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THE OTHER END OF THE LEASH - WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO AROUND DOGS
by Patricia McConnell (See other books by author)
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Publisher: Ballantine Books
Edition: 2002 Paperback
, 240 pages
ISBN: 9780345446787
Item: DTB745
Summary: When humans communicate with dogs, a lot can get lost in the translation. Focusing on human behavior, Dr. McConnell teaches readers how to retrain themselves to speak consistently in a language dogs understand and avoid sending conflicting and confusing messages.
| Price: $18.00 |
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Expanded Description:
A Dog World Top 12 Training and Behavior Book - 2010!
The Other End of the Leash shares a revolutionary, new perspective on our relationship with dogs, focusing on our behavior in comparison with that of dogs. An applied animal behaviorist and dog trainer with more than twenty years experience, Dr. Patricia McConnell looks at humans as just another interesting species, and muses about why we behave the way we do around our dogs, how dogs might interpret our behavior, and how to interact with our dogs in ways that bring out the best in our four-legged friends.
After all, although humans and dogs share a remarkable relationship that is unique in the animal world, we are still two entirely different species, each shaped by our individual evolutionary heritage. Quite simply, humans are primates and dogs are canids (like wolves, coyotes, and foxes). Since we each speak a different native tongue, a lot gets lost in the translation.
The Other End of the Leash demonstrates how even the slightest changes in your voice and the way you stand can help your dog understand what you want. Once you start to think about your own behavior from the perspective of your dog, you’ll understand why much of what appears to be doggy-disobedience is simply a case of miscommunication.
Inside you will learn:
• How to use your voice so that your dog is more likely to do what you ask.
• Why “getting dominance” over your dog is a bad idea.
• Why “rough and tumble primate play” can lead to issues -– and how to play with your dog in ways that are fun and keep him out of trouble.
• How dogs and humans share personality types -– and why most dogs want to live with benevolent leaders rather than “alphawannabees!”
In her own insightful, compelling style, Patricia McConnell combines wonderful true stories about people and dogs with a new, accessible scientific perspective on how they should behave around each other. This is a book that strives to help you make the most of life with your dog, and to prevent problems that might arise in that most rewarding of relationships. |
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| Customer Reviews |
| Average Customer Ranking: |
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| Write a review for this product! |
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| Primate to Canine Communication, March 27, 2003 |
| Reviewer: Laura Rescoe |
This is a very wonderful book! It tells you a lot about why we as humans are sending so many mixed signals to our dogs and how to use a language that they can understand. It will definitely help you communicate more effectively with dogs. Everyone who has a canine love in their life should read this book!
Laura Rescoe, Dog Trainer |
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| Great Beginner's Book, April 11, 2003 |
| Reviewer: I am my Cairn's Mom |
| Enough stories are embedded throughout the book to help highlight the differences between the canine culture and our own. Though a beginner at training my puppy, I found myself learning some key positions from her text that solved some old problems (don't approach a dog head-on, turn and walk away when you call your dog to come). I was amazed that these small changes in my behavior made such a big difference in my Cairn's response. Very entertaining reading and a great book for learning some of the subtleties in training. |
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| Excellent Resource!, May 7, 2003 |
| Reviewer: Kelly in Chicago |
| I am getting a puppy and found this book...it has been a great resource and I found it hard to put the book down. I am so impressed with her knowledge and understanding of dogs, I have ordered her other books. It was really fascinating and humorous to read about how we as humans interact with dogs...I found myself saying, |
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| Excellent Resource!, May 7, 2003 |
| Reviewer: Kelly in Chicago |
| I am getting a puppy and found this book...it has been a great resource and I found it hard to put the book down. I am so impressed with her knowledge and understanding of dogs, I have ordered her other books. It was really fascinating and humorous to read about how we as humans interact with dogs...I found myself saying, |
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| Highly recommended, August 14, 2003 |
| Reviewer: Sue Zgol |
| Profound, brillant, simple and effective. |
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| A Must-Read, August 18, 2003 |
| Reviewer: Caryl Wolff, Doggie Manners, Los Angeles |
| We reviewed this book at our dog trainers' forum, and everyone loved it. My review was that it should be required reading by every dog owner!!! I give my clients a list of books that I recommend and tell them if they only get one book, this should be it. |
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| A book for&about owners, September 2, 2003 |
| Reviewer: Audrey |
| This is a very unique book and a must read for any pet owner! Dogs are so happy, finally a book about their clumsy owners. McConnell created an amazing book. There is a lot of behavioral study, evolutionary study, and relationship analysis for both primates and canines. Whats truely amazing is that this book tackles some huge concepts in an engaging, easy to understand way. You do not need a PhD to enjoy this book. Everyone can learn from this great author. |
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| A must-read!, May 10, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Julia Lane |
| Dr. McConnell shares her extensive knowledge of canine and human behavior with passion and humor, making this a fun, informative read. I thought I knew quite a bit about dogs and people, but this book made me reflect and change my perspective on both species for the better. |
