30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog: The Loved Dog Method

Written by Tamar Geller and Jonathan Grotenstein

Narrated by Renee Raudman

Widely regarded as the anti-Cesar Millan by dog owners and experts, Tamar Geller's nonaggressive approach to dog training is based on love, play, and mutual respect between dog and owner-much like how a wolf plays with its young. Using a combination of child psychology and animal behavior science, Geller revolutionized the way Americans train their dogs and has won the approval of the Humane Society, for which she is a longtime adviser. Now she expands on her play-training methods and offers a day-by-day, easy-to-follow plan for raising a happy and well-mannered canine.

In this step-by-step guide, Geller gives dog owners all the essential training instructions, insights, and tips, including housebreaking, socialization, commands, hand signals, games, developing a routine, and much more.

Throughout, Geller explains theories on how dogs think and breaks down dogs' basic needs in simple yet engaging language. She also makes fascinating connections between raising a puppy and the process of nurturing a toddler that will shed new light on dog training. Whether it's a new puppy from the pet store or a rescue dog from the pound, this is the ultimate go-to reference for anyone who decides to bring a new dog into their home-or improve the behavior of the family dog in just one month. Turns out, you can teach an old dog new tricks!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Oct 12, 2010
• ISBN: 9781400188987

Tamar Geller

Tamar Geller created, owns, and operates The Loved Dog™, Southern California's first cage-free doggy boarding and day care center. An advisor to The Humane Society of the United States, Tamar also works with many rescue organizations, and is the founder of the non-profit program Operation Heroes & Hounds™, which champions homeless dogs and wounded military personnel. She lectures on dog behavior at Pepperdine University and speaks at engagements around the country. When she’s not taping QVC on the East Coast, Tamar lives in L.A. with her own loved dog, Clyde. Visit her website at www.tamargeller.com.

Reviews for 30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog

[cammykitty · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book will be boring for the advanced trainer, but it is a good, basic obedience book. It could have used some illustrations to clarify her instructions. The name dropping got tedious as well.

[whimsyblue · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is a gentle approach to building a loving relationship with your dog. Many good techniques to strengthen your bond with animal best friend.

[lildrafire · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is much more than a dog training guide--Gellar tells her story of being raised in a dysfunctional family, serving in the Israeli army, and how she developed her love for dogs. Highly entertaining, well written, and much useful information.

[livelylady · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As a new dog owner I have recently been reading many dog manuals. When I spotted this at our library as a new book, I snatched it up. What a breath of fresh air in the arena of dog training. I guess her method can be summed up as "loving consistency."She lovingly describes ways to train our best friend, while not relinquishing the "alpha" position ourselves. Yes, there is a lot of treats handed out initially, but once the behavior becomes habit, the treats are lessened more and more.The book is more than a how-to book with the examples she has included of celebritys' dogs that she has helped trained.Definitely a good book for those new doggie parents or for those who have some behavior issues with their best friends!

[julie2112_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As a non-expert who wanted to learn a more loving method for modifying dog behavior, I found this to be a clear and concise guide with some very helpful methods. I volunteer with rescue dogs who have very difficult histories, and any help we can give them makes them that much more likely to be adopted. However, my personality does not gel with methods like jerking the leash or forcing submissive rollovers. I needed a different method and found Tamar's story interesting, and her approach something that I can actually do. Her insight on getting the dog to associate your commands with pleasure rather than pain helped me understand how to make the training fun for the dog, and also allows me to lavish the love upon the poor rescues that they desperately need. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a well behaved and happy dog!

[sheherazahde · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Like most people, I was taught that choke collars and force are the natural and correct ways to train dogs. Ms. Geller's experience as an abused child taught her that force and violence are never appropriate for anyone. She learned from observing wild wolves that the "alpha rollover" (forcing a dog on it's back to teach it who is boss) is not natural or correct. The wolves she observed taught each other with games and more gentle methods. Ms. Geller has an important message, and I am glad I read this book. But I would have liked more instruction and less personal history and name-dropping stories. Read this book before you start training your dog!

[jimocracy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I did learn a few things but there was something irritating about the author. I don't think she was correct about some things and she came off a little too preachy. This might have been better in a hard cover or paperback format so I could go through each of the 30 days one day at a time. It would also work as a training reference manual than just reading it straight through.

[dcoward_6 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Disappointing. Despite the title, this was not a laid out plan with specific instructions to follow.