The Midnight Dog Walkers: Positive Training and Practical Advice for Living With Reactive and Aggressive Dogs

by Annie Phenix

Overview

Aggression is a subject that no dog owner wants to talk about, but one that many owners have to face. Statistics show that aggression is not only the most serious problem in dogs but also the top reason for owners to seek out professional help for their pets. Left unchecked, an aggressive dog can become a dangerous dog, and this informative volume comes to the aid of many heartbroken owners who feel that they have tried everything to correct their dogs' unpredictable and inappropriate behavior. Author and certified dog trainer Annie Phenix shares her belief that many reactive dogs can be rehabilitated with the right training, and she offers her expertise in positive, force-free training methods to desperate owners who have resorted to extreme measures to keep their dogs away from other people and animals.Inside The Midnight Dog Walkers:Stories and practical examples from the author based on aggressive dogs she's trained and ownedBehavioral warning signs that owners should recognizeDefinitions of different types of aggression and why they occurTips on how to handle a potentially aggressive or aggressive dogThe author's force-free training philosophy and how she applies it with her clients to effect positive changesPopular myths and misconceptions about training these "grumpy growlers"

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781621871187
Publisher:	CompanionHouse Books
Publication date:	03/29/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	477,272
File size:	26 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Annie Phenix: Annie Phenix, CPDT-KA, is a professional force-free dog trainer from Durango, Colorado, specializing in canine behavior. Phenix is a popular writer for Dogster and BARKS magazines, and she is the resident trainer for Dogster.com. She is an award-winning journalist with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin. She was named the Austin Communicator of the Year by Women in Communication in 2000. You can visit her training website at www.phenixdogs.com

Table of Contents

Introduction 4

1 What is the Midnight Dog Walkers' Club? 8

2 The $12, 000 Rottweiler, I've Been Where You Are 16

3 Troubled Dogs: The Scope of the problem 28

4 A Dog trainer's Street Education 44

5 What Doesn't Work and Why 58

6 The Beginning Matters 72

7 Dr. Pavlov Sits on You Shoulder 96

8 The Counterconditioning Revolution: How to Un-ring the Bell 112

9 The Real Secrets to Great Dog Training 130

10 Don't Walk the Dog! 146

11 Good Leashes Make for Good Neighbors 162

12 The Trifecta for a Curve Veterinarians, Trainers, and Owners 178

13 The Convenant with Man's Best Friend 194

Final Note 212

Acknowledgements 213

Bibliography 216

Resources 218

Index 219

Photo Credits 223

About the Author 223

Praise for The Midnight Dog Walkers 224

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Midnight Dog Walkers

“Annie Phenix is an engaging writer whose compassion for dogs and the people who choose to help them shines through in this book. She makes a compelling case for the elimination of the use of force, fear, and pain in training for not only these vulnerable fearful and reactive dogs, but for all dogs. She provides an honest perspective on what it’s like to be a card-carrying member of the Midnight Dog Walkers’ Club and what others should know when they seek training help for their dogs. Lucky ones may even end up with Annie.”
—Debbie Jacobs, CPDT-KA, CAP2

“I’m thrilled to be reading an early copy of Annie Phenix's book on reactive dogs, where almost immediately I found this amazing (and so very true) quote: ‘...in order to change another species' behavior, we must first change our own.’”
—Sarah Kalnajs

"The Midnight Dog Walkers is not just another book about dogs. The title grabbed my attention … being a dog trainer, I instantly realized what she meant. This book reaches out to those dog owners who have to live with dogs who express themselves through aggressive behavior, but it does so in a unique and so very touching way, with compassionate, practical, and sound advice on how to deal with such behavior. Annie [also] goes beyond this in reaching to all dog owners … in helping them understand what others are going through and how all of us can help each other and, ultimately, our beloved dogs.”
—Claudia Estanislau, DTBC, CASI

"A very enjoyable read. Ms. Phenix is an excellent storyteller as well as someone who has been there herself and can empathize with her readers. With solid, easy-to-follow training advice, backed by expert veterinary behaviorists and fellow trainers who specialize in working with reactive dogs, Ms. Phenix will give you hope and practical training tools—and even some smiles along the way."

—Leslie McDevitt MLA CPDT-KA, CDBC

CDBC Leslie McDevitt MLA CPDT-KA

Praise for The Midnight Dog Walkers

“Annie Phenix is an engaging writer whose compassion for dogs and the people who choose to help them shines through in this book. She makes a compelling case for the elimination of the use of force, fear, and pain in training for not only these vulnerable fearful and reactive dogs, but for all dogs. She provides an honest perspective on what it’s like to be a card-carrying member of the Midnight Dog Walkers’ Club and what others should know when they seek training help for their dogs. Lucky ones may even end up with Annie.”
—Debbie Jacobs, CPDT-KA, CAP2

“I’m thrilled to be reading an early copy of Annie Phenix's book on reactive dogs, where almost immediately I found this amazing (and so very true) quote: ‘...in order to change another species' behavior, we must first change our own.’”
—Sarah Kalnajs

"The Midnight Dog Walkers is not just another book about dogs. The title grabbed my attention … being a dog trainer, I instantly realized what she meant. This book reaches out to those dog owners who have to live with dogs who express themselves through aggressive behavior, but it does so in a unique and so very touching way, with compassionate, practical, and sound advice on how to deal with such behavior. Annie [also] goes beyond this in reaching to all dog owners … in helping them understand what others are going through and how all of us can help each other and, ultimately, our beloved dogs.”
—Claudia Estanislau, DTBC, CASI

"A very enjoyable read. Ms. Phenix is an excellent storyteller as well as someone who has been there herself and can empathize with her readers. With solid, easy-to-follow training advice, backed by expert veterinary behaviorists and fellow trainers who specialize in working with reactive dogs, Ms. Phenix will give you hope and practical training tools—and even some smiles along the way."

—Leslie McDevitt MLA CPDT-KA, CDBC

From the Publisher