For the people who rated this book low in their reviews, I suggest you read the book several times again, watch the video several times.

After reading, and viewing, go to a dog park (bring the book with for reference) and watch dogs interacting with each other. Try to predict what the dogs will do next by looking at their body language, and use of Calming Signals.

Calming signals work. I look for them and use them myself when evaluating dogs for training, & when doing Delta Society Evaluations. I use them when working with aggressive dogs. The reason I am writing this today, is because I came to Amazon to order more copies of the book. One to keep for myself, one to lend to others. I have to do this, because I lent my first copy to one person too many, and it didn't come back. My next copy just became too worn out.


A primer on one facet of canine body language...   July 16, 2005
 24 out of 27 found this review helpful

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!




Obedience classes will do more good   July 23, 2002
 21 out of 32 found this review helpful

If you and your dog have never taken an obedience class, this book could be a basic tool for beginning to understand your dog's behavior. But I do mean a "basic" tool. If you have, however, gone through any type of obedience or behavioral training with your dog, this book might not be a good use of your time and money. The information it provides is rudimentary at best. That is not to say that it isn't interesting, nor that it might not help some people. Just be aware that it probably won't be a magical solution to your dog's behavior problem. Turid Rugaas gives few hard and fast answers. Many of her solutions rely upon using her own good-natured and well-behaved dog to help calm a problem dog. Since Ms. Rugaas' dog isn't available to the rest of us, not much help can be found from that quarter.
Considering that "On Talking Terms with Dogs" is more of a booklet than a book, having only 20-odd numbered pages and a few more unnumbered introductory ones, the price is fairly steep. A good obedience class will cost you a little more, but you and your dog will get far more out of it in the long run.


On Talking Terms Wtih Dogs: Calming Signals   August 3, 2002
 20 out of 20 found this review helpful

The knowledge gained from reading "On Talking Terms" has enabled me to save the lives of dogs that would have been destroyed. As a Dachshund rescuer I have encountered dogs from terrible situations. The worst was Willie, a small, gorgious chocolate and tan, long haired Doxie. He had been a stud dog in a puppy mill with the only human interaction being of a negative nature.

A fear biter, Willie was very difficult to handle when he came to our home. Unable to touch him we literally had to hurd him into the house and out of the house to potty. The only life he had known was in a cage and life in a house with humans was an extreme shock to him.

Desperate to help Willie I ordered several books in search of information which would enable me to break through the wall of fear surrounding him. By using the body language outlined by Turid Rugaas, which Willie understood, I was able to put him at ease and touch him for the very first time. Honestly the boy seemed so surprized that I knew his language.

Four months later we were able to place Willie with a special family who understood how far he had come from his puppy mill days. No longer frightened, he knew the kindness of and the love to be found in a dog loving home. He was and is a dog who owes his life to Turid Rugaas.