Team Dog! Learn the Secrets of Effective Dog Training!Reliable and Gentle Dog Training Based on Clear Communication

Brice Cavanaugh, Joel Silverman and Kari Vanick

I am asked to review books, ideas, methodologies and equipment from time to time, and I come across some really good stuff! This time, I was asked to review Joel Silverman’s “What Color Is Your Dog”, a book written by Silverman and published by Kennel Club Books (a division of BowTie). So, my thoughts?

For those who know me, or have heard a presentation by me, one of my key elements to dog training in the last couple of years has been in treating each dog within the personality that they possess. I have a relatively elaborate method to deciding how this is done, and have been working on simplifying it to make it more palatable to the masses…enter Joel Silverman (you may recognize him from Animal Planet’s “Good Dog U”)!

Joel has taken dog personalities and put them into five different categories, with the goal being to get the dogs to the middle category, or in this case, the color Yellow. A Yellow dog is pretty well balanced. Red and Orange are the stronger levels of the dogs, whereas green and blue are the more timid, less certain types. By identifying which color your dog is, Joel then has a separate approach to training that fits within the personality of that dog. Joel’s book goes into greater detail on how this is accomplished, allowing the reader to get a better understanding on how their dog thinks, therefore opening up the communication with their dog.

Have you ever wondered why dogs in a group class are so different in their responses to training and the results of training? When the same method is being used for all, some dogs look like a million bucks, others look flat. Just like children, different personalities learn in different ways…hence, the need to identify the individual dog’s personality.

By simplifying this process, Joel has made it easier for people to get the most out of their canine friends. Bravo to Joel for putting this out there! Rather than steal the thunder of his presentation, check out his book, “What Color Is Your Dog?” by visiting Joel’s website at www.companionsforlife.net

Joel’s presentation with his canine partner, “Foster”, is very well put together, easy to understand and entertaining. Foster knows his stuff, as can only be accomplished with a skilled and loving trainer.

The presentation I witnessed was at Camp Bow Wow, McHenry, where Kari Vanick continues to bring in presentations aimed at dog owners who want to learn as much as they can in many different areas of the dog and human dynamic. Thank you to Kari and her staff for putting together Joel’s presentation within the Furry Fiesta Days Luau, where the dogs, owners and spectators all had a great time!

Check out Foster’s video clip below!

Foster taking out the mail at Camp Bow Wow McHenry!

Brice Cavanaugh