Feisty Fido: Help for the Leash Aggressive Dog

Thank you! This little booklet has helped me get my little "feisty fido" under control without spending hundreds in behaviorist/training bills! He learned the "watch" command immediately and although we have just started (in the last couple of weeks) we're making tremendous progress! As soon as I'm aware of another dog I begin with the tools she's provided us and I couldn't ask for better results! Both of us are happy and sane campers! Outside of seeing dogs on walks on a daily basis where we have used her techniques, there have been a couple occasions where we have come around a corner face to face with another dog and I quickly use the commands we've learned and off we go for a little run in the other direction! She's covered everything in this tiny little booklet! It's been fabulous! I highly recommend this to anyone with a "feisty fido"! Thank you-thank you-THANK YOU Ms. McConnell!!!!!

The book is brief and as it clearly states it only will help a dog that has fear-based aggression while on leash. You'll want to have consulted a professional dog trainer/behaviorist to make sure this is the issue you have. We did, and we were taught to counter-condition our leash aggressive beagle using these techniques. After 3 months of work he's greatly improved. After another 6, the conditioning has become even stronger. Neighbors (we live in a condo) have commented that they've noticed that our beagle is much quieter (as opposed to the daily outbursts we'd have as our beagle would flip out at the sight of another dog!) At this price point, McConnell's booklet is no-brainer. Check out her others as well.

I have a rescued dog that is nuts-aggressive on a leash. I have read sooooo many dog training/behavior books, and this one is one of the best. Why? 1) It gets right to the point. 2) There are only 3 main techniques to remember and practice (plus a few "panic button" tactics). 3) It's fewer than 60 pages. This book is easy to understand and doesn't muddy the issues with a lot of extra stuff. The techniques are non-violent but work. I've been through several dog trainers that told me that I wasn't correcting my dog hard enough so he wasn't getting the message. Things were only getting worse. The corrections were only making him more agitated, so that he began aggressing earlier and earlier when he saw another dog. This book helps you train your dog to have a different reaction to whatever sets him off so that his habit is to look at you when another dog (or person) comes around, instead of freaking out. McConnell anticipates that things always don't go as planned; one heading is titled, "Oops! My Dog Looked Away Before I Said Okay." She also gives suggestions for troubleshooting. I highly recommend this booklet!

This book is primarily for dogs aggressive on leash, same dogs off leash are fine with most, if not all, other dogs. It is only one of 28 catagories of aggression or combination thereof. The benefit to getting this booklet is that 1) you can determine if this is really the problem before you invest in a lot of more expensive books that deal with all manner of aggression. AND 2) You should be working with a trainer on ANY kind of aggression issue. This booklet will help you to know what type of methods are likely to be effective and you will have something to refer to as you are working with the trainer - I would not work with anyone who is not familiar and endorses at least some of McConnell's positive training recommendations. Her booklets in general cover more information with more pages than you will find in a single chapter of a lot of training or dog problem books. This gives you 59 pages dealing with just one very common, very specific issue! You would get far less for a lot higher price if you brought a book on a more general behavior topic. If you found the booklet useful, great! If you didn't, be glad you didn't spend more for it, quit yer bitchin and donate it to a rescue group who can use it - it's tax deductable

I heard Pat speak on the subject of dog agression last year at the Pet dog trainers assocaition. This book fills out the notes from that session. An incredible assest for trainers dealing with all levels of agression in dogs. I have used the methods with good sucesson three client cases. Reading this gives trainers more options for dealing with feisty fido's that show up with unhappy owners.