Don't Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training

by Karen Pryor

Book Overview

Karen Pryor's clear and entertaining explanation of behavioral training methods made Don't Shoot the Dog a bestselling classic with revolutionary insights into animal--and human--behavior. In her... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553380397
• ISBN13: 9780553380392
• Release Date: August 1999
• Publisher: Bantam
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 0.6" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

Not a quick read

I got this book because our dog was trying to bite young kids-mainly our grandchildren- if they act a certain way he becomes aggressive. I was hoping to turn to a certain page and read a “how to” but it wasn’t there. I’m sure it has some interesting ideas but it isn’t a quick read. It tells some history about animal training and psychology that I wasn’t that interested in. Thankfully it wasn’t very expensive. I will try to read more of it and maybe figure out a way to help my dogs behave.

Changed my Perspective

This book made me look at the way I treat people and how they treat me. How I interact with the world and how to communicate better. This book is so much more than about training, it'll open your eyes to things that were always there.

Practical rules to get what you want.

This is how to get anything you want in life. Essentially. Using positive reinforcement to encourage the behaviors you want from anything with half a brain. If Karen Pryor can train a hermit crab and gold fish, you can train your kids, husband, boss, employees, etc.

Will Help To Train Either Your Cat or Your Husband

I've read this book time ago, bought now again. This is a brilliant guide on how to train anyone. I am reading now to see if I can form desired behavior of my boss ;D

Absolutely Loved It!

I got this book because I love Karen Pryor. She uses up to date, modern, humane methods on dogs. 100% recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about modern, positive reinforcement training.

Taught me how to relate to people

My dad had this book on his bookshelf and I read it when I was 13 years old. This book changed my life. It taught me all about positive vs. negative reinforcement and how it can be applied to human relationships (not just animals). Its lessons have stayed with me and apply even in childrearing.

not just for the dogs

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.

Fascinating, intellectually stimulating and fun to read

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.

I've just read most of the new version.

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. Good job Karen!

Every animal owner needs to read this book

This is my favorite training book (and isn't just about dog training- it's about operant 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".