Quotations and Questions
Quotations
These are a few quotes from the book:
On Owning a Dog:
“When it comes to owning a dog, the two most important things you need to have are time and patience. You need time and patience for feeding your dog every day, housebreaking him, brushing him, cleaning up after him, walking him, taking him to the vet, playing with him, training him, and most importantly, for loving him. All this has to happen whether you feel like it or not.”
On “Dog Problems”:
“Many “dog problems” stem from a lack of understanding. Many people approach pet ownership as something akin to owning a car: if it’s broken, take it to be fixed. If it has too many problems, you return it to the dealer or sell it.
This “pets are disposable” attitude is why so many dogs end up in rescue groups and animal shelters. It’s tragic because almost all problems can be solved with a little patience and understanding. A dog is a dog. It is not a small human, and expecting it to behave like one is unfair.
All pets in the household need to learn the rules, but the humans need a few rules too.”
On the Value of No:
“Although some positive dog-training methods seem to imply that you should never, ever correct your dog, I disagree. Like children, dogs live in your house. For everyone’s sanity, anyone in your house should follow a basic set of rules. A canine that has run amok because no one ever taught him the meaning of the word “no” is going to turn into a spoiled brat as surely as any human would.”
On Leadership:
“You need to set the rules from the first moment you meet your dog. Because you are the leader, your dog shouldn’t be calling the shots. For example, leaders control who gets fed when. You should get to eat your dinner first and you should make Rover “sit” before he gets access to his food bowl. The “sit” and “down” commands are powerful tools you can use to let your dog know you are the ruler of the roost.”
Book Excerpt
Use this link to download a PDF file that contains the table of contents and the first chapter (701K).
Suggested Media Questions for Susan Daffron
Here are a few sample interview questions, based on the content of the book:
1. Why should people adopt a dog from a shelter?
2. What are some of the most important supplies you’ll need when you adopt a dog?
3. What are some misconceptions about training dogs?
4. What can people do to help shy dogs?
5. When should you call in a behaviorist for assistance?
6. What problems have you solved with your own dogs?