being stressed, was still being forced into position by its handler! The poor thing actually ended up vomiting in the ring, quelle surprise!