Quick read. Lots of useful, practical information for handling a fearful dog. I highly recommend it!

Quick read. Lots of useful, practical information for handling a fearful dog. I highly recommend it!

This slim publication is packed with a wealth of excellent information! If you are looking for a "quick fix", this is not the read for you. This book demands total commitment of the owner to help the dog become confident (and safe and reliable to have around, in the process) Nobody ever said owning a Dog would be easy, but if you follow the thoughtful directions in this book, you and your fearful dog have a good chance to become comfortable partners. I found this publication to be very helpful. Current Foster Owner

There was no information in this pamphlet that I could not have gotten for free online. I thought I was buying a book, not a pamphlet for $10. I wouldn't bother. You can get similar info at the pet store.

Get the help you need fast in this little book. I really didn't want a course in dog psychology, I just wanted some practical tips and tricks to help the dog. This book will give you that information so you can help your dog TODAY!

This should not be advertised as a book since it is just a small booklet 5" by 8" with only 28 pages. There was very little useful information found in this little pamplet. Buying books sight unseen is risky business. Book stores are your best bet.

Great book, has really helped us deal with a fearful rescue basenji whose worse habit was going on the attack.

This book is built around a case study of a dog that is afraid of strangers at the door, but its useful as a toolset so that you can develop a program to counter-condition practically any unwanted behavior. If you happen to have a dog that has fear-based on-leash aggression towards other dogs, I recommend McConnell's other booklet, Feisty Fido. At this price, buy both.

This book follows Jean Donaldson's tradition of practial solutions. It's not too cumbersome to get through and you end up with some great techniques for helping your fearful dog become more confident.

I bought this book because my puppy is wary of other dogs. While the instructions given in this book can be applied to any fear the author focuses on fear of people. The book is still useful, but I would have liked a little help with my specific problem. I also purchased Help for your shy dog and that's a little more comprehensive on the various fears dogs have (inanimate objects, people, dogs, touching etc). It also made me feel better about having a shy dog and that she can be helped!! If you only get one book get Help for your shy dog. But, if people fear is your only problem then get Cautious Canine

This little book has been very helpful in helping us with our fearful pet. We have had group training, worked with a private trainer, a vet behaviorist, and have used Cesar Milan's techniques to establish leadership, but nothing was really making a noticeable permanent difference in our dog's fear aggression towards humans. This book really didn't reveal a ton we didn't already know, but the way it was put together was very clear and direct and aimed specifically at our dog's problem. We actually have our pooch on doggie Prozac and this, combined with the postive reinforcement laid out in the book, is really making a difference in her behavior. (Tip: I don't think McConnell tells us to do this but it is working: I wanted my dog to know exactly what she was being rewarded for and to be aware of the stimulus early on becasue the "surprise" factor is huge for her, so I paired the stimulus - a strange human- with a word before I treated her lack of negative response by saying "people" in a cheerful way. After a couple of days, our dog figured out the connection and was looking to me for a treat if SHE saw a human before I did or if I even said the word "people." This helps because I didn't want her to think the desired behavior only occurs outside on our walks. Now I can say "people" when we are inside our apartment and our dog hears the noises of humans walking up and down the hallway and she knows what that means.) For the first time in 2 years we have hope that we can eventually go on walks without our girl barking and lunging at every human she sees and even someday (crosses fingers) invite strangers into our home without having to lock our dog in a room by herself while she barks her little head off in distress. Again, don't expect anything groundbreaking if you have been at this for awhile, but we have had a lot of information in this area and this book really "clicked" for us (including my lackadaisical husband). It is presented in an extremely useful and cohesive style. It is relatively easy to employ (except maybe finding willing strangers and friends who are willing to be test subjects) and I really appreciated the way the author used examples from her own life and was realistic about what you can expect. She really covers all scenarios and gives you concrete, practical tips on what you how you should handle the situation. Now, I carry treats with me at all times in order to reinforce the behavior I do want. The only negative I would say is that McConnell doesn't really tell us how to transition from "treats" (whether food or toys) to no "treats," but we can figure that part out and so far I can say this book has been a lifesaver!

I agree with other reviewers who say this little booklet is *way* overpriced for its size! $6.95? You can buy plenty of mutli-hundred page paperbacks for that price! Something like $2.99 seems like a more realistic price for something that is a small pamphlet at best.

