I haven't read Ruff Love but heard some not so great opinions of it were circulating... Would you mind sharing what gave you a bad feeling about it? Even just the big ideas? I am really interested
This was just my personal experience.. but personally, I didn't like the book.
It involves basically stripping all your dogs priviledges away (sleeping on the bed, access to their toys, free playtime in the yard etc..) and then slowly, with the use of the program, your dog earning them back in like 3 months.
There is A LOT of crating. As in, if you aren't feeding, training, actively playing..your dog is crated. even if you are home. for 7 weeks.
It's a lot of isolation. I kind of GET the idea, you are making your dog totally dependent on you for ANYTHING good and it creates this kind of handler OMGCENTEROFMYWORLD bond/super focus.. which I suppose is good training wise, but it just doesn't sit well with me
and seems way too strict, much more so than necessary.
Maybe for a serious working dog or a dog with serious behavioral problems.. .. but as a puppy raising program? .. I dunno.
but personally, it didn't sit well with me. I wanted training and puppy raising to be fun! I want to become my dogs best friend naturally and working together great because we both find it rewarding, not because I isolated him and MADE HIM obsessed with me.
I heard that recently the book was re-written and made a little.. softer. So I can't comment on that.
but just, first impression wise, it felt like I was reading a book on how to brainwash my dog.