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| Fear of water, July 13, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Torry Hyatt |
| After reading The Other End of the Leash I was at the beach with my golden retriever (Molson), my friend, and her chocolate lab/GS cross (Cody). Cody would only paddle at the beach and showed fear if he got in as deep as his tummy, but would look longingly at Molson and I in the deeper water, where Molson could body surf, one of Molson's favourite activities. I was able to lure Cody out to deeper water (never deeper than his shoulders) with a tiny treat and encouragement 'come on, good boy' with a high voice at every step, as recommended in the book, Molson at his side for more confidence. Cody's eyes went as big as saucers when the first wave lifted him off his feet, but he stayed with us and was obviously enjoying himself, in spite of his fears. Thanks to this book, I was able to give Cody another way to enjoy the beach, and to allay some of his fears about deeper water. |
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| my favorite!, July 30, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Sue Brown, Love My Dog Training |
| Most of McConnell's books are concise and to-the-point on particular topics. This is a longer read than most of her other books but well worth it. If you would like to be better able to understand and communicate with your dog, this is one of the best books you will find. This is without a doubt my favorite book, and I highly recommend it! |
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| dogs are not baby humans!, September 5, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Simona Santini |
| This was the first book from P. McConnell I ever read. I am enthusiastic about it, the authors explain with a simple language what the difference of cultural behaviours between two species is. Many aspects of our lives are controlled by our being primates and we do not even realize that we expects our dogs to react to our signs, words, clues in the same way we expect a baby human to react. But dogs are not baby humans, they are canine entities that are regulated by different mechanisms. When an owner has understood this, his/her life with dogs acn only improve, as he/she will send the correct message to the beloved animal. |
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| A Must-Read, October 2, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Caryl Wolff, CPDT, NADOI, CDBC |
We reviewed this book at our dog trainers' forum, and everyone loved it. My thought was that it should be required reading by every dog owner!!! I give my clients a list of books that I recommend and tell them if they only get one book, this should be it.
Since I first wrote this review, I have sold 15 cartons of the paperback version without one complaint from any client. They all have said how much more aware they are that how they act affects their dog's behavior.
Caryl Wolff, CPDT, NADOI, CDBC
www.DoggieManners.com
Los Angeles, California |
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| Just wonderful, November 14, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Emily |
| I absolutely loved this book. I laughed, I cried, I learned a ton about dogs and really raised my consciousness about how important body language is. I plan to read all of her other books too! |
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| Differences between primates and canines, October 17, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Stacey Plattenberger |
| This is honestly my favorite book on dog training/psychology thus far. It's extremely easy to read and understand. It not only explains why our dogs do what they do, but even more so, why we, as primates, do what we do and how that affects our relationship with our closest companions. So many books give great descriptions and explanations of dog behavior, but few so eloquently do the same for our species. McConnell breaks down the communication barrier and shows how our natural behaviors often directly conflict with the natural behaviors of dogs. An excellent read for frustrated (and content) dog owners and for trainers who want to become better. |
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| Beautifully Written, April 25, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Jenny Chun |
| Patricia McConnell offers such beautiful insight into the human-canine relationship. Parts of this book actually made me cry. |
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| A must-read for every dog lover!, May 5, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Ann Dupuis / Your Dream Dog |
In The Other End of the Leash, Patricia McConnell explores the similarities and differences between humans and dogs, how we appear to one another, and the problems that can ensue when we miscommunicate. She explains why hugging a dog may result in a bite; the best ways to use your voice to communicate with a dog; why physical dominance is not the way to establish your social status; how to teach your dog to be patient and polite; and much more.
As with her newer book, For the Love of a Dog, Patricia shares personal stories of dogs and situations she's known to illustrate her points, and she does so brilliantly. |
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| too negative, May 17, 2007 |
| Reviewer: DSmith |
| I found this book the most negative dog behavior book I have ever read. After reading this book, if I didnt know any better, I would think all owners abuse their dogs. I finally threw the book in the trash after the story about the owners that had their golden retriever puppy 'killed' after it reacted to them yelling in its face. Tho I agree with the 'no need for dominance' and positive training, I wish there would have been more positive stories and not so many horrible outcomes. |
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| , May 12, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Ollie and Augie |
I'd love to make this required reading for anyone caught throwing around the terms 'dominance' and/or 'pack leader' - and I wish someone had recommended this book when we first adopted Oliver.
Very clear explanation about how dogs think and interact with the world and how we humans can better interact with them.
