Beyond Obedience: Training with Awareness for You & Your Dog

April Frost philosophizes that the key to successful dog training lies in establishing a spiritual and psychological connection between dog and human. Like the Monks of New Skete, the widely respected authors of The Art of Raising a Puppy and How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend, Frost endorses "love and respect" for a dog and treating each one as a unique individual. Beyond Obedience is not structured with day-to-day accomplishment deadlines or strict training goals in mind. Instead, the emphasis is on the individual dog, who will grow and develop at his own rate. Every chapter aims to enhance the human-canine bond. Topics include the mind and energy connection, how dogs can teach us as human beings, and new ways to improve communication. The book also offers alternatives to traditional veterinary care as more and more pet owners look for less chemically harsh ways to treat animals. Herbal remedies for carsickness, soiling problems, and stress are a taste of these natural substitutes. Beyond Obedience is much more than a dog-training guide--it is a new way of viewing our relationships with our dogs. --Naomi Gesinger