Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships with Dogs

This book has been a life-changer, truly. I have almost always had dogs, but now I currently own my first as an adult. He has been humbling and challenging to keep it simple. This book has helped me name and make sense of many things I have been feeling in this journey with him, but could not articulate before this book. I took my time reading it because I wanted to soak in all of the wisdom. I cannot emphasize how important this book is to all dog owners. Whether your dog is happy-go-lucky, or one that requires a biiiiiit more intentionality on your part. This is a manual on how to humanely navigate this journey with them. Cannot. Recommend. Highly. Enough. Thank you, thank you.

Not too far along I put this book down, fetched my highlighter, and started over. You'll quickly realize this is one you'll want to reference, maybe even re-read entirely. It's a definite top shelf selection for the library of anyone seriously devoted to a dog.Like its independent-minded author, "Bones" defies categorization. It's neither a training manual, nor another treatise on canine behavior. While both subjects get thorough treatment, the book's focus is communication. Key is the thesis that only through continuous, clear, honest and most critically - two way - communication, can the objective of "deepening our relationships with dogs" be realized. Its virtue is in challenging us to think more deeply about what we already know - about dogs, about ourselves. No particular methodologies are professed other than perhaps common sense and humanity. Clothier demonstrates how contrasting cultures can vex human-canine relationships, using real world comparatives such as, "No mother dog ever told her puppies: `You just wait until your father gets home' or `We'll discuss that later.'" "A dog never needs to say `I may not tell you enough, but - '".Three developmental stages of the human-canine relationship are described, beginning with mechanical (stimulus-response). Next comes motivational, the essence of reward-based training (and where most of us, even serious fancier types, are likely stagnated). At the apex is spiritual, where the pair - meaning "we" having supplanted "dog and me" - operates in synchronous harmony. "Bones" is filled with the author's experiences, and those of a few others, in lifelong quest of this uppermost plateau. In the midst of these, you'll find lots of thought provoking assertions, such as one of my favorites, "Few things tell me as much about the quality of the connection between a person and a dog as what can be observed as they just walk together."Suzanne Clothier is a widely respected trainer, lecturer and writer. In its second printing just sixty days into publication, "Bones" is a departure from her previous fare of shorter, single subject oriented works. The style of this book is anything but "hurry up." You'll find not a single bulleted list. Instead of telling us how to do it, the author relates example after real-life example showing us how it's done (or not to be done). You'll see yourself and your dog(s) over and over in the experiences she relates, some funny, some embarrassing, some sad."Bones" holds great potential for anyone who trains, breeds, shows, hunts, works with, rescues or has otherwise dedicated a goodly portion of their life to a dog or dogs. Recent films and literature have popularized the image of gifted individuals seemingly far more capable than you or me in relating to animals - "whisperers." The greatest gift in Clothier's work is realizing we can learn to be whisperers, too.

Suzanne Clothier has written a masterpiece! While this is a beautifully written book whose main theme seems to be about "deepening our relationships with dogs", it actually encompasses a much more important body of thought. It is really a book about developing a richer more fulfilling and effective life in all relationships. Suzanne Clothier provides us the opportunity to learn that what we perceive as happening may very well be perceived differently by those in our lives, be they dogs, children, a spouse or friends, or foreign nationsThere are many implications concerning leadership, not just as it applies to animals or even children but leadership overall.Clothier states,"In the end, our personal philosophy is also our best protection against cruelty. When we know what we believe and who we are, we stand stong and sure about what we will and will not allow."Clothier quotes Goethe-"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.""One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it become an emergency." she quotes Arnold Glasglow."As ever, a small investment of our full selves reaps rewards without measure.",another quote from this book!Don't let the title fool you, this is not really just about dogs ,but about people and how we live in this world and how we touch other's lives. It compels one to take an honest look at our relationships and then to proceed through this process, to enriching our lives by making positive changes in our dealings with those around us. Clothier quotes Thomas Jefferson,"Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom." We can only be wiser if we are honest with ourselves first.

With warmth, humor, and insight, guided by a deep love for dogs, Suzanne Clothier does not just urge us to 'think outside the box.' In 'Bones Would Rain from the Sky,' Clothier succeeds in smashing the box entirely, and builds a totally new paradigm. 'Bones' feeds a hunger in every dog trainer and lover who has been left unsatisfied by the myriad training 'recipe' books available on the market. Clothier holds up a mirror to each of us, requiring that we examine and own our own roles in our relationships with our dogs, and encourages us to use our powers of empathy, compassion, and intelligence to improve those relationships. Clothier's stories open new depths of truth, and promise new levels of possibility between us and our companions. Written with elegance, style and grace, 'Bones' is destined to become a classic which will appear on every dog trainer's and dog lover's bookshelf.

I bought Suzanne Clothier's newly released "Bones Would Rain from the Sky" because I love, own, & train dogs. I'm not sure what I expected to find in this book, but I got a great deal more than I could have possibly anticipated.I thought to read yet another well respected trainer's viewpoint on dogs, perhaps. What I got was a mind and soul expanding journey. Suzanne writes with startling self-honesty, but with great wit and a beautiful ability to communicate via the written word. What I found was page after page of pointers toward Truth (with a deliberate capital 't').If you love animals ... be prepared with kleenex box on hand for she surely can move you to tears. But, also be prepared for many more occasions of smiles and outright laughter.Most of all, be prepared to find your own philosophy toward dog training, as well as dog-human and human-human relationships challenged to be the best you can be.

"Bones would Rain from the Sky" is not the typical step by step dog training book. The author does an outstanding job detailing how and why our relationships with our canine pals can get off track and better yet how to get things on the mend. The writing is clear and the examples are ones we all can relate to. No matter what role dogs have in your life, this book has something for you. If you only buy one book this year, make it this one. I have two copies already. One that I read and read again and another that I lend to my friends. Don't pass this one by!!!!!