Not Sure How to Train Your Dog Using Positive Training?

If you’re like me, then you probably have looked for a positive way to teach your dog things such as sit, stay, come, down, and so many more…

But, couldn’t really find anything that would actually help teach you how you can train your dog or puppy.

At least, nothing that made sense and actually explained the reasoning behind a dog’s behavior.

After a bit of digging around for one that I could relate to when it comes to the training methods, I thought I’d write and share a review of a book that I really think will help get results for you and your dog.

And, the good thing is…no harsh methods or using choke collars, shock collars, etc. are recommended in this book, which is why I like what I’ve read so far…

Product: The Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller, 2nd edition
Price: $22.13 (Hardcover)
Sizes: 290 pages
Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (on Amazon)
Place to Buy: Amazon

Pros: The author, Pat Miller, isn’t just anybody writing about dog training…the author is actually a renowned dog trainer of 30 years.

The book, The Power of Positive Dog Training, is well written and easy to understand. The author focuses on using gentle and non-abusive methods and even gives examples of exercises you can do with your dog to become  well-trained and happy.

And, by using the methods and exercises in this book, you’ll teach your dog to be one you’ll be happy to have as a member of your family.

One thing that I found refreshing is it focuses on being positive. There isn’t any recommendation of using forms of punishment such as a choke or shock collar if your dog doesn’t always do the things we want it to do. Plus, it includes a six-week basic training program with exercises you can do each day.

Cons: Although I found nothing I’d disagree with when reading through this dog training book, I did read some reviews of other dog owners who believed it lacked in explanation on what to do if your dog is doing something wrong.

So, yeah, it probably could be a bit more in depth on what to do when things go wrong, but then again each situation, or should I say each dog, is different and may or may not have a different solution.

My Recommendation: I would definitely recommend trying this book out and see if it works for you and your dog. Since it explains about dog behavior and body language, I believe it’d help immensely in understanding why your dog does what it does…both good or bad.

And, in understanding more about the reason why a dog does something then we can change how we approach its training in a more positive way and get better results.

Everyone is different and every dog is different, but I believe that the book, The Power of Positive Dog Training, is a great addition to any dog owner’s collection of books to gain more insight into your dog’s mind, which is key to getting your dog to do what you want.

Why Does Using Positive Dog Training Matter?

This book uses methods I use on my four dogs, all of which we’ve raised up from puppies. I’ve also used positive reinforcement, which is thoroughly explained in Pat Miller’s book, on one of our past dogs, an older (maybe 9 or 10-year-old) Malamute, Nikki…a very big dog at about 150 pounds when we brought him home!

It’d be foolish to try teaching a dog that big and that old by using punishment or force…not that I’d teach any dog that way, no matter what size, but the bigger they are, the more damage they can do if they’d want to.

Nikki was a pretty good dog to begin with although we did notice he had some serious trust issues soon after getting him home.

He didn’t like it if you moved too quickly, especially if you moved your hands in any direction towards him…he’d start growling, hackles would start rising, and teeth would be showing…

A scary thing indeed when a dog that big is looking like it’s wanting to bite someone and you’re the one standing only a few inches away…

I’m assuming someone in the past had hit him often, which is why he didn’t trust anyone’s hands moving near him…he was afraid of getting hit.

So, realizing this, we were extra careful around him until he began trusting us, and he realized he wasn’t going to be hit at all…ever. And, if we ever forgot to move slow, he reminded us, lol.

After a few weeks, he no longer growled at us, and no longer shied away when he’d see someone’s hand coming towards his face…

all thanks to using positive training methods like the ones used in this book.

In fact, Nikki became one of the best dogs we’ve ever owned and I still miss him although it’s been years since he passed away. Once he trusted us, he was a gentle giant of a dog. By using only positive methods to teach him what we did want him to do, and never using physical punishment, we taught him and all our other dogs trust…which is the only way to have a happy dog that is willing to do what you want it to do.

So, go ahead and check it out for yourself if you’d like to learn more about training your dog using positive methods and NOT force and physical punishment…

>>Click here to order The Power of Positive Dog Training<<

Anyways, I’ve gone on much longer than I intended as usual. If you’ve read all the way here, I’ve got to say Thank You! Hopefully, you’ve gotten something helpful out of it, and if you like it, please do share it!

Let me know what you think…

Have you read the book, The Power of Positive Dog Training, by Pat Miller, yet? If so, what did you think of it? What other dog training books would you recommend?

Please let me know in the comment box below or go ahead and fill out the contact form to get in touch if you’d rather do that. Any helpful suggestions and feedback are appreciated!

Best wishes to you and your four-legged-friend! 🙂 ~Sherry