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The Amazon Store at MillionDollarPetPix.com ( In association with Amazon.com )On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals - Useful information but at 31 pages, a flimsy read.The information in the book is useful and something everyone working with dogs should know. But a big "however": the information isn't well presented and the "how to use it" is poorly described. There should have been a lot more information on application and more training examples. The training examples given were flimsy and hard to understand. Sure, I learned something. But I did not learn how to apply what I learned as a result of reading this book. At 31 pages, it's an unsubstantial read. The content should have been 1 or 2 chapters in a real book. For $10.00, I felt ripped off. Rating:  - On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming SignalsTurid Rugaas is a pioneer in understanding the real needs of dogs. Her book is one of the few sources that help to explain the body language of our canine companions. She is compassionate and caring. A Jane Goodall of the dog world, Turid Rugaas is one of a kind and her book is a must read. Rating:  - A simple little book that helps you talk with your dogI found this book to be beneficial in helping me understand my dogs' attempts to calm me down, but to me, most of the book was "filler". It could have been written as a paper in 2 or 3 pages instead of 37, and I think it was worth paying perhaps $1.00. As another reviewer mentioned, the author's continuous use of the word loose instead of lose drove me bonkers. If you are going to write and have a book published, charge for it, edit it. Having said that it did help me better understand the raw basics of my dogs calming signals, yawning, swerving on walks, eye movements, etc. If the poor editing doesn't bother you and learning a few things about your dog from a 37 page book would be of value to you, then I do recommend it. I was just a little disappointed. Rating: - A primer on one facet of canine body language...Turid Rugaas' book is basically a simple book on one facet of canine body language. Most dog owners are aware of the concept of dominance: how dogs use growls, stares and other forms of ritualised aggression to raise their position in the pack hierachy. This is the other side of the coin: the language that dogs use to keep the peace in the pack and avoid conflict. Although Turid calls these postures "calming signals", most of us would probably call them signs of submission. Although the information in this book is interesting, I found the book unrealistically simplistic. Obviously, communicating with your dog in a format he can understand is immensely valuable for trainers and owners alike. However, Turid seems to think that any problem can be cured by using calming signals. There are numerous anecdotes in the book where dogs with behavioural problems are cured in a few minutes by the proper application of calming signals. Turid does not not discuss any cases where calming signals alone were insufficient to cure a dog's behavioural problems. I admit that calming signals are useful in many circumstances, but unfortunately they are not a magic cure for every dog's problems. I was also mildly annoyed that Turid discourages readers from ever using non-submissive body language with their dogs, no matter the circumstance: in her own words "You have always a choice of being threatening or calming. To me the choice is easy." She seems to feel that using canine signals to convey anything except "calming" is tantamount to dog abuse. However, dominance and threat are just as much a part of canine body language as "calming signals" are. Why should we not occasionally use these as well, when they are appropriate? I might avert my gaze to calm a stressed dog, but if a dog is knowingly overstepping his bounds in the home a more appropriate reaction might be a hard stare. I recommend the Suzanne Clothier article "Learning from the masters" to anyone who would like to learn more about different uses of canine body language(http://www.flyingdogpress.com/pposa.html). Would I recommend this book? Yes. It is a good primer on one facet of canine body language, and most dog owners could probably benefit from a read of it. However, please keep in mind that calming signals are not the cure for every problem your dog might have! Rating: - Learn to speak "dog"I've had dogs all my life and am pretty good at reading the body language with which I'm familiar. With the combination of this book and the VHS tape, I can communicate with dogs in way that's never been possible. Not only do I understand better when they're stressed but I can tell them, "It's ok. You can relax" in language they understand. My dog, who's afraid of thunderstorms, actually went to sleep near the end of one. Even his demeanor toward me has changed. It's like he's telling me, "Oh finally! You get it." This information has dramatically changed the way I communicate with another species more than anything I've ever read or seen.
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