The Dog Whisperer in question here is Graeme Sims. The story of how Graeme became so eloquent in canine communication could be the subject of a book all on its own, and much of this is included. Dogs had always been a part of Graeme's life, but it was the arrival of a Border Collie, Annie, who changed the course of his life, possibly saving it. With Annie, Graeme rebuilt his self confidence, and together they became an excellent team.
Given an unexpected opportunity to herd sheep, Annie and Graeme did so with great flair, and a whole new career opened up to Graeme. More Border Collies joined the Sims household, and Graeme became first a shepherd, and later went on to wow crowds with displays of his dogs skill, obedience and precision. Not only do Graeme and his dogs converse in dog terms, but each responds to commands in a language specific to them - French, Welsh, Greek and so on.
In this book Graeme reveals how you can develop just as effective and close a relationship with your dog. Graeme preaches gentleness and understanding - and no gadgets or gizmos. Get back to basics, and build a great rapport with your dog. Interwoven with this training advice are anecdotes from his many years' experience to illustrate and illuminate the points he his making.
Graeme discusses how to assess your dog's strengths, how to gradually introduce commands, and considers a variety of problems and situations. It is refreshing to learn that such a successful trainer has at the heart of his methods a wonderful message; love your dog so much they can't resist you.
You can hear an interview with Graeme about his methods and his dog in Episode 29 of DogCast Radio, and he talks about The Dog Whisperer book in Episode 62.
Review by Julie Hill