PUBLISHING YEAR: 2014 SUMMARY: Autobiography of a family dog narrated by the family dog himself. AUDIENCE: This book was written for entertainment, not education. It is written without jargon and does not require an academic or technical background. Any owner can pick it up and enjoy it. REVIEW The author: The author, Jane Hanser, does not have […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2007 SUMMARY: Step-by-step manual for tons of dog tricks. AUDIENCE: Owners, and dog trainers in need of inspiration for their school’s curriculum. REVIEW: Style and contents: It does what it says on the tin: 101 dog tricks that are fully illustrated and explained step-by-step, all featuring Kyra Sundance’s gorgeous partner in crime, her […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2012 SUMMARY: (Non-systematic) review of the various theories behind the dog’s evolution. AUDIENCE: The book fits most comfortably in the science popularization section if you scrap the popularization part. It reads more like a textbook without peer review or citations. Try it if you’re comfortable with quite a bit of evolutionary biology jargon. […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2013 SUMMARY: Fly-on-the-wall account of a French veterinary behaviourist’s practice, with the author’s reflections on the profession’s best practices. AUDIENCE: He would like the book to introduce the profession (vet behaviourist) to pet parents. Effectively, though, the book will be too high-brow for a pet parent looking for a casual read. It is […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2013 SUMMARY: Instructions on how to prime your pup to training greatness. AUDIENCE: Whilst the book is aimed at owners, its vocabulary and objectives are more suitable for the dog sport hobbyist or professional trainer. REVIEW: The author, a search-and-rescue trainer, teaches your pup solid foundations that will facilitate his later training. The book approaches […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2005 SUMMARY: Suggestions for games to play with your dog AUDIENCE: Very useful if you’re after some low-tech entertainment ideas for your dog on a rainy day. Also a useful and very handy (compact) book for play therapy if you are an behaviourist/specialist trainer. REVIEW: It was very short, so nice and portable […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2008 SUMMARY: A high-level approach to tackling dog aggression professionally AUDIENCE: Get this one if you are after a very good introductory book on the subject, but don’t expect THE exhaustive toolkit for all aggression problems. REVIEW: I was hoping for a book cataloging an exhaustive list of aggression issues, with detailed instructions […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2004 SUMMARY: Protocol on how to deal with dog-dog aggression. Aimed at a professional audience. AUDIENCE: Pick this one up if you are unfamiliar with the force-free protocols for dog-dog reactivity. REVIEW: This book lacked a little meat on the bone, in my opinion. Or at least it didn’t tell me anything I didn’t […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 2008 SUMMARY: Collection of anecdotes and observations supporting the case for “bioanthropomorphism”, i.e. the assertion (which I share) that animals have emotions. This assertion is still disputed by hard-line scientists in the field, given the difficulty in quantifying and verifying emotions. AUDIENCE: Dog owners with an interest in animal welfare, and who […]
PUBLISHING YEAR: 1990 SUMMARY: Interpretations (often pack theory-based) of commonly observed dog behaviour. AUDIENCE: The audience is, in theory, dog owners looking to debunk myths about dogs. Unfortunately, it disseminates the occasional myth by itself, so to be taken with a pinch of salt. So I would put it in the hands of critical readers […]