Product Description

From teaching basic training to eliminating destructive habits, Bash Dibra has turned dogs of all breeds and dispositions into well-mannered, obedient companions. Bash has worked with the four-legged friends of Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, and a host of other celebrities. With DogSpeak, his $300-an-hour lessons are now available to you. The secret of Bash's success is his uncanny ability to speak to dogs in their own language. With clear and simple guidance, Bash shows you how to interpret their unmistakable vocabulary, including:

• Facial expression: reading a dog's emotions, state of health, and intentions by watching for signs like narrowing of the eyes or wrinkling of the muzzle

• Body language: learning the meaning of body stances and tail positions, including the "I'm top dog around here, don't mess with me" and "I'm feeling low" poses

• Vocalization: understanding why dogs bark, how to satisfy their needs, and how to prevent problem barking

Filled with Bash's inimitable warmth and humor, as well as fascinating facts about man's best friend, DogSpeak turns dog training into a game that both you and your dog will enjoy.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #423300 in Books
• Published on: 2001-09-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

From Library Journal
Noted trainer Dibra here takes the ideas presented in his first book, Dog Training by Bash, one step further. He discusses the social, or pack, nature of dogs and explains eight factors important to pack dynamics: the dominance hierarchy, aggression, territorial behavior, food guarding, flight behavior, chase behavior, socialization, and vocalization. Throughout, Dibra provides examples of how these factors come into play when training the family dog. Yet while teaching us to "speak dog" is ostensibly his purpose for writing, his main focus is actually on general care and training. Sections are included on selecting a dog, preparing to bring the puppy home, housebreaking, learning to read the dog's body language, and basic training in things such as heel, come, sit, and stay. Some problem behaviors are touched upon. While Dibra's style is readable and geared toward the average pet owner, DogSpeak presents little new material. His first book is still a better choice for libraries.AEdell Marie Schaefer, Brookfield P.L., WI
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Dibra, a New York^-based dog trainer who has a number of celebrity clients, distills the basics of his training techniques in this breezily written new guide. The heart of the book is chapter seven, wherein the author describes dog behavior and explains the meanings of the facial expressions, body language, and vocalizations of dogs--the "DogSpeak" of the title. Chapter 8 shows the reader how to integrate this newly learned language into a training program for the dog, using the concepts to promote the proper responses in the dog. Understanding the dog's language and its reactions to the behavior of other dogs (or humans) will help the reader to understand why these specific training methods work. The other sections of the book cover choosing a puppy or dog, housebreaking, and general care. A liberal sprinkling of useful Web sites is a nice touch, and a number of boxed sidebars give further advice on various subjects, completing an extremely readable book that is a good primer on the psychology of dog training. Nancy Bent

Review
Roger Caras

President, ASPCA

Bash Dibra leads us through various and very often complex parts of the human-canine relationship, and shows us not only how it can work but how we can make it work.

Customer Reviews

excellent
A must buy for dog owners and losvers. Dog language and behaviour explained as if Bash reencarnated from a dog.

Good General Info
This book will help you understand why your dog is misbehaving, but it doesn't reallt provide enough info to help you correct the behavior.

Required reading
Dog Speak is a must read for anyone who has a dog or loves dogs. This book is animated with the words that lead to solutions for every behavior problem imaginable. It is easy to read that will turn you into the "adoring master" your pet yearns for. Why? Because it teaches you how to interpret your dog's feelings, by understanding his or her verbal and non-verbal cues. Once you understand the pattern you can establish the rules of behaviors that are acceptable and those which are not. I would classify this book as the "bible of behavior" when it comes to communicating with "our four legged best friend". It certainly holds a prominent place on my book shelf