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How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend: The Classic Training Manual for Dog Owners (Revised & Updated Edition) | 
 enlarge | Author: The Monks of New Skete
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Category: Book
List Price: $25.99
Buy Used: $6.49
You Save: $19.50 (75%)
New (45) Used (55) Collectible (1) from $6.49
Rating:  160 reviews
Sales Rank: 2609
Media: Hardcover
Edition: Rev Upd
Pages: 256
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.3
ISBN: 0316610003
Dewey Decimal Number: 636.70887
EAN: 9780316610001
ASIN: 0316610003
Publication Date: September 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend, an informal, friendly guide by The Monks of New Skete, is really two books in one: a step-by-step training manual and a philosophical discussion of the spiritual benefits of owning a dog. The Monks, who support their community in upstate New York by breeding and training German shepherds, reveal a profound devotion to all breeds in this detailed guide to every imaginable aspect of dog ownership. They cover it all: naming the puppy, training with eye contact and jingling keys, establishing the best sleeping arrangements, even dealing with pet loneliness. Owners are advised to think of themselves as the dog's alpha figure, to train with praise instead of punishment, and to beware of becoming the dog's maid or doorman. Throughout, the authors reflect on the deep spiritual connection possible between humans and dogs. Generations of dogs have been trained with the bestselling 1978 edition of this book. With this update, the Monks are bound to gain many new fans--happy humans and obedient canines alike. With modesty and generosity, the Monks offer an extensive list of other helpful books about dogs, as well as a useful appendix of American Kennel Club titles and terms. --Judy Fireman
Product Description
Entirely revised, with a fresh new design and new photographs throughout, this new edition of HOW TO BE YOUR DOGS BEST FRIEND preserves the best features of the original classic and expands the book to cover and include:- new observations about dog behavior (natural behavior as well as problems) drawn from the monks 24 additional years of experience training dogs of all breeds- new trends in training- new equipment (e.g., invisible fences)- new reflections on the philosophical aspects of the dog/ human relationship, and dozens of new stories and case studies that bring to life the monks essential training concepts.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 160
 dog training for a blind dog June 12, 2009
P. L. Straw (Florida USA)
I found that this book stood out from the others of it's kind by the simple gentleness that the authors use in their training methods. They allowed the dogs to enter their daily routines and lives with something akin to mutual respect. I needed this viewpoint and it's respectful workability to help me with my situation. About this the book had no answers and I found that most of their training suggestions had to be used in a different manner.
My dog has recently gone blind from glaucoma and while there are a few books out there that deal with this, I liked the monks' approach to training the best. My dog and his situation differs in that he is a bassett hound - very scent oriented - and whose main function/job is as watch dog and protector. He was never formally trained but responded well to a few commands as he grew up to understand his job. We live on a large fenced property (15+ acres) and walk the perimeter nightly for exercise. His blindness came on over a period of time but was still traumatic. It was here that I needed a bit of guidance to get him passed the fear and uncertainty of what to do next. The monks gentle approach helped as we started to work on more appropriate voice commands and a bit of formal training. I needed the assurance that he would behave on command and respond with the appropriate actions so that I could keep him safe. While he can't see any hand signals or see my movements, he follows my voice and is responding well gentle leash tugs for direction. Also I had never before used dog treats but they are definitely helping to get the training moving along. We still take our nightly walks with me acting as a "seeing-eye dog", and after a month's time he now steps out with confidence, head held to the ground, sniffing out intruders, but tail held high.
My biggest thanks to the monks and their gentle ways was that as long as we maintained our routine, something my dog had come to depend on, he had the courage to face the world blindly. He still shares in my life the same spot and attention he's always had. We are able to go out in public with confidence and he's established friends at the local dog park. I think that the key factor was just being my dog's bff (best friend forever). With his new situation he is greatly dependent on me to keep him safe while he explores his surroundings. Instead of a depressed, whimpering/cowering dog I have one that steps out with confidence and is once again smiling and wagging his tail happily.
If I can get that from this book, then it should work for pretty much everyone.
Wonderful!! May 2, 2009
K. Barkley (Columbus Ohio)
The Monks really know what they are doing and deliver their methods in an easy to follow manner. Buy it and share it with others!!
a great place to train the Master April 15, 2009
Naldo (Redwood City, CA United States)
I read this book years ago when we got a Puppy and found it train me, not so much the dog. The advice clearly addresses the "how to" aspects of training and the advice learned proved invaluable. Highly recommended!
 The trouble with dominance... April 1, 2009
Endlessly Reading (Provo, UT USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Although they have a lot of good things to say, their whole idea of absolute dominance over your dog is unnecessary and potentially incredibly dangerous. The shakedown and alpha roll-over should pretty much never be done, to any dog. These techniques can emotionally and physically damage a submissive dog, not to mention break down your trust relationship. Done to an aggressive dog, it's just asking for trouble. I would much more recommend Patricia McConnell's "The Other End of the Leash." The obsession with dominance (usually meaning aggression) is not good for anyone involved in dog training.
Good ideas about how to interact with and train your dog March 13, 2009
Daniel L. Richelson (Boulder, CO USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I can see how this book might not work for aggressive dogs or potentially aggressive breeds, but my wandering, neurotic, gentle shepherd-mix dog has become very loyal and mellow. I am my dog's 3rd owner- I got him at about age 3 and he now has a better 'personality' than most dogs I know that were raised from puppies.
"How to be your Dog's best friend" really helped me understand where my dog was coming from in terms of evolution and breeding and how to help him behave well in my household and in human society. Granted, he was ok (not aggressive, just independent) to begin with, but now he is an amazingly well-behaved obedient dog mostly because I adopted the attitudes and training methods in this book. You still might want a personal dog trainer, but this book probably won't hurt if you want to end up with the kind of dog that hikes off-leash, never gets into a fight with another dog, and sees all humans (that aren't currently attacking you) as boss. This last part is crucial- I have found that your dog really needs to know that you are in charge and looks to you for guidance and commands. Mostly I learned about the effective attitudes and demeanor to have with my dog.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 160
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