AmySea

Ok, I adore this book, and it is revolutionizing the way that I train my chihuahua.  In the month that I've been reading it I've figured out what his issue is with regard to barking at other dogs, and I have gotten that problem well resolved.  I understand more about why my chihuahua barks his head off at every sound he hears outside the home, and thanks to this book, I've figured out how to stop the racket he makes if I choose to do so (it does not involve a muzzle and duct tape).  I'm better able to groom him, including trimming his nails, and we are well on our way to getting him to heel on walks.  His "stay" has improved dramatically, and we have also added some new commands and "tricks" into his already considerable repertoire, all of which were inspired by what I read in this book.

Look, training small dogs is necessary, and it does present some challenges that just aren't there when training a big dog (we had a big dog prior to our chihuahua, and there are some similarities, but there are some big differences, too).  This book deals with those unique issues that come up in training a little dog, and it shows the frustrated owner of a little dog how to relate to the more diminutive wolf in your home.  Before reading this book I was ready to fork out big money to hire a "dog whisperer" type of trainer to come in and train my dog.  Since reading this book I feel like I can do it on my own, and I'm already achieving very encouraging success.  I don't think my chihuahua will ever be a therapy dog for sick children or elderly folks, but I do think he can become a civilized little dog, and that he will be a pleasant little guy to walk with and live with, and that's all I really ask.