Play with Your Dog

Who knew there are canine play behaviorists? I get dog behaviorists, like Cesar Millan and Patricia McConnell, but who knew there were specialists in dog play? Pat Miller is that and much more. She's written several books on dogs, dog training, etc. and I enjoy her writing very much. Down to earth, practical, and warm. She has a sense of humor and she really loves dogs. This book is great for people who want to expand their play with a dog. Maybe you have a dog like mine, who doesn't seem to know how to play. I got mine from a rescue, and he's just not interested in balls or ropes, playing chase, or tracking. I got the book in hopes it might help me get my dog into playing. Pat Miller explains a lot of different kinds of play, which I'm trying, and noticing in other dogs. She has terrific ideas for games to play with dogs. Some are training games, but a lot are just for fun. She has ideas for expanding play: if your dog is obsessed with balls, she has ideas for what you can do in addition to Fetch. This would be so fun for athletic people who want to do active sports with their dog. Also fun for kids who have energy to burn and want to have fun with their dogs. She tells about activities for dogs, like Flyball, Rally, Obedience, and others. These are sports you do with your dog, and they're just for fun. I enjoyed the book and look forward to many fun games with my dog. If you like to play with dogs, you'll enjoy the book. Great gift for dog lovers!

I've been a fan of Pat Miller's training philosophy for years and have read all her books. This one provides an interesting insight into the different play styles of dogs. The NFL buys ads to remind parents that their kids need an hour of play a day, this book reminds us that dogs and dog owners of any age can benefit from playing as well. It's an easy read so it won't take much time away from playing with your dog.

It might sound odd to experienced dog owners, but when I adopted my first dog this year, I knew I loved him to pieces, but I didn't know how to really play with him. He doesn't know how to fetch, doesn't chase tennis balls, or frisbees... all the typical dog games I'd seen other people playing with their dogs. I had no idea that some dogs needed to be taught to play fetch! Pat Miller's book has already been a godsend. I'm playing games with my dog I never would have thought of on my own and my whole family is having a GREAT time! If you are a new dog owner, or are looking for a gift for a dog owner, I can't recommend this book (or ANY of Pat Miller's books) highly enough. The games are tons of fun for dogs and their humans, and Pat makes it easy for everybody to learn how to play even the more advanced games. A word about positive reinforcement training - LOVE IT. Love it, love it, love it! Here's why: It works. It's easy. It works. There's NO guilt because there's no harsh "correcting" (ok, there *might* be a little guilt about giving your pup so many treats at first...but only a little). And! It works!

Reading fluency: 8/10 Content information: 10/10 Although i am a play trainer myself, i didn't rate the book with 5 stars because of its title, but because it's truly good, it has a lot of information on the subject of play and how it can be used for different purposes, things that you would expect to read about in a "serious" and expensive textbook, yet the writing style is fluid and entertaining, so it's addressed to virtually anyone, from those who want to get along better with their dog and have fun, to dog trainers and behaviorists. However, it's not intended to be a training manual per se, the obedience exercises are very briefly presented. That being said, this is a good place to start if you wish to know how to interact with your dog and how to prevent or address behavior problems. Many books treating general subjects (like play) tend to have little useful information and a lot of general trivial stuff that most people know already. Others fail to get the point altogether by looking at it through other concepts (things like: "if he jumps up on you, he's dominant") or by warning that playing certain games will "make the dog dominant/aggressive/etc.", like playing tug. Not the case here. The author is clearly knowledgeable about the subject and she rehabilitates dogs using these games and concepts, including the much feared tug-of-war. I was particularly pleased to find out that she even explains some of the misconceptions about tug. The book covers subjects like: - what play is and isn't (and tips on recognizing each situation), - why play is important, - how dogs play with other dogs and with humans and why playing with humans is different, - dog playing styles and how to mix (or not) dogs with different styles, - lots of games with many variations (this section alone is worth buying the book for), - how to use play in obedience training (maybe the only aspect that could use some improving), - how to use play to rehabilitate certain problem-dogs, - how to work with a play-deprived dog, - lots of tricks to practice with your dogs and even - how to introduce a new dog in the family and how children should approach dogs.

Play is the best way to bond and start to teach your puppy or dog how to interact with other people and animals. This book shares a wealth of ideas for playing, and bridges the gap that owners often feel in their daily routines with a new pup or dog. There are great games, ideas for toys and interactive fun here. This shares how to fulfill the true joy of a relationship with your dog. This book is about fun, and goes to the heart of why you decided to have a dog share your life with you in the first place. So worthwhile, a must for every dog lover, and it's fun to read as well!!