You've heard of The Horse Whisperer, right?
Well, now there's "The Dog Listener." Her name is Jan Fennell and she tells owners how they can train their dogs by treating them as dogs would treat each other in the wild. She's a successful dog breeder, and was inspired by the Horse Whisperer, Monty Roberts. Jan thought his method could be adapted for dogs as an alternative to standard obedience techniques. She wrote a book about it called, "The Dog Listener: Learn How to Communicate with your Dog for Willing Cooperation."
Fennell says owners are always telling dogs what to do but that's not the way to go. She says dogs have their own language and if you listen, they'll show you what they need. And when you show respect, they'll trust you.
Jan calls her method Ami-chien bonding French for dog friend, and it's a way to establish leadership of the pack. You always enter a room first. You eat before you serve your dog their dinner. You make sure your head is always higher than the dog's, et cetera. She advises owners to work with their dog and make it fun. No pain, no fear, no choke collars. It's all about communication.
