Smarter Than You Think: A Revolutionary Approach to Teaching and Understanding Your Dog in Just a Few Hours

by Paul Loeb

Book Overview

Imagine a dog who listens to you, comes to you, follows you, and looks to you for guidance. This ideal relationship is possible with the techniques of veteran trainer Paul Loeb. His revolutionary... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671001728
• ISBN13: 9780671001728
• Release Date: March 1997
• Publisher: Atria Books
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.9" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Did You People Even Read It or just Assume?

Reading through the reviews, here is the best way I can describe it.Yes he is Cocky (why wouldn't he be he is very successful with his method)Yes he says throw thingsHowever he NEVER SAYS HURT YOUR DOG. If throwing a pair of socks, or a rolled up washcloth taped in the middle (as I used) ruins your relationship with your dog, I would suggest you have a bigger issues to overcome. Within 10 minutes, I had my 5 month old Boxer coming to me 100% inside the house, and withing days 100% outside. He mentions swatting your dog, NOT BEATING as many of you suggest. He makes it clear, your dog relies on you for EVERYTHING it needs. If you are providing it you will have little trouble getting your dog to act as you choose, if you are not, then your dog will show you in its own way that you are lacking. Everyone I have shared this with has been amazed with the results.

I survived Dog training......

I completely forgot how difficult it was to have a puppy...My first few nights were hell until I met a girl on the street who introduced me to this phenomenal book!!!! At first I thought she was nuts. How do I have time to read with an eight-week-old puppy, I had no time to go to the bathroom and now I am being told to read a book...? Well, after another two nights of no sleeping I decided it was time to try something different. I finished the book in a few short hours with new insight and felt like I was given another chance!!! Within a few days, I was back to sleeping and my hand was no longer being used as a chew toy!!! The crate was thrown out and the wee-wee pads became history!! By ten weeks, I was on the road to a well-trained puppy. Today, at five months, I have an angel!!! She walks off the leash, ignores other dogs on the street, and looks to me for guidance. I cannot recommend this book enough!! It was a lifesaver and allowed me to have a new best friend!!

Save your nerves - buy this book!!

Although Paul Loeb helped me train Duncan, one of the greatest dogs ever, I was still totally at a loss as to what to do with my new puppy, acquired in May. Of course, Duncan was a puppy 25 years and one child's up-bringing ago, but still... So there I was, after one week of puppy ownership, calling 411 for Paul's tele. number. He said, "read my new book and we'll talk." So that's what I did. And although we have talked since, it really was all there in the book. From a 5 lb. puppy that was biting so hard that the information operator asked if she should call 911, to a house-broken, heeling, still slightly hyper but controllable dog in what seems like no time at all. Other owners of her litter mates can't believe it when they see her stay by my side, even without a leash and with distractions. I would say that, as with children, the most important thing to remember is that consistency is crucial. Everything Paul suggests is perfectly possible, but you have to make the inner commitment to adhere to the method. It is a philosophy and it works! I live in a place where it is difficult to keep my puppy from going up to people and revelling in their adoration. Therefore she is not as well behaved outdoors as in the house. But as she evolves out of the unbelievably cute puppy phase, I will begin the serious outdoor work. I hope it's not too late!I apologize to Suzanne Hlavacek for continually referring to Paul. I find their writing style very fun to read and the anecdotes, of which there are many, are helpful and amusing!So read the book. It works like magic!

Finally, a Dog Training Book That Makes Sense

This book finally puts into words the thoughts I have always had about dog training. Having recently raised a Standard Poodle puppy for a seeing eye dog organization, I can relate to the different puppy raising issues Mr. Loeb addresses. Although I was limited to training the dog according to the organization's rules, I can look back and see where the dog "outsmarted" me or learned an undesired behavior simply because he was confused. On the positive side, the puppy was able to learn many complex commands, such as finding a specific toy in a different room, simply because I spoke to him like he understood, which is something Loeb encourages. I think that many people underestimate a dog's intelligence and have behavior problems because they don't learn to think like a dog does. I incorporated many "think like a dog" solutions when working with the puppy, just as Loeb suggests. Or, maybe even more importantly, when training a puppy, think like the puppy's mother would. The one idea from the book that I think is very important is that if you don't teach your dog, he will fill up the void with his own thoughts and behaviors. It is not cruel to teach your dog what he can and cannot do, it simply gives him a sense of security and freedom within his environment. I suggest that everyone who has a dog take a look at Loeb's ideas. As far as the nutritional part of the book, I think everyone should think for himself. In Europe, dogs and cats live longer because they get real food, not diseased parts of other animals that end up in commercial dog food. My mantra is that if you wouldn't feed it to your child, don't feed it to your dog. I don't know that a dog should have human sweets, but I can't see anything wrong with treating a dog with "real" food, such as fruit, vegetable, grains, and protein.

Easy to read with wonderful techniques!

I work alot in the obedience circuit and am tired of trainers with ALL the answers. Recent trends in dog training employ many techniques that reduce man's best friend to a well-oiled machine, most notably "clicker training". In my household, our dogs are our children and they are treated as such. Author Paul Loeb does the same. He teaches you how to talk to your dog, discipline your dog, train your dog, and feed your dog. I read every book I can get on dog training and was very skeptical when beginning this one. (Particularly because Paul Loeb professes to be such an expert. In order to fully appreciate this book, you must ignore his rather pompous attitude.) The book is very easy to read, almost like listening to a seminar. After trying his techniques for only an hour, my two smart dogs (german shepherd and border collie) were responding like they never have before. Additionally, we've tried Loeb's suggestion of avoiding DRY dog food and our shepherd's dry skin and 'seperation anxiety' have disappeared. I sound like an info-mercial, but I promise it's true. Some people may find that they have to pick and choose items from this book that will or won't work for their family members. In my family's case, this book was like a religious experience!