Wednesday, March 4, 2009

When Pigs Fly

Amanda e-mailed me to suggest this book ....after I laughed my butt off as it describes Kort to a T.....I asked her to order it for me!......hope it helps!

When Pigs Fly
Subtitle: Training Success with Impossible Dogs
Are you having trouble getting your dog to do even the most basic things, like sit, come when called, or walk next to you without pulling like a sled dog? Does he seem to ask "Why?" whenever you try to get him to do something? Have you been to an agility or obedience class and been humiliated by how inattentive and wild your dog was? Does your dog have a mind of his own and it seems like you have no way to get him to pay attention to you? Even dogs that sometimes seem impossible to deal with can be brilliantly trainable. It's time to start working with your dog's nature, not against it. Rather than worrying about training a particular behavior, focus on shaping your dog's mindset. Once you have him in the correct frame of mind, you can teach him anything in short order. Figure out what your dog finds rewarding and then use those rewards to get the behavior you want. You'll be amazed at what your "impossible" dog will do when you know how he thinks and what turns him on! You and your dog can be a successful team and live in harmony together. As improbable as this may seem to you now, this book is where the impossible becomes possible—Pigs can fly!

7 comments:

manymuddypaws said...

it really is a fabulous book. I've thought about ordering it myself- just to have to lend out... I ordered another one called "Feisty Canine" it deals with leash aggression/reactivity- I will lend it to you when I am done! :o)

onecollie said...

LOL!!...do I need to read that too!!

jurneecollie said...

The book sounds interesting, however that picture of Kort is amazing! Love it...look at the tonge...he looks like he's having a ball!

Anonymous said...

I *love* this book! Her section on using what motivates the dog (vs what you think SHOULD motivate the dog :P) is awesome, awesome, awesome.

Although most of the book is aimed at 'unbiddable' breeds like bull terriers and hounds (and I *do* think collies are pretty biddable, all things considered- you just have to be worth listening to, for most of them. :P) I *love* the way this book is split up and laid out. She covers the basics that any (pet or comeptition) dog needs to know, but she really gives a great grounding in how dogs think.

This is the book I'm using for my beginner obedience classes, btw. :)

onecollie said...

I'm so glad to hear that!!! I know I can trust Amanda to point me in the right direction training wise!! Kort is a smart puppy for sure but has the most stubborn personality of any collie I've owned...looking really forward to reading it!

Dianne SS said...

I need both those books! Especially like the comment about when walking the dog and he pulls like a sled dog. Yep, that's Duffy! Have had some real battles of will with him when he was younger--pretty stubborn too. He's better now but can't get him to stay.

Kim said...

A friend of mine just got a Bull Terrier puppy and the breeder sends all of the puppies to their new homes with a copy of this book.