Bob, it is the very 'wishful type' thinking that has gotten dogs in the mess they are in right now, that, I'm sure she has right. I believe many, many dog owners don't have a true understanding (not an inkling) of the way a dog thinks. Animal behavior has been studied by hundreds, no thousands, of zoologists, behaviorists, animal psychologists and for the most part, there is general agreement among the top in their respectives fields about why dogs behave they way they do. I find that the difference comes in training techniques, not behavioral studies and theories.
If pet owners read this book and their 'collective' thinking changes somewhat about why dogs do some of the things they do, that could prevent a lot of dogs from ending up in a shelter, or worse yet, being euthanized. My thinking/philosophy never really changed because I read the book, I felt affirmation, yes. Do you really believe a dog would willfully destroy their master's furniture out of defiance for being left alone (as in the first chapter)? I think MOST people do believe that.
I think dogs are more complicated than Jean gives them credit for. I wouldn't go so far as to say dogs are not emotionally involved with their families, I truly believe they are. But, I often hear many buzzwords attributed to dogs that I don't believe really exist in the domesticated modern dog's psyche as it relates to their relationship to humans. Dog owners always want to know the 'why' of things and I think this book gives good general explanations of many issues/topics facing dog owners.
Animal behaviorists and certified trainers have saved many a dog from death sentences all over the world. And lets face it, the dream of the Disneyland dog just isn't working for dogs. Cesar Milan works very differently from Donaldson, Dunbar & McConnell. Some behaviorists believe he has set positive reinforcment training back 10 years and it has taken ions to get [positive reinforcement] where it is today. I think Cesar has a place in the dog training world and I believe he has saved many dogs from euthanasia. but not everyone can duplicate his techniques.
What do we ask of dogs when we bring them into our homes? We ask them not to do all the things that are instinctive to them, we ask them not to bark, bite or chew, we ask them to walk beside us on leashes, to sleep in man-made crates, to get along with every human and every animal that crosses their paths, to do what we ask, when we ask. How do we do it-behavior modification and positive reinforcement. Why is positive reinforcement/behaviorism so successful? Because animal behavior has been studied and this is what works for most dogs, not all, but most. BTW, Donaldson DOES believe that punishment has it's place when issued in a precise and effective manner and simply ignoring negative behavior is another form of punishment, which she also believes in. Me? I give my dogs time-outs when they are misbehaving and it works. She also adheres to a more individualized type of training in her practice for dogs/pupppies because they are not all the same.
Not only that, but I love gardening, too. Do you think anyone would be interested in a strawberry bread recipe? I had to figure out what to do with a lot of berries!
I would love your strawberry bread recipe! You can always change your user name to Garden_Guy! :LMAO: