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wrentheblurry's review against another edition
2.0
I stopped at 27% in.
I appreciate Mr. Dunbar's influence on the world of positive dog training. I'm going to be a new puppy owner in just a few days, and have been cramming my head with a variety of books (all of which focus on positive methods), as well as many podcasts (Mr. Dunbar's included). And I'm done with him, and his podcasts. I'm anxious and nervous about getting the puppy as it is, for it's happening more quickly than I expected, and I don't feel quite ready.
This book made me feel that if I don't get a puppy from a breeder that has spent all day long properly socializing and caring for their litter that I am going to have a problem dog. My future puppy is coming from a rescue. I know very little about her background, other than she was born on a farm. Maybe she's been kept in a barn her whole life, and has only met one other human. Maybe she's the product of major inbreeding in addition to not being handled enough or given enough life experiences before I pick her up at eight weeks of age. Whatever the case, there's nothing I can do about what happened to her before I get her, and this title only increased my stress, not lessened it.
I appreciate Mr. Dunbar's influence on the world of positive dog training. I'm going to be a new puppy owner in just a few days, and have been cramming my head with a variety of books (all of which focus on positive methods), as well as many podcasts (Mr. Dunbar's included). And I'm done with him, and his podcasts. I'm anxious and nervous about getting the puppy as it is, for it's happening more quickly than I expected, and I don't feel quite ready.
This book made me feel that if I don't get a puppy from a breeder that has spent all day long properly socializing and caring for their litter that I am going to have a problem dog. My future puppy is coming from a rescue. I know very little about her background, other than she was born on a farm. Maybe she's been kept in a barn her whole life, and has only met one other human. Maybe she's the product of major inbreeding in addition to not being handled enough or given enough life experiences before I pick her up at eight weeks of age. Whatever the case, there's nothing I can do about what happened to her before I get her, and this title only increased my stress, not lessened it.
jesdcay's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.5
The knowledge, tips, and information are spectacular. The editing is not. While I strongly recommend this if it's the only book on a new puppy you plan to read, I think for a full perspective on dog training and trouble shooting you'll need more resources. It glances over some topics while repeating others in a disorganized manner. Dr Dunbar's other book, "Barking up the right tree" really closes the circle on this one, although his son has a YouTube channel that's also very helpful. I do love the humor and positivity of this book.
christieb123's review against another edition
4.0
I've read a lot of dog care books in preparation for our family getting our first dog. This has been one of my favorites and I'll probably buy a copy to keep. I like the author's philosophy of dog training. He uses positive reinforcement, of course, but he also explains how you don't just prohibit a dog from engaging in normal dog behaviors but teach it when to stop and when not to use those behaviors. I also like his focus on no-bite training and socialization.
guylou's review against another edition
4.0
Fudge is starting her puppy classes next week. The trainer recommended that we read BEFORE AND AFTER GETTING YOUR PUPPY by Dr. Ian Dunbar in preparation for the training. I love the positive training concept. I have applied this concept with all my furbabies. Although this book is excellent for people who are getting or are planning to get a young puppy, the book does not address how to train a furbaby who is a teenager. Fudge is now six months and has missed several months of opportunities to learn basic skills such as walking beside you, coming on command, laying down when asked or not being afraid to meet new people. She is a bright dog and already has made leaps and bounds in her training. She can walk without pulling, sit and give paws, and she loves meeting new people. We are working with her to learn to lay down or come on command, and rollover. She will get there; I have no doubt. Unfortunately, this book is not what will help us get her there. It is still an excellent book and I recommend that you read it if you have a young pup or are planning to get one.
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alittlebithopeful's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
jsmithborne's review against another edition
2.0
It tells you a lot about this book that in the back, in the recommended books and videos appendix, the author is behind the first 4 of the top 4 "Best Videos" and 3 of the top 10 "Best Books" (#1, #2, and #8). Dunbar might be trying to be funny with his tone, but I found it very off-putting--his approach is pretty fear-mongering, really. At one point he says that if your dog hasn't achieved certain benchmarks by the age of 12 weeks, it will never live up to its potential. As someone who picked the book up when her puppy was 11.5 weeks old, I found that pretty discouraging. He also recommends stopping your puppy in the middle of playing and getting it to settle down EVERY 15 SECONDS! That sounds tedious for everyone involved. I can see the benefit of doing it 3 or 4 times during a game or whatever, but every 15 seconds? This book is entertaining for it's extraordinary suggestions (you should have at least 100 people over to your house between the puppy's 8th and 12th weeks to socialize the puppy to strangers. I don't think I've had 100 people over to my house in the last 3 years combined!), and some of the training advice is solid, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you are a couple of months away from getting your 8-week-old puppy, you have a ton of friends, plan to take off from work the first 2 weeks after getting the puppy, and have a strong control-freak aspect to your personality. If all of that is true, this book would probably be fantastic. None of it is true for me, unfortunately.
alphawaffle's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Ian Dunbar is one of the original trainers pushing for Positive Reinforcement training so I felt obligated to read his books, starting with “Before and After Getting Your Puppy.”
Dr. Dunbar has a very friendly and accessible writing style, at times even humorous. Much of the advice is great and includes step-by-step instructions on how to train different things - I especially loved his encouragement to use errorless learning.
The only real disagreements I have with him are really just degrees - like yes, I agree that socialization is very important but I don’t think it’s realistic nor necessary for a puppy to meet 100 people in their second and third months of life. A more realistic approach is to have a variety of as many POSITIVE experiences as possible.
Additionally, I don’t care for dog parks but Dr. Dunbar encourages their use.
But otherwise, this is a fantastic guide for anyone new to owning a dog and I would still recommend it.
Dr. Dunbar has a very friendly and accessible writing style, at times even humorous. Much of the advice is great and includes step-by-step instructions on how to train different things - I especially loved his encouragement to use errorless learning.
The only real disagreements I have with him are really just degrees - like yes, I agree that socialization is very important but I don’t think it’s realistic nor necessary for a puppy to meet 100 people in their second and third months of life. A more realistic approach is to have a variety of as many POSITIVE experiences as possible.
Additionally, I don’t care for dog parks but Dr. Dunbar encourages their use.
But otherwise, this is a fantastic guide for anyone new to owning a dog and I would still recommend it.
kayadiem's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
We used this book for guidance with our first dog 6 years ago and he’s a stellar dude. Just got a new puppy and brushing up on some timing and tips for another good boy. Highly recommend, at least to gain some perspective. A bit silly at times, but the results speak for themselves.