"The Other End of the Leash:" a Book Review
Posted: Tuesday, January 17, 2012
by Dianne Lehmann
Artisan Jewelry from SyZyGy
I've had cause recently to re-read a book I read several years ago. It's written by Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D., and it really impressed me the first time I read it. This second time around I've gotten even more out of it. McConnell is an adjunct assistant professor of zoology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a certified Applied Animal Behaviorist. She has three Border Collies, one Great Pyrenees and a flock of mostly cooperative sheep.
My main reason for re-reading it is that I interact regularly with three big dogs. Two are older (a male German Shepherd and a female wolf/husky hybrid) and they are very little trouble at all. In fact, the older German Shepherd (I've called him Strider in other articles) wants so desperately to be good that he is never bad … well mostly never. And the wolf/husky hybrid is the sweetest dog I've ever known. She has a smile that will light up your heart and bring sunshine to a cloudy day. She's the leader of this small pack, but she doesn't lead with aggression. She has the respect of the other two and usually a stern look is all it takes to get them to behave (I wish I could do that). The youngest of the three is another German Shepherd who I've called Shepp in other stories. He's a bundle of energy and enthusiasm and barely restrained excitement. His favorite way to greet me is to put his front paws on my shoulders and lick the heck out of my face.
Aside from that somewhat less than endearing habit, he also likes to chase the horse I ride. And so, I went on a quest to learn the best way to keep him from doing all the things he does that are inappropriate.
Many of the methods given to me by the owners of the Shepp were not really working for me (after all, I'm not them). Although as a result of their coaching, I think I did scare the devil out of him one day and that may have made some other changes a little easier. But the ways with which they are comfortable are not the ways with which I am. Turns out, my preferred method of relating to dogs is very similar to what McConnell recommends.
She offers many little tidbits of wisdom about dogs. For example, if you want a dog to calm down, yelling at her will not work; if you sound excited the dog will get excited. So, to calm a dog you must at least sound calm (also appearing calm helps). Yelling at her, "Down! DOWN! Get DOWN now!" will not work. You must keep your voice low, say it just once, and reward the "down" as soon as it happens. Do not reward the down with a pat-pat-pat on the head. Dogs really don't like that all that much. A treat would be much better. Or at least a "good girl" said like you really, really really mean it and a long gentle stroke from the shoulder to the back.
She talks about how primates (that includes us) love to hug, but that dogs do not. Dogs interpret hugs as a dominance display by the hugger. She discusses the somewhat controversial issue of dominance and explains that it is not at all about aggression as so many dog owners and dog trainers seem to think it is. You don't have to flip your dog to get its respect, nor do you have to hit it. What you do need to do is be consistent in how you ask for what you want. You have to be clear about what you want. And you have to be patient while your dog learns how you expect him to behave just as you are patient with children while they are learning how to be "people."
McConnell's book is full of insight, humor, and heartwarming personal stories. She talks about a dog's physical senses and how he relates to the world through them. She discusses play and offers advice about true aggression. She also covers the issue of personality versus breed dispositions and offers advice about how to select the dog you really want.
I think everyone, even if you don't have a dog and have never wanted a dog, would find something of use in this book (after all, we all know people who have dogs). I especially recommend it to those who are considering asking a dog to come live with them. "The Other End of the Leash" charmed me the first time I read it and it has charmed me again.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Documented some of my dragonfly shots and was led a quote by you. Now i am signed up on wrytestuff, and so cracking up. Love this "law of attraction" thang. and found my next present for a dear friend; "The Other End of a Leash" :0)Hi Brenda.
It IS funny how things work out sometimes. :)
I think you will enjoy WS.
Thanks for reading!
Hugs,
Dianne
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