However it is well organized, and not overwhelming. I recently adopted an extremely shy (though not the teeniest bit aggressive) rescue dog, and someone recommended this booklet to me.

But really it is not applicable to me. You are first told to figure out what your dog is fearful of. Not much help when the answer is "everything".

And then there are the desensitizing steps to help your dog overcome its fears. But in the case one of the things the new dog is most fearful of is *me*. This booklet starts out with the assumption that the owner is one thing that the dog trusts and accepts - so gives me no clues at all on how to win the trust of a new and shy dog who is fearful of its new owner more than anything!

I love all of Patricia's books but this one didn't really help us. She gives a lot of information but ultimately says you can't fix the separation anxiety unless you have several weeks, even months, that you can stay home with your dog and work on this training.

I bought this book several months ago, but never got around to reading it until recently. I read pages 1-6 thinking "This is good information. I flipped the page only to have the pages start over at page 1-6. Because of the way that this book was constructedstaped together, pages 23-30 also repeated. Even worse is the fact that pages 7-22 were COMPLETELY MISSING. I am VERY disappointed.

This book provides step by step advice on how to help your dog overcome her fears. Following this approach, my dog is doing so much better in thunder storms after just a couple of "training sessions." While there's still work to be done, by the end of the summer, I am confident that my dog will be fearlessly begging for treats when the next storm rolls in.

This is a great guide for learning the basics of how to counter-condition your anxious or fearful dog. It's short but concise, with clearly defined steps that are easy to follow. However, if you're looking for a really in-depth guide, or are already familiar with basic counter-conditioning, you would probably be better off with a more intensive guide. Still, for a quick refresher course or a foundation for future work, this booklet is great, and I do recommend it. (Plus it's cheap - what have you got to lose?)

I was disappointed in the fact that for the price of the book and shipping this was just a booklet. There could have been more detail and more examples to work out for the author--more situations or examples. I just wanted more information to help as we deal with our great pyrenese--one well raised since coming home at 8 weeks and one just rescued from a shelter at 10 months and having some fear issues; some crate issues and some mental baggage. Both dogs have a great personality dog #2 just needs to find it again....the book was helpful, I just wanted MORE!

This short little book is wonderful. It concisely explains the counter-conditioning method to help your fearful/aggressive dog cope with their problem. McConnell makes is clear to understanding not only how to practice the method, but why it can work. From barking at the doorbell and guests, to aggressively barking at other dogs and people, this little book can help make life better for both the dog and the owner.

I liked this booklet...it helped me solve some problems with my own caution canine...a sometimes frightened agressive little Maltese.

Although this is more of a booklet than a book, there is a treasure trove of invaluable information to be found between its covers. Readers will find a very clear, easy-to-understand program to address a dog's fears, whether they manifest as fearful behavior or fear-based aggression. The principles are scientifically sound yet explained in everyday language. McConnell gives examples that make the theories even more easily accessible. Anyone following this program, whether alone or under the guidance of a professional trainer, should make progress. This booklet is one that I always give to my clients whose dogs have this type of behavior issue. Highly recommended!

I should have read the ALL of the reviews, then at least I would have known I was getting a 30 page PAMPHLET. I was extremely disappointed. First, anyone with more than a passing familiarity with dogs is away of the type of techniques presented in this book. Second, virtually identical information was in a pamphlet that my vet has hanging on the wall, which I picked up for free this past week when I had a dog there. Don't get me wrong, if you know nothing about dogs, this is good STARTING information, but for just maybe a dollar. HOW IS THIS CALLED A BOOK WHEN THE BINDING IS STAPLES HOLDING TOGETHER 15 FOLDED PIECES OF PAPER???

Short and sweet, to the point explanation and easy to implement guidelines for "shy" dogs. Like Cliffnotes, you can grasp a lot of information in a small package.

I strongly recommend this book to any conscientious owner of a fearful dog. Our puppy showed fear of many things at an early age and we are lucky to have gotten a trainer - and read this book - as soon as we discovered this problem. The author points out that dealing with a dog's fear is a LOT of work and that the problems don't go away overnight. She is very realistic in explaining the challenges and setting your expectations. The tools she offers are practical and she writes in plain, everyday English that a regular dog owner can understand. Diligently following her advice has made a huge difference for our dog.

