Book Review #6: Don't Shoot the Dog (Audio Book) by Karen Pryor

I read a lot; one of my favorite places to read is in the car while driving to or from work.  Of course, for that to work, you need to have an audio book.  I just finished "Don't Shoot the Dog" by Karen Pryor.

I have read several books on positive reinforcement training, but I had not read "Don't Shoot the Dog" before - and I was surprised when I did!  First, the book is great!  And, second, it isn't about dogs!

This is an essential book for trainers.  It is quite a bit more scientific than other books about training that you might read because it is about the how's and why's of operant conditioning.   It is about the science of training.  Don't misunderstand though - it isn't just for scientists.  The book is very easy to read (or listen to) and it is full of stories and little case studies and fun anecdotes, but it is also a great introduction to behavioral science.

I was suprised, having heard about the book as being the one that started clicker training for dogs and revolutionized pet training, that the book is not really about the specifics of dog training.  You won't find step by step instructions (methods) for how to get a dog to sit or stay or lie down or roll over.  What the book does cover very well are the principles for teaching your dog or your parrot or your hosre or dolphin or polar bear or a private pilot or an autistic child or a ballet dancer what is is you want them to do - not even so much how to teach them to do it, but how to communicate to them exactly what is is you want them to do.

This is definitely one of the 3 essential books on my list - it should be the second book on any "train your (fill in the blank)" book list.  I say second, because I think it might be best to start with a "Geting Started Clicking with your Chinchilla" so that you see how it works right away - and then "Don't Shoot the Dog" so that you see why it works and how it really works in a broad context.  But, do not skip this book!