Paul Owens, founder of 'Raise With Praise, Inc.' and a certified evaluator for the Delta Society's Animal Assisted Therapy Program, has written a strong introduction to dog training base upon rewarding "successive approximations" of correct behavior.Gone are the leash "pop" and harsher corrections of earlier obedience methods. Nonviolent dog training shapes appropriate behavior with rewards such as food and games. Incorrect behavior is punished by ignoring the dog and by verbal cues.
There are chapters on clicker training, target stick training, and training gear, such as collars and leashes; the nine ingredients of canine optimum health (diet, play, socialization, quiet time, exercise, employment, rest, training, and healthcare); and human-canine communication.