Good for total beginners. 2.5 stars

The narration in this audiobook is very engaging.

As a dog enthusiast, I was excited to read this book. she is spot on about not using punishment and aversion methods. I was happy to listen to something popular, not by the "dog whisperer" ("Bully" would be better). Though I think this is a good starting point for some people, my overall dislike comes down to 3 main points:

1) Celebrities. There is so much name-dropping. After reading her initial book before, I'm sick to death of hearing about Oprah Winfrey, and I like Oprah! Just talk to us about the dogs, please. There are still too many celeb stories. The self-promotion is really off-putting. Instead of telling us how Garth Brooks was so impressed that he insisted you fix your friends dog, why not refer to the owner and their dogs? To quote my good friend Shania, "that don't impress-uh me much!"

2) Pseudo-Science. The author mentions a lot of studies that she never cites, describes, or summarizes. She tells you what to do based of anecdotes of desert wolf behaviour (trust me, try "level 8" on a timid dog or defensive dog and see if that dog listens or develops a phobia/aggression). Her recommendation for diet? Bogus. You can cook for your dog. Why on earth would I want to get salmonella from dog kisses? There are outbreaks of this stuff in people in the US all the time, thanks to boneheaded advice like this. Her first book had less of this allusion to the all-knowing "studies."

3) The author has some views expressed that come off as catty. Mentioning how women turn their wonderful husband's into frogs? Sometimes comes off as "women, amirite guys?" This wasn't as off-putting as the first 2, but felt weird.

The dog training content is 4/5, the personal stories are 3/5, the pseudoscience and celebrity stuff is grating by the end, and a 0/5.

Overall, please provide more positive reinforcement training, luring, and shaping, less Garth Brooks and bizarre angry faces, and weird relationship stuff. Stars because she has done wonderful work for dogs and promotes positive reinforcement.

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