For the novice it provides the necessary training tips and know-how such as

• Your Job As A Trainer
• Help Your Dog Be Successful
• Why People Fail
• Luring Versus Manipulating
• Can I Make Up My Own Words and Signals For Tricks?
• Chaining Commands (more for advance trainers)

It also covers adequate groundwork such as the basic commands of sit, down, stay, and come before moving on to other easy, intermediate, advanced, and expert levels.

Each chapter begins with a brief introduction and tips on the subject covers. For example, Chapter 7 covers “Jumping and Catching” dog tricks and the author shares her expertise on teamwork and safety issues. These are excellent nuggets of information, which many usually overlook before teaching the dog new tricks.

As an overly organizing nut, I appreciate how this book is presented. Not only it has a full-color photo for each trick and its training steps, it even has colored boxes on the sides covering prerequisites, troubleshooting, build on it, and tips on that particular trick. This book has a very clean layout with one trick per page or two at most. No fluff and filler, straight to the point, so you only need to concentrate on the step-by-step approach to teaching your dog the new trick.

As for the veteran trainer, you can never run out of tricks to work on your dog. The “build-on-it” idea box suggests much more complicated tricks that you can build on on each new skill. In another words, there are more than 101 dog tricks. (How’s that for your money’s worth?)

Two things I like most are the verbal cue and hand signal boxes on each trick and the appendix area. In appendix A, the tricks are grouped by skill level while in appendix B they are listed according to sport—for example, therapy dog and dog dancing. Instead of having to flip through pages to look for suitable trick to work on the dogs, all I need is to look at the appendix area. Once my dogs mastered the trick I put a tick beside it with the date. Should I decided to go full pledge on setting a dog trick training school, I probably come up with a workbook base on the 101 Dog Tricks concept. (Hint! Hint! Ms. Kyra)

Updates: Indeed Ms. Kyra “took my suggestion” and came out another dog tricks book that includes a training workbook and a DVD. I honestly can’t comment on this book because I don’t own one neither have I read it. I’m very happy with the 101 dog tricks and got tremendous results from using her techniques hence I don’t see the need to get her second book which I guess it would have many repetitive tricks that she had ready covered. Just so you know, she also wrote one dog tricks book just for puppies.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in training their dog dog tricks—novice or veteran. Besides gaining practical skills, you will also gather information and tips you hadn’t thought about before and your dog will master neat tricks to show case his skills and maybe inspire other owners and dogs.

Rating: 4.7 bones out of 5

On a final note, I wouldn’t recommend 101 Dog Tricks if you have teacup or really miniature dog (e.g. Chihuahua). Almost half of the book covers skills that require some height. Unless you have special customized props, otherwise this book may only offer you half the value of what you are paying for. Nonetheless, it is a very fun book and I believe both you and your dog will have many wonderful times learning the tricks.

I find Deborah Wood’s Little Dogs: Training Your Pint-Sized Companion will be your next best choice if you want to teach your tiny pooches tricks that are easy to learn. Not so much on challenging tricks like Kyra’s but good enough to entertain your guests when they come to visit.

Territorial aggression is more of an individual quality among dogs. There is no concrete evidence to indicate females are superior guard dogs over males. Conversely, there is no proof to show that male dogs offer better territorial defense than females. A dog’s gender is of no significance in determining value as a watchdog or a guard dog.

The breed in itself is more likely to be a factor in a dog’s guarding abilities, however there are many variations within a breed and it is not possible to rule out one behavior over the other.

Watchdog Barking Ability Does Not Always Equal To Guard Dog Protection Ability

A dog with a natural ability of watchdog barking does not necessary mean the dog has the ability to offer guard dog protection. Similarly is also true, if a dog with guard dog protection ability may not always bark at any passing sound or movement.

Most of the small dogs are best known for their natural watchdog barking ability. They are easily startled, quicker to bark, and are completely oblivious to their size.

Top 15 Dogs For Watchdog Barking

• Rottweiler
• German Shepherd
• Scottish Terrier *
• West Highland Whit Terrier *
• Miniature Schnauzer *
• Yorkshire Terrier *
• Cairn Terrier *
• Chihuahua *
• Airedale Terrier
• Poodle (Standard or Miniature)*
• Boston Terrier *
• Shih Tzu *
• Dachshund *
• Silky Terrier *
• Fox Terrier *

Source: The Intelligence of Dogs by Stanley Coren

As you can see that from the above list, 12 out of 15 dogs belong to the smaller breeds (18 inches and below). If you own any one of them, they may not be able to give you the best protection when faced with a determined intruder. This requires a job from those with territorial defense ability. Usually this group of dogs belongs to the larger breeds.

