Dog Sense
How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You A Better Friend to Your Pet
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4.0 • 5 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
Dogs have been mankind's faithful companions for tens of thousands of years, yet today they are regularly treated as either pack-following wolves or furry humans. The truth is, dogs are neither -- and our misunderstanding has put them in serious crisis.
What dogs really need is a spokesperson, someone who will assert their specific needs. Renowned anthrozoologist Dr. John Bradshaw has made a career of studying human-animal interactions, and in Dog Sense he uses the latest scientific research to show how humans can live in harmony with -- not just dominion over -- their four-legged friends. From explaining why positive reinforcement is a more effective (and less damaging) way to control dogs' behavior than punishment to demonstrating the importance of weighing a dog's unique personality against stereotypes about its breed, Bradshaw offers extraordinary insight into the question of how we really ought to treat our dogs.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Bradshaw, the Waltham director of the Anthrozoology Institute at the University of Bristol, offers an alternative to conventional, dominance-based approaches to understanding dogs (Cesar Milan s methods, for example) in an informative if somewhat dry guide to how canine biology and psychology determine behavior. Dogs, he argues, are less similar to wolves than genetics suggest; we must "widen the search for the biological characteristics that make up the dog s true nature." His analysis of dogs emotional landscape provides insight into typical misinterpretations that dogs feel guilt, say, or that there is a "pack mentality." Save for one section "Home Alone: Can Dogs be Trained to Cope?" Bradshaw does not offer training advice. His bailiwick is psychology, in the vein of Alexandra Horowitz s Inside of a Dog, so readers looking for practical training tips will find this lacking. Bradshaw s book is useful to those looking to further their understanding of dog behavior and clarify common misconceptions, but those seeking strategies for training should look elsewhere.