I did find it a bit chatty, but there is real substance here. |
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| You will learn so much, August 9, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Crystal Saling |
| This book was very suprising to me as Patricia McConnel's Books usually are. It was a very good description about why I am so compelled to hug both my dogs, when I know they hate it. I actually felt better about myself after reading why we do the silly stuff that we do to dogs. I'm only a primate don't you know!. It is also a wonderful resource to have in my tool box to help owners understand their relationship with their dogs. |
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| One of my favorites., September 24, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Virginia D. |
This book taught me so much, both about dogs, and myself and others as primates. She shows the reader how to be a benevolent reader and that intimidating your dog into 'submission' will only undermine your relationship and get you nowhere. I think it's an excellent idea, to bring home the point that the way we express ourselves can make our dogs uncomfortable or scared, that she put picture examples in the book. It shows dogs communicating with eachother, people communicating with people, people communicating with dogs, and highlights the differences. It's clear to see in the photos that some owners giving their dogs hugs look radiantly happy and the dogs usually look pretty miserable.
This is a great book for anyone who wants a better relationship with the dogs in their lives, wants to understand some conficts that arise between canines and primate, and any dog lover who wants to learn more about their best friends. |
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| , December 26, 2008 |
| Reviewer: KH |
| I love this book! Well written and engaging, making it very hard to put down. I liked that it focused on human behaviour and canine behaviour. It provided me with a good start to my self reflection and hopefully I will end up a better - more enlightened - dog owner. |
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| in one word: Beautiful, February 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Cora |
This is one of the books that you can't put down until you finished it, it explain why we act the way we do toward our dogs and how our poor dogs have to interpret the mixed signals that we send them.
It's a must book for dog lovers / owners |
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| A good reader for any experience level, February 26, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Elissabeth Bossoli |
Whether you're a first time dog owner, a lifelong dog lover or an aspiring dog trainer, you'll enjoy this book. It is highly informative without overwhelming the reader with hard to absorb information. It is written in a manner that makes the reader want to learn more and more.
This book accomplishes two goals: to determine the differences between canine and human behavior and to determine the similarities between canine and human behavior. There are several of both and once you learn of a new one, you think to yourself, 'That makes sense! Why didn't I think of that?' There are other valuable pieces of information that without spending years in the field of applied animal behavior, you'd never be aware of. McConnell allows someone as new to dogs as a novice owner to benefit from her hard work and dedicated research as a Ph.D.
As someone who works in the pet care field, I will recommend and give this book to all of my clients. |
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| A good read for any experience level, February 26, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Elissabeth Bossoli |
Whether you're a first time dog owner, a lifelong dog lover or an aspiring dog trainer, you'll enjoy this book. It is highly informative without overwhelming the reader with hard to absorb information. It is written in a manner that makes the reader want to learn more and more.
This book accomplishes two goals: to determine the differences between canine and human behavior and to determine the similarities between canine and human behavior. There are several of both and once you learn of a new one, you think to yourself, 'That makes sense! Why didn't I think of that?' There are other valuable pieces of information that without spending years in the field of applied animal behavior, you'd never be aware of. McConnell allows someone as new to dogs as a novice owner to benefit from her hard work and dedicated research as a Ph.D.
As someone who works in the pet care field, I will recommend and give this book to all of my clients. |
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| , October 9, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Shaya |
| A great book for anyone who is interested in dogs: professional or pet owner. I love McConnell's easy to read writing style and all of the little anecdotal stories that make it a lot of fun to read her books. There are many interesting points about the ways we as primates act that our dogs interpret differently. How do you ask your dog to come? How do you walk up to greet a new dog? Your way of looking at dogs will be altered by this book. |
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| , July 7, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Bethany Crawford |
| This book will suck you in and you'll find something new every time you read it. Every potential dog owner should read this before bringing home their dog as the knowledge in this book can prevent a lot of behavioral issues and misunderstandings. Filled with stories and stuffed with knowledge you will absorb ideas quickly and eagerly. Read this book before you obtain or train your perfect sports, companion, or obedience dog. |
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| insightful, October 21, 2010 |
| Reviewer: DogCatcher |
| On the road to understanding the miscommunications between dogs and humans, this book is a giant leap forward. It's for dog caretakers and trainers alike. Valuable perspective. |
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| Anything by this woman is amazing., January 1, 2013 |
| Reviewer: OkoNicer |
| I am a long time fan of Patricia McConnell, this was one of two of her books that started the addiction. She knows dogs, she knows people, and she knows how to write. |
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| A Must Re-Read!, March 31, 2017 |
| Reviewer: Danae Knapp |
This book is a must for anyone working with/interested in dogs. McConnell explains ways to communicate more effectively with dogs than what might come more naturally to us. She gives some pointers on body language and how your tone of voice and sounds you make influence your dog. There is so much information in this book, you'll need to read it twice just to get it all. If you work with dogs at all (dog walking, training, daycare, etc.), this book is an informative guide that will help you understanding dogs better.
I deducted one star due to the heavy push on evolution, which I don't appreciate. I also wouldn't recommend this book for children.
**For those who would be concerned, this book does contain some language** |
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