"The Cautious Canine" presents a clear, step-by-step method for changing the behavior of a dog who is afraid of strange people and/or other strange dogs. It is not as clear on how to change the behavior of a dog who is cautious and anxious about everything new that he encounters.

This book is clear cut - straight to the point, and extremely helpful. Anyone needing some advice on how to handle their dog's behavior would find this book worthwhile. It's shorter than I thought, but that's ok - no fluff.

I felt like I was reading about my dog! I learned a lot about how to deal with my dog's issues and understand the problem. What a great resource!

This is a great step-by-step book for people with anxious dogs. Words of wisdom for anyone who owns a dog with a behavior problem--everyone in the family has to get with the program. While this doesn't take hours a day; it does take time and it does take spending time consistently wtih your dog in order to rehabilitate him/her.

You may still need help from a professional, but this book is a good start and will clue you in if you need to get more help.

Way to go! Great for anyone who has a dog they need to change.

Helpful information about separation anxiety and what to do about it. I can attest it is time consuming and pretty much one day at a time, but we seem to be making progress after reading this short book.

It's a brief book with basic but good content. It is exactly the type of information covered in most puppy classes I have attended. It would be a good addition to puppy classes, however, as it does provide some very specific steps for working with your pup. I doubt the book would be helpful to someone who is completely at a loss regarding dog training or has an extremely fearful dog.

Several people have criticized this book because it is only 30 pages long. To me that's part of the success of the book - you can read it quickly and it's full of valuable information. To those who think the solutions are too long -- well, guess what - there are no quick fixes for the behavioral issues this book addresses! It's your quick fixes that likely got you into this pickle to begin with, so buck up and learn from the quality advice in the book. As a professional dog trainer, I'm grateful to Patricia McConnell for writing these easy-to-read books. Purchase the entire library of these small "booklets" - they are well worth your education and your dog will thank you for trying to do it right, rather than trying to do it quickly ... and wrong. These "booklets" will give you the right advice you can read in one evening!

When I got the book, I thought they sent me an empty box. It is literally 30 pages long and that includes the index. It is more like an informational pamphlet than a book. It did not have enough information in it for me.

I have an 18 mo old dog-reactive German Shepherd. I've read many of the best trainers: Jean Donaldson, Pam Reid, Pamela Dennison, Emma Parsons, Linda Tellington-Jones, Karen Pryor, Trish King. My dog and I have taken private lessons from a couple excellent dog-reactive specialists. We can now attend certain dog training classes if they're small enough and there's enough distance between the dogs.

I've been working on this problem for over a year, and I'm seeing progress, but some of the approaches from the author trainers seem unrealistic for anyone other than a trainer who has access to a variety of dogs on a daily basis. There are steps and steps and steps and steps and steps and then more pages of steps and steps to take. Then you turn to the next chapter to find out you've got more steps to take. Even the most committed dog owner (me) can get overwhelmed. And with all these steps, you need different dogs at different times of the day with different owners, etc. Or you need 20 friends to come knocking on your door 3 times a day 6 days a week. OK, an exaggeration, but it seems that some of the authors have immersed themselves so much in dogs that they have forgotten what life is like for people who don't have easy access to many people willing to work with them and share their dogs with them. For many of us, that just isn't the case. McConnell gives us 5 steps to work with. That's it, and it's enough. She says in 5 easy steps what others take 28 steps to say and by then I'm so confused I just go throw the kong in the backyard with the dogs rather than go to Petco for some desensitization training.

However, Pat McConnell gives realistic, succinct, clear and direct advice in her little booklet. Others have complained about the booklet's length, and I didn't buy the booklet until recently because I felt 30 pages couldn't do this topic justice, either. I learned that, indeed, 30 pages was just right. McConnell has a gift in conveying complicated information in clear, concise, very easy to understand language. And she recognizes that sometimes your very carefully laid out plans to set your dog up for success don't always work out.

Where she differs from many other trainers I've read is in her advice about what to do if your counterconditioning/desensitization session in public goes awry. Every other trainer I've worked with or read recommends something like not beating yourself up, get the dog into a sit, remain calm, and get the dog away from the scary thing, and try again next time. That's it. I always left frustrated knowing I'd screwed up yet again, why didn't I foresee, etc...

