Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 16-20 of 91
 It's Hoooray! Not No! No! No! Much More Than Basic Obedience July 13, 2007
Sarah Owings (Los Angeles, CA USA)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Paul Owen's DVD, The Dog Whisperer, is so upbeat, lighthearted and clear, it's easy to miss just how crucial, dare I say even life saving, his approach is for the average dog owner--especially people with so called "difficult dogs." Sure, there's a goofy cartoon at the beginning and some hilarious doggie voice overs, but who says training has to be so grim and serious all the time anyway? As a kindergarten teacher, I know from experience that my students learn much better when they're having fun. Why should it be any different for me and my dog?
About a month ago our wonderful, obedient, people loving and highly intelligent Pit Bull puppy suddenly began barking and growling at other dogs. We were so surprised by this and so concerned that we almost made a fatal mistake. We almost fell into the trap of the "dominance" model so prevalent in the dog world these days. At the first sign of growling, we tried instant correction: the ubiquitous leash jerk and harsh noise technique. When this didn't work and her behavior escalated, once--just once--my boyfriend tried the "alpha-roll-over." Everything about it felt wrong and we will always regret that we did it. Not only were we completely stressed out by the experience, but our happy-go-lucky puppy was suddenly a cowering, frightened, growling bundle of nerves. The only thing we had accomplished was to teach her that seeing another dog meant: 1) that her owners were going to get really uptight and 2) something bad was going to happen to her. Not surprisingly, the next time we met a dog, she exploded, lunging and growling like a puppy possessed. Something had to be done, and luckily, via a chain of recommendations and after reading several other really good books on positive dog training, we have now added Paul Owen's DVD to our arsenal.
Now, as someone else has already stated, Paul does not address problem issues like aggression directly in this DVD (for that I would also highly recommend the books Click For Calm by Emma Parsons and Scaredy Dog by Ali Brown). However, it's a mistake to assume that learning the so called basics such Sit, Stay, Come and Down should somehow be put in a separate category than "dog- psychology." Every interaction you have with your dog builds a relationship. And it's really your choice: do you want this relationship to be built on fear and intimidation or trust and willing partnership? That is what Positive Training is all about. Paul Owen's approach seems simplistic on the surface but it is really not because he is teaching how to be pro-active rather than re-active. Instead of correcting your dog all the time for doing things wrong, in incremental baby steps, you set your dog up to Do The Right Thing in the first place. The whole emphasis is different. From stressed-out anticipation of all things negative to a joyous celebration of just how good your dog can be.
Of course, the proof is in the pudding...Using the methods on Paul Owen's DVD, not only have my puppy's obedience skills solidified dramatically, but I am much more clear in my expectations of what I want her to do in the first place--which makes all the difference. Now, every time she turns away from another dog, looks at me and/or comes when I call her, she gets a happy hooray! and a treat. She sits, she stays, she heels, but best of all, her happy-go-lucky personality is coming back. And every time she gets things right (which is very very often now because she is so darn eager to please!), our confidence grows that no matter what happens out in the big bad world, we are a team: she knows I'll keep her safe and I know that every day we work together, she's more and more likely to stay calm and do what I ask.
I highly recommend this DVD for beginners as well as more experienced dog owners. Try it. You'll laugh, you'll have fun, you'll re-remember to notice how great your dog is, and I swear, if you stick with it, you'll get amazing results.
 great! July 3, 2007
pheobe (ireland)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
plenty of information, with segments for training that you can go back to from time to time. highly recommend this dvd.
Cesar is the best! May 20, 2007
Wendy Mitchell (Bloomington, CA USA)
1 out of 16 found this review helpful
Cesar Milan is number one in my book when it comes to training my dogs. His CD's are convenient and easy to use... perfect to watch before training or when you have a question while in the middle of training. The goal is to be "Calm and Assertive". Thanks Cesar. I couldn't do it without you!
Good training video May 8, 2007
Jill M. Ruttkay
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
This was a very useful tool in training our dog to behave. I would recemend it to anyone who needs help training a dog of any kind.
Gentle and effective April 10, 2007
Twins Mom (La Canada, CA)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
We are using Paul Owens' DVD to train our puppy ... and IT WORKS! Our dog is loving it and we are loving the results. It is so nice to have our 4 month old puppy obey the sit, down, come, stay, leave it, find it, and other commands. He is even obeying our hand commands without words. We are also impressed with how well our puppy is heeling while on walks. The Raise with Praise really works. We used a similar concept when raising our children...so why wouldn't it work with our animals? By the way, our children really enjoy watching the "Dog's Perspective" on the DVD. We highly recommend it. Constance Wells
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