We have a tradition in our house. On the day that one of Jon’s books is released I take him to dinner at a cozy restaurant with good food in Vermont where we go to mark an occasion. So tonight, to celebrate the release of Jon’s ebook Listening to Dogs we’ll be dining at the Dorset Inn.
I downloaded Listening to Dogs this morning on my ipad. (I like to get the photos in color, I know I can see them anytime I want, but it’s still special to see pictures of Frieda, Lenore and Red in a book) and started reading it again. (I read the unedited version just after Jon wrote it) I love Jon’s idea that dog training (and I think this goes for any animal) is about communication and not obedience. And that the best way to communicate with an animal is to know ourselves and the animal. This is not a step by step book. It’s a philosophy, about opening your mind and learning to see what’s in front of you. Like art, you learn by observing and doing. And it’s empowering. I’m not so good at getting the dogs to do what I want, and with Jon around I don’t have to be. But when I finished reading Listening to Dogs, I actually felt different about it. Like it might actually be fun and even creative to try training a dog. Imagine that….