McConnell goes much further and says that if you leave the scary thing that suddenly surprised your dog, then the dog might learn that lunging and barking makes the scary thing go away. She says to leave, yes, but to go only as far as the dog can stand to remain calm, making sure the dog can still see the scary thing. Then have the dog sit, and when calm, rub his chest in circular motions (t-touch here?), then feed treats, all the while the dog sees the scary thing.

What I got out of this is a save for the unexpected, rather than a mistake. I've had this happen so many times I hate to admit it. I simply don't have enough vision, intuition, perception to be able to foresee everything, and sometimes we get caught unawares in public. How wonderful to have someone suggest something that actually continues learning in a situation that is going to happen sometime whether I like it or not.

When I take my dog where other dogs might be (which I HAVE to do if we are to master this fear), then sometimes I'm not going to be able to predict every possible dog rounding a corner. McConnell, rather than saying, don't let this happen to you, says if it does, here's what to do and make it a better experience, too, and a learning one as well. This is where she goes into detail, gives reasonable workable advice. I think McConnell has kept in touch with the average person and dog, can still remember what first grade was all about and how she felt.

Thirty pages is sufficient, for McConnell seems to have synthesized the most important points of the authors mentioned above into a simple, easy to read and follow manual. She introduces the points, how to do them (doesn't just talk about them), and then gives scenarios, then summarizes the points at the end. She gives several personal examples to illustrate, and what I liked especially - she doesn't only include success stories. She's encouraging, but completely realistic. And her advice it simple, so easy to follow.

This booklet is worth every penny.

One complaint: this is a 2005 second edition. I would have liked to see the errors removed from the text. I find it irritating to read "...the animal learns to operate on it's environment..." It's irritating to see its editing done so poorly. I found other similar errors. But that's what happens with self-publishing.

I have an 18 mo old dog-reactive German Shepherd. I've read many of the best trainers: Jean Donaldson, Pam Reid, Pamela Dennison, Emma Parsons, Linda Tellington-Jones, Karen Pryor, Trish King. My dog and I have taken private lessons from a couple excellent dog-reactive specialists. We can now attend certain dog training classes if they're small enough and there's enough distance between the dogs.

I've been working on this problem for over a year, and I'm seeing progress, but some of the approaches from the author trainers seem unrealistic for anyone other than a trainer who has access to a variety of dogs on a daily basis. There are steps and steps and steps and steps and steps and then more pages of steps and steps to take. Then you turn to the next chapter to find out you've got more steps to take. Even the most committed dog owner (me) can get overwhelmed. And with all these steps, you need different dogs at different times of the day with different owners, etc. Or you need 20 friends to come knocking on your door 3 times a day 6 days a week. OK, an exaggeration, but it seems that some of the authors have immersed themselves so much in dogs that they have forgotten what life is like for people who don't have easy access to many people willing to work with them and share their dogs with them. For many of us, that just isn't the case. McConnell gives us 5 steps to work with. That's it, and it's enough. She says in 5 easy steps what others take 28 steps to say and by then I'm so confused I just go throw the kong in the backyard with the dogs rather than go to Petco for some desensitization training.

However, Pat McConnell gives realistic, succinct, clear and direct advice in her little booklet. Others have complained about the booklet's length, and I didn't buy the booklet until recently because I felt 30 pages couldn't do this topic justice, either. I learned that, indeed, 30 pages was just right. McConnell has a gift in conveying complicated information in clear, concise, very easy to understand language. And she recognizes that sometimes your very carefully laid out plans to set your dog up for success don't always work out.

Where she differs from many other trainers I've read is in her advice about what to do if your counterconditioning/desensitization session in public goes awry. Every other trainer I've worked with or read recommends something like not beating yourself up, get the dog into a sit, remain calm, and get the dog away from the scary thing, and try again next time. That's it. I always left frustrated knowing I'd screwed up yet again, why didn't I foresee, etc...

McConnell goes much further and says that if you leave the scary thing that suddenly surprised your dog, then the dog might learn that lunging and barking makes the scary thing go away. She says to leave, yes, but to go only as far as the dog can stand to remain calm, making sure the dog can still see the scary thing. Then have the dog sit, and when calm, rub his chest in circular motions (t-touch here?), then feed treats, all the while the dog sees the scary thing.

