Good Owners, Great Dogs

I've read a lot of books about dog trainning. This is the one that puts too much emphasis on CORRECTION. Correction is everywhere followed by a praise. But why should a handler use correction as the major way to train his/her loving companion? That would only ruin the relationship between you and your pets.

Trainnig can be done more humane rather than focusing on CORRECTION. I hate the photographes in the book in which the author is proud of showing his accomplishment by series of CHOKING CORRECTION, followed by praise. If your pet does what you want simply because he/she wants to avoid the CHOKING, your relationship is ruined. One would resort to CORRECTION only when he knows nothing to improve the situation. In my mind, correction should be the last to do. Too much correction makes your pets timid and afraid of trying. Your pets will end up with a dull attitude toward things around him because the more he tries, the more correction he gets.

I'd suggest some other way of trainning. A clicker trainning is another way for a reference. However, clicker has its limitation. The best way to train your dog is to know it, to love it, to think as it does, and to have a strong relationship between you 2. LEAVE THE CHOKING CHAIN TO WWII, PLEASE.


Understanding Your Dog (s)   March 6, 2000
30 out of 33 found this review helpful

I purchased this book after attending a seminar held by Brian Kilcommons in November of 1997. I have two shepherd crosses and our female was our "special needs" dog in that she displayed some very anti social behaviour, due to fear. Brian's book confirmed my view on dog training in that he does not use physical punishment in training your dog. I wouldn't raise my hand to another adult, child or animal for any reason. He provided excellent suggestions, insight into behaviour, along with interesting and helpful "case studies". I have read numerous books on dog training and the minute I see any mention of training a dog using physical punishment, aggressive behaviour on the owner's part, confinement in an area as punishment for any length of time, etc. I have no use for the book. Brian's book, in addition to being a must for all dog owners, I recommend it to anyone who has a dog, is also an interesting book just to read. Thanks very much Brian. We have too beautiful dogs and they are very well behaved and our "special needs" little darling has replaced her special needs with needs such as all the love, care and attention we can give them.


Good Owners, Great Dogs   August 15, 2001
Rebecca Bishop (Seattle WA USA)
29 out of 30 found this review helpful

If ever there was a book for dog training that should be on the shelf of every home it's this one!

As a professional dog trainer that specializes in the "family dog" I recommend this book to ALL my clients for the following reasons: It's well written. It's practical advice with a dash of humor, as you can't raise a puppy without a sense of humor! Don't have a sense of humor? You'll get one quick when you get a puppy and get this book! Of course my slant on this book is as a professional. But I will say that the feed back from my clients who are novice dog handlers is 100% positive!

I highly recommend this book not only for yourself if you need training advice, but give it as a gift to a friend who is "expecting" or to your neighbor with the jumping lab!


Cowering Dog   February 3, 2004
27 out of 52 found this review helpful

If you want to produce a cowering dog who is afraid of your every move and of his environment, this book is for you. If you want your dog to be a great companion, do not implement the scare tactics prescribed in this book. Look instead for the positive reinforcement techniques in books such as The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training by Pamela Dennison or The Other End of the Leash by Patricia B. McConnell.


Some Good Info, But too Heavy on "Firm", too Light on "Fun and Fair"   August 30, 2005
Lee Charles Kelley (New York City)
27 out of 29 found this review helpful


One night about ten years ago, as I was leaving the dog run in my New York neighborhood, I spoke briefly to a couple with an exuberant, happy young boxer puppy. Being a dog trainer, I asked how her training was going.

"Oh, well," the wife said, "we bought this book called GOOD OWNERS, GREAT DOGS, and we tried some of the techniques in it, but Bailey didn't like them. Particularly when we tried to train her to lie down on command. She'd just run away. We found that if we just use her favorite toy, she has a tendency to obey quicker and she actually likes learning."

That's what I'd discovered; that the old way of doing things--always forcing the dog into position, etc.--was actually detrimental to the learning process. And that playing games with the dog was always a better choice. I'd also learned that Brian Kilcommons' mantra that training should be "fun, fair, and firm" was actually a little light on the "fun" component and way too heavy on the "firm" part.

The sad thing is, I've seen Kilcommons on TV in the last five years or so, and his approach to training has completely changed, or at least it seems to have done. He now advises more of a playful approach, and less of a forceful way of teaching commands. (Since I publish a series of newsletters in New York City, where Kilcommons used to work and reside, I've gotten the perhaps ridiculous notion that my ideas have been influential in this change.)

Still, this book has some good information. It'll just be up to you, as a conscientious and loving dog owner, to determine which exercises seem too harsh, and which you think will make your dog more amenable to learning. It can be pretty easy to tell the difference too, even if you're a novice. Just look at the body language of the dogs on one side of a page (scared, frightened, angry) as opposed to the dogs on the opposite side (usually happy and compliant).

I think Kilcommons should write a new training manual, get rid of all the "firm" stuff, and concentrate more on the playful aspect of training. Three stars.