Top 6 Dogs for Territorial Defense

• Doberman Pinscher
• Akita
• Miniature Schnauzer *
• Rottweiler
• German Shepherd
• Chow Chow

Source: How Dogs Thinks by Stanley Coren

Based on the above 2 groups of dogs, it seems Miniature Schnauzer is the only small dog that has the two natural abilities—a good watchdog who is capable to protect its owner. Now, should you go out and get a Miniature Schnauzer for this purpose? Can I train my dog to have both attributes?

Note: These are some of the most common questions asked since the conception of this blog. I was apprehensive to answer but after some thoughts, I think readers here are sensible enough to gauge for themselves.

Can I Train My Dog To Have Both Attributes – Watchdog Barking and Territorial Defense?

It is very easy to train those dogs with territorial defense ability to be good watchdogs, whereas the reverse role is harder to achieve.

In fact, any average dog can be easily trained to become a “good watchdog” which doesn’t require owners to learn any special dog training techniques to achieve it. Many of us, at some point, had trained our once angelic quiet pet dog to become good watchdog barker without knowing it. Let’s see this behavior reinforcement sounds familiar.

Whenever our dogs startled and barked when something is heard outside or if someone approaches our dogs, we reward them in the form of verbal acknowledgment (“What’s it, Fido?”) or simply gave our attention to them by going to the window to see what our dog was reacting. Sometimes we would just instruct our barking dog to “shut up.” This is a negative attention.

Any form of attention is still an attention and can be reinforcement for our dogs for territorial behavior.

If you think that you need to prepare your pet dog to attack an intruder, do contact a well-reputed dog trainer who specialized in attack-trained dog training. The encouragement of uninhibited aggression in a pet dog should be left to the skilled professional, and you must become equally skilled in controlling the dog.

Important Note: Dogs that are attack-trained are NOT ideal family pet for most households.

I do not recommend any owner to train their pet dog to attack an intruder without due consideration. Likewise, I do not encourage owner to train their dogs to be watchdog barker for the sake of it.

Most dogs will bark when something unusual occurs, some breeds are much more alert than others. It is not like we have intruders visiting our homes at odd hours frequently. I would think getting a good home security system in place is a better option to protect ourselves from intruders. This is not to say that watchdogs are not needed, there is just that much our companion dogs can do when faced with armed intruders.

This book is short, sweet, and to the point. This is a must-read for anyone with a dog. Doesn’t matter what breed, age and size, you have to get this book! You will never look at your interactions with your dog (or spouse or child or boss) in quite the same way again. Fun and entertaining explanation too.

Never mind about my dog ear pages, now it comes in audio. Needless to say, I got that too. I store it in my ipod, and listen while I’m on the treadmill. Now you know why this book is the grand daddy of all my dog behavior training books.

Pryor’s delivery of the information is an easy and fun read. I highly recommend this book not just for humans who shares their life with four-legged companions but also for parents, married couples, and CEOs.

Want to hear two chapters of this audio book online?
Click here and hear it for yourself.

Book Review Rating: 4 1/2 paws out of 5

Don’t Shoot the Dog! Book – $12.00

Don’t Shoot the Dog! Audio – $26.95

• Simple and Understandable English – not bombard you with too many technical terms that have you looking up the dictionary more often than you’d read the book itself.
• Useful and Practical Information – which you can carry out the tasks with ease. Rather than put the blame on your dog for his lack of comprehending your command.
• Concise Explanation – without having you to read two pages just to get that ONE message stink in.

Some of the book reviews I may list them from the least important read to the most worthy read of the book (in descending order). Some I will just give you a brief description of the book. How I do my review on books about dogs is very much depending on how the book is presented and also how much time I have available.

Periodically, I’ll update this page once I finish my latest read. One thing I’ve to tell you though, I won’t always put up books that consider a good read, I may even put up books that I think you should avoid wasting your time and money on.

It would be extremely helpful to other readers if you could contribute your thoughts on my reviews on books about dogs in the according comment section. It is always nice to hear different point of view be it good or not so good. I’m very sure this will benefit everyone including myself.