What I got out of this is a save for the unexpected, rather than a mistake. I've had this happen so many times I hate to admit it. I simply don't have enough vision, intuition, perception to be able to foresee everything, and sometimes we get caught unawares in public. How wonderful to have someone suggest something that actually continues learning in a situation that is going to happen sometime whether I like it or not.

When I take my dog where other dogs might be (which I HAVE to do if we are to master this fear), then sometimes I'm not going to be able to predict every possible dog rounding a corner. McConnell, rather than saying, don't let this happen to you, says if it does, here's what to do and make it a better experience, too, and a learning one as well. This is where she goes into detail, gives reasonable workable advice. I think McConnell has kept in touch with the average person and dog, can still remember what first grade was all about and how she felt.

Thirty pages is sufficient, for McConnell seems to have synthesized the most important points of the authors mentioned above into a simple, easy to read and follow manual. She introduces the points, how to do them (doesn't just talk about them), and then gives scenarios, then summarizes the points at the end. She gives several personal examples to illustrate, and what I liked especially - she doesn't only include success stories. She's encouraging, but completely realistic. And her advice it simple, so easy to follow.

This booklet is worth every penny.

One complaint: this is a 2005 second edition. I would have liked to see the errors removed from the text. I find it irritating to read "...the animal learns to operate on it's environment..." It's irritating to see its editing done so poorly. I found other similar errors. But that's what happens with self-publishing.

I don't feel this book has a workable solution to the problem. It is a method that requires much more than most people can give to the problem. The book is actually a booklet and the cost was too much for what it offers.

I guess I should have noticed the "29 pages" in the description. It's 15 pages of 8x10 paper folded in half, two staples, and a cover. That works out to 19.83 cents per page. Amazon's paperback "War and Peace" [$10.46] at 1472 pages would cost $291.95 if published by Dr. McConnell.
Calling this a book or booklet seems a little much. Perhaps "pamphlet" is a better descriptor.

Brilliant little book. Did not teach me anything new in the way of sit, down, stay but gave me a plan to follow with my 2yr old abused, re-homed (for the third time) Rottweiler. With in 7 days and many treats she gave me her first glance when one of her many 'triggers' (other dogs, running children, fast bikes, strange men) came close. A sure sign we were going in the right direction. If you have a dog that will not listen to you while on your walks and lunges for other dogs YOU NEED THIS BOOK!

Brilliant little book. Did not teach me anything new in the way of sit, down, stay but gave me a plan to follow with my 2yr old abused, re-homed (for the third time) Rottweiler. With in 7 days and many treats she gave me her first glance when one of her many 'triggers' (other dogs, running children, fast bikes, strange men) came close. A sure sign we were going in the right direction. If you have a dog that will not listen to you while on your walks and lunges for other dogs YOU NEED THIS BOOK!

This is a great book. I am working with an animal behavioralist to socialize my 6 month old shepperd-husky mix Janey. She was a pound puppy and had no socialization at all when we got her from a local rescue.

With our trainer's help and with the suggestions in this book Janey is rapidly gaining confidence and flowering into a happy little girl.

A suggestion - Try baby food: turkey with veggies or poultry. Baby food is easy to swallow in stressful situations. Having a cautious canine choke on the positive association is counter productive.

Good luck!

I am a canine obedience instructor and I recommend this booklet to any of my customers with dogs who exibit mild to severe fear. Often times people are afraid to even bring thier dogs to class because they don't know how the dog will behave- so I recommend this booklet to start a desenitization program at home. Many times they come back thrilled with the results and ready to sign up for a class because thier dog has shown so much improvement. This is a 29 page booklet that is pretty much a 'how to' help your dog overcome it's fear. You very likely will have to put a lot of work in to this- but it will be well worth it.

I am a canine obedience instructor and I recommend this booklet to any of my customers with dogs who exibit mild to severe fear. Often times people are afraid to even bring thier dogs to class because they don't know how the dog will behave- so I recommend this booklet to start a desenitization program at home. Many times they come back thrilled with the results and ready to sign up for a class because thier dog has shown so much improvement. This is a 29 page booklet that is pretty much a 'how to' help your dog overcome it's fear. You very likely will have to put a lot of work in to this- but it will be well worth it.

