PUBLISHING YEAR: 2002 SUMMARY: A pocket-sized review of the formal ethical framework around animal rights. AUDIENCE: You will probably give up in disgust if you don’t have at least a smidgin of formal education in philosophy/ethics, or at least formal training in animal welfare issues. It gets pretty dry. REVIEW The author: David de Grazia […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2014 SUMMARY: Review of the latest research into animal cognition: feeling and thinking animals under the microscope. AUDIENCE: Written for the layman and reasonably jargon-free. Academics in need of a broad survey of the literature would also benefit from it. And animal behaviour professionals will get sweeping overview of what is now known about animal cognition out of […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2012 SUMMARY: A multidisciplinary look at the scientific body of knowledge on the concept of consequences. AUDIENCE: I will say ‘academic’ because it is laced with interconnected theoretical concepts that you’ll need a solid academic grounding to follow comfortably. Or many coffees and Advils and iron-clad willpower. REVIEW The author: Dr. Susan M. Schneider is a biopsychologist. She is […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2011 SUMMARY: Abridged review of the behaviour research on cattle, sheep, goats, horses, pigs, dogs and cats. AUDIENCE: Don’t pick it up unless you are well-versed in biology, psychology and zoology terminology. Or at least not without your trusty scientific dictionary. The intended readership is decidedly academic. REVIEW The author: Katherine Houpt is a huge name in […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2007 SUMMARY: The Dog volume in a series of books on domestic animal welfare. A condensed review on the research literature – and discussions – on the welfare topics affecting dogs. AUDIENCE: REVIEW: ‘The Welfare of Dogs‘ looks at dog welfare through welfare science and formal ethics. It was written by animal welfare researcher (and […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2000 SUMMARY: Comprehensive review of every possible aspect of dogs. This book is a one-spot scientific tool kit for every aspiring (and established) behaviourist AUDIENCE: One of the most quoted body of work on dogs and behaviour, both in academic and technical circles. For the scientifically literate specialist trainer or the companion animal […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 1995 SUMMARY: A collection of significant dog-related scientific research articles. AUDIENCE: Makes for a very dry read if you are unused to scientific articles. The contents would only be useful to the layman in summarised and vulgarised form, but are completely inaccessible if you don’t have a bit of a scientific bend. For […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2005 SUMMARY: High-level summary of scientific knowledge on dog’s behaviour, health (some stats), and nutrition AUDIENCE: It may be more appropriate for student veterinarians who want their insight into dogs to go beyond anatomy and pathology, than for behaviourists seeking to deepen their general knowledge of the dog. REVIEW: This book is quite reminiscent of […]
AUTHOR: James O’Heare PUBLISHING YEAR: 2008 SUMMARY: A gargantuan literature survey on dominance research. AUDIENCE: REVIEW James O’Heare, true to self, starts of by tidying up the house. He disentangles the relevant ethological concepts (status-rank-hierarchy, conflict, societies, etc.) for the unfamiliar reader. He then gets to the crux of the book: a detailed historical critique […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2007 AUDIENCE: It does not make for light reading, but it will not be insurmountably dry to the motivated layman. If you’re feeling intimidated, just familiarize yourself with the high level contents, and read individual chapters as needed. SUMMARY: The book contains review articles about: Zoology: Scientific classification Evolutionary history Domestication history Breed diversity history […]