Barbara Benvil Photography

Tamar relaxes with friends.

If your dog thinks "sit" is a suggestion or greets guests by jumping up; if you want to change your relationship with your dog in a way that's fun for both of you, then you're ready for Tamar Geller's  book, "The Loved Dog: The Playful, Nonaggressive Way to Teach Your Dog Good Behavior" and her DVD, "Celebrate Your Dog!"

You may recognize Geller from herprevious work with The HSUS, from her appearances as the animal correspondent on "The Today Show," or from her appearance on "Oprah."

More than a conventional dog trainer, Geller is really a "life coach" for dogs and their people. Her goal extends beyond solving individual dogs' problems. Like The HSUS, Geller wants to keep millions of dogs out of shelters by strengthening the bond between dogs and their families. She knows that behavior problems are one of the main reasons dogs are given up. By addressing those problems, more dogs can spend their entire lives as members of a happy family.

At the heart of her training approach—and heart is the operative word—is the belief that a dog's better nature and best manners can be brought out through mutual understanding and respect, not physical dominance, aggressive techniques, prong collars or choke chains. She uses games to engage dogs in "play-training" and teaches people how to really communicate with their canine companions.

Until now, most of the dogs and people who were lucky enough to benefit from Tamar's approach lived in Southern California, where she founded the area's first cage-free dog boarding and day care center. Now, her book, published by Simon Spotlight Entertainment, is available to everyone. Because Tamar is a good friend and advisor to The HSUS, she and Simon Spotlight Entertainment included a foreward by HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle and a brief overview of our Pets for Life campaign at the end of the book. So hundreds of thousands of readers will be introduced to The HSUS as they enjoy the book.

"The Loved Dog" is available in hardcover and in paperback editions. The 2-disc "Celebrate Your Dog" DVD provides an entertaining and visual guide to Basic Manners, with a Bonus Housebreaking Lesson and Quick Tips. You can order the book and the DVD at the link below.

Updated Oct. 14, 2008