This isn't really a "book" per se, but more of a booklet. It IS filled to the very last page with great information for owners of shy or aggressive dogs. My puppy was a bit shy (not a biter, though, thank goodness), and I used some of the tips in this little book and, lo and behold, I now have a much more confident, happy dog. He still won't walk up to a complete stranger for petting, but he's a lot more tolerant of them coming a little closer without cowering behind my legs. I absolutely recommend this!

This isn't really a "book" per se, but more of a booklet. It IS filled to the very last page with great information for owners of shy or aggressive dogs. My puppy was a bit shy (not a biter, though, thank goodness), and I used some of the tips in this little book and, lo and behold, I now have a much more confident, happy dog. He still won't walk up to a complete stranger for petting, but he's a lot more tolerant of them coming a little closer without cowering behind my legs. I absolutely recommend this!

I knew there would be a lot of baggage involved when I adopted a young greyhound who had been neglected, starved, and beaten prior to rescue. Although his fear did not make him agressive it did pose problems with daily activities: loud sounds, anyone walking behind him on the street, men, angry voices on TV, the clicking sounds from soda cans, cameras, or ball-point pens, anything remotely shaped like a stick...the list of things that completely paralized him went on and on.

My sister, who is active in Aussie rescue, suggested this booklet (she was coping with a rescued fear-biter at the time). The suggestions in this book enabled us both to help our very different animals blossom into the confident, well-mannered, loving, envy-inspiring dogs they are today.

Of special help to me was understanding that 'comforting' behaviour on my part just gave my dog the certainty that there really was something to worry about. As soon as I changed that he began to act less anxious. When rescued he was never supposed to be allowed to be an only dog because of his nervous anxiety and self-destructive coping methods. So when my elder grey passed some months back we worried about regression. Thanks to this booklet he is more happy, playful, and calm than ever before. He even lies tummy-up on the grass a few feet away as my husband swings his golf clubs and works on his game. His utter indifference to a big stick was something I never imagined possible and would never have happened without the wisdom in this little booklet.

Thank you, Ms. McConnell!

Just be aware that this is a small booklet, and not an actual book. It surprised me when it arrived in the mail since I was expecting a soft bound book. The information is helpful, but I could certainly benefit from a larger compilation of examples and tips.

Fortunately, there are very few overtly aggressive dogs, most dogs act aggressively because they are fearful ...

Unfortunately though, the bite from an aggressive dog and one from a nervous dog are equally painful, and often attract the same dire consequences ...

This is a great booklet that teaches us how to manage a nervous or cautious canine ...

First, the author shows us how to identify our dog's fear ... and then the author teaches us (step-by-step) how classical re-conditioning can help to reduce such fear ... in a gentle and effective manner.

Often the biggest barrier to effective training, is our own lack of clarity as to what is required of us as trainers ...

But the short chapters and the step-by-step format used by the author makes everything so very clear and easy to understand ... And just as helpful, the author also provides suggesttions, when a particular step does not achieve that intended ...

All in all, a useful booklet ...

This is one of the finest little gems in the dog behavior world--a practical, step-by-step guide to help desensitize and modify unwanted responses, while building confidence in your dog. This book's advice is the very same approach I used to take my juvenile delinquent dog from a problem child to the National Service Dog of the Year. I buy copies of this book and give them out constantly. If your dog has reactivity problems--for whatever reason, this is a book that will change your dog's life.

Wonderful and detailed step by step guide for the novice, as well as the more advanced trainer. Provides useful suggestions and easy to understand information, to help with all levels of training, from the most serious transgressions, to the simple mistakes common to most puppies. Easy to read and absorb. Useful to keep for repeat reference. Arlene Millman, author of BOOMERANG - A MIRACLE TRILOGY (The tale of a remarkable Boston Terrier).

If you have any of the problems described in the summary for this book, and you are willing to read carefully, then this little book will help you and your dog.
If you are looking for easy one-liners, glossy photos, or snappy humor, it's not for you.
It's a serious dog training book and solved our problems completely in exactly the amount of time the introduction said it would. We were dedicated and followed the steps perfectly.