Introduction Curling up with an enjoyable companion book has many of the same benefits as curling up with an enjoyable companion animal. The difference between the two is merely a tail. It has been proved that petting a friendly dog can reduce tension and lower pulse rate. The same can be said of a user-friendly book, and in particular, a companion book to a popular television show. The Ultimate Guide to Dog Training was written to complement and amplify the fun and highly useful dog training information found in every segment of the television series Woof! It's a Dog's Life with Matthew Margolis. This entertaining television series is now seen throughout the United States and in many parts of the world. Presented on PBS by WGBH Boston, Matthew has become known to his vast TV audience as Uncle Matty, a nom de pooch that has become permanently stamped into the minds of the dog-owning public. It began in a casual, spontaneous way. Whenever one of his tail-wagging students performed a command properly, Matthew rewarded the dog with exuberant praise and affection. He would say in a high-pitched tone of voice, "Oh, my dog. Uncle Matty's so proud!" Everyone watching fell in love with the way he praised the dogs and the animals' exhilarated response to him. Matthew has since become America's dog trainer -- and to his affectionate audience, he will forever be Uncle Matty. Although The Ultimate Guide to Dog Training is a dog-training book, it is not like any other. Of course, it presents expert obedience training for dogs and dog lovers. If you read it, you will learn. However, the instructions offered in this book are given within the framework of scenarios between the dog, Matthew, and the dog's owners, as is done in the television series. All the essentials of dog training are here -- including bonding, training equipment and commands, all bundled into an effective obedience program for you and your dog. But there is one big difference between this book and other training manuals. We have added an important character that usually never appears in this type of book, the person who has to do the work, the dog's owner -- meaning you. Before you can teach your dog obedience training you must learn how to do it first. Every dog-training book by necessity is about teaching people how to train their dogs. For that reason we have included dog owners in each scenario so they can reveal the things that hold them back from doing a good job. In some instances, the stumbling blocks are quite humorous. In other cases, they are somewhat serious. You may be surprised to find unexpected laughter and perhaps a tear or two in the pages of this dog-training book. We want to make it easier and more enjoyable to train your dog. It will certainly be more interesting. Each chapter teaches a specific aspect of obedience training, with different dogs and their owners, and is performed in lively scenes with all the players involved. Within training scenes, we occasionally find that the dog and its owner have an identity crisis, so we try to figure out who is on which end of the leash. In this book, the four-legged family members and the folks who love them will make you laugh, or grumble, or, perhaps wince with recognition. The Ultimate Guide to Dog Training is the collaboration between two men who have been writing dog books together for three decades; the words are by Mordecai Siegal and the music by Matthew Margolis. Mordecai has written twenty-three books, sixteen of them about dogs, and Uncle Matty, so proud, has trained more than 35,000 dogs. This collaboration began in 1969 and has resulted in eight books, several of which are among the most successful dog books in print. "Uncle Matty" Margolis has made an unforgettable impression on everyone who watches him on TV. Millions of viewers enjoy Matthew's television shows because the dog owners as well as their dogs often trip over themselves, doing everything wrong, revealing what they'll do for love, and finally, learning how to succeed in training without really crying. The concept of owner participation is reflected on these pages, along with step-by-step teaching techniques that really work. All that's missing is the falsetto sound of Matthew squealing to adoring dogs. If you have ever watched him on television, then you are familiar with this high-pitched sound of exhilaration, enchanting the dogs he trains along with their owners. Matthew's one-hour specials continue to help PBS stations across the country with their membership pledge drives, and he endears himself to everyone who watches him change the behavior of dogs before their eyes. Of equal importance is Uncle Matty's understanding of humans in relation to their pets. His funny manner in pointing out the mistakes people make with their dogs is not only entertaining, it is an important part of the instruction. The people who appear on the shows with their dogs, and everyone watching at home, are enriched by the experience. As a result, everyone on the show and at home watching comes away with a better understanding of their dogs and the world they inhabit, how to manage behavior problems, and how to love their dogs more openly. It is the presence of the owners and their dogs that makes the TV specials so special. Having the owners as well as the dogs in each training scene is what makes The Ultimate Guide to Dog Training a very unusual dog book. Matty and Morty are so proud! Copyright © 1999 by Mordecai Siegal and Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis Excerpted from Ultimate Guide to Dog Training: How to Bring Out the Best in Your Pet by Matthew Margolis, Mordecai Siegal All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
