Has anyone here read it? Is it worth reading through?

I was actually enjoying reading it. There were a few 'Huh? Really?'
moments, but what the hell do I know about cattle/pigs/roosters? Then we
got to dogs. And it became 'Are you shitting me?'. Now, I'm only 80 odd
pages into a much longer book, not sure I can believe anything she says that
isn't adequately cited, and wondering if I'm going to make it to the end.

To read or not to read, that is the question.

Suja

"Suja" wrote in message
...
Has anyone here read it? Is it worth reading through?

I was actually enjoying reading it. There were a few 'Huh? Really?'
moments, but what the hell do I know about cattle/pigs/roosters? Then we
got to dogs. And it became 'Are you shitting me?'. Now, I'm only 80 odd
pages into a much longer book, not sure I can believe anything she says
that isn't adequately cited, and wondering if I'm going to make it to the
end.

To read or not to read, that is the question.

I have not read the book, but this synopsis is interesting:
http://www.grandin.com/inc/animals.in.translation.html

It probably requires an open mind and a willingness to see things from an
entirely different perspective than the accepted and comfortable norm that
many people have adopted. So it might be a tough read for dog trainer types
who maintain a "one size fits all" methodology.

"Outside of a dog, a book is Man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too
dark to read"
Groucho Marx

Paul and Muttley (Thinking Outside the Ox)

"Suja" said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

Now, I'm only 80 odd
pages into a much longer book, not sure I can believe
anything she says that isn't adequately cited, and
wondering if I'm going to make it to the end.

Coincidentally, a friend was telling me about this book
yesterday, and she had many of the same issues you've had,
putting the book aside part way through. Her sister, who given
her the book, said that every was tidied up in the end, in some
sort of engaging way. I've ordered the book from the library to
see for myself.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

"Suja" wrote in message
...
Has anyone here read it? Is it worth reading through?

I was actually enjoying reading it. There were a few 'Huh? Really?'
moments, but what the hell do I know about cattle/pigs/roosters? Then we
got to dogs. And it became 'Are you shitting me?'. Now, I'm only 80 odd
pages into a much longer book, not sure I can believe anything she says
that isn't adequately cited, and wondering if I'm going to make it to the
end.

I had the same experience, put the book down at that point, and never got
around to finishing it.

"Paul E. Schoen" wrote: in message
...


I have not read the book,
snip
It probably requires an open mind and a willingness to see things from an
entirely different perspective than the accepted and comfortable norm that
many people have adopted. So it might be a tough read for dog trainer
types who maintain a "one size fits all" methodology.

Do you never get tired of jumping to such incredibly wrong conclusions
regarding things you have absolutely no knowlege about?

"sionnach" wrote in message:

Do you never get tired of jumping to such incredibly wrong conclusions
regarding things you have absolutely no knowlege about?

I hope that was a rhetorical question.

Suja

"Rocky" wrote in message:

Coincidentally, a friend was telling me about this book
yesterday, and she had many of the same issues you've had,
putting the book aside part way through. Her sister, who given
her the book, said that every was tidied up in the end, in some
sort of engaging way. I've ordered the book from the library to
see for myself.

A lot of dog people I trust have actually said that they liked the book, and
one even hinted that I might want to read to the end to see if my concerns
are adequately addressed. I'm just hoping that she sticks to livestock,
because she clearly knows what she's doing, although even there, she seems
to mix up anecdote and data.

Suja

"Suja" wrote in message
...

"sionnach" wrote in message:

Do you never get tired of jumping to such incredibly wrong conclusions
regarding things you have absolutely no knowlege about?

I hope that was a rhetorical question.

It was just a typical response that proves my point exactly.

At least I posted a reference that may be read by those who have not read
the book, to get som insight into the style and basic concepts proposed by
the writer.

And I do have personal experience with dog trainers who seem to treat all
problems like a thumb because their only tool is a hammer.

Paul and Muttley

"Paul E. Schoen" wrote:

And I do have personal experience with dog trainers who seem to treat all
problems like a thumb because their only tool is a hammer.

Irrelevant, since the part of Temple's writing we're discussing didn't
pertain to training. Which was my point regarding you not having any idea
what we were talking about.

"Paul E. Schoen" wrote:

At least I posted a reference that may be read by those who have not read
the book, to get som insight into the style and basic concepts proposed by
the writer.

This is also irrelevant, sorry.
a) Suja asked for input from people who have actually READ THE BOOK.
b) "Insight into style and basic concepts" is not the same thing as knowing
what's in the specific section she's referring to.

Again, what we're talking about has got nothing to do with training.


What we're talking about is Temple saying things like "Goldens belong to the
same genetic group as...all the other hunting dogs"; claiming that all
Labradors are destructive chewers and obsessive overeaters and that they are
"genetically programmed" to be that way - based on anecdotal evidence from
ONE friend of hers, about ONE Lab!!; claiming that mixed breed dogs with
light skin are less stable than those with dark skin (with absolutely no
data to back the claim up); and last but very far from least, claiming that
"mutts are physically healthier than purebreds because the bad traits of
purebreds, such as hyp dysplasia, disappear just one or two generations away
from the purebred line".

That last statement is ludicriously far from the truth.