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Understanding our animal companions and helping them to be well behaved and valued members of the community is important. The following books provide insight into why our animal companions do the things that they do and how we can assist them to be loving family members who lead fulfilling, enjoyable and safe lives. |
Mother
Knows Best: The Natural Way to Train Your Dog
Carol Lea Benjamin
ISBN: 0876056664
Many dogs are returned to animal shelters because their human guardians did not educate them about appropriate behaviour. While some people prefer well trained canine companions, others are happy with dogs who are reasonably well behaved and polite. In her book Mother Knows Best: The Natural Way to Train Your Dog Carol Lea Benjamin provides considerable information pertaining to raising and training an obedient and happy dog.
How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live
With (revised second edition)
Clarice Rutherford and David
H. Neil
ISBN: 093186657X
How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With contains considerable information on the development of young dogs and how the development can be affected - both positively and negatively. Rutherford and Neil provide advice on how to raise and train a well adjusted, social canine.
Bad
Dog! True Tales of Trouble Only A Best Friend Can Get Away With
Doug Brown and Kaori Brown
ISBN: 1582451648
If you have been fortunate to have shared your life with a dog, chances are you experienced a "bump" or two on your wonderful journey together. In their light hearted and amusing book Bad Dog! True Tales of Trouble Only a Best Friend Can Get Away With Doug and Kaori Brown share some of the bumps that dogs have shared with their humans. Each story contains a short description of the dog’s accomplishments as well as other information including the animal’s name, age and the damage caused.
While reading this book I was reminded of the time when Winston, our Terrier mix, greeted my wife Lynn and I at the door when we came home one night. Unfortunately, he had to chew his way through a door in another room (he also tore some paneling off of the wall) in order to politely meet us upon our return!
Why We Love the Dogs We Do: How to
Find the Dog That Matches Your Personality
Stanley Coren
ISBN: 0684839016
In his book Why We Love the Dogs We Do Stanley Coren provides information that could reduce animal (and human) suffering as a result of failed relationships. According to Coren "...nearly half of all puppies purchased as pets do not successfully make it through the first year with the people who adopt them. These dogs are returned to their breeders, left at shelters, killed by their owners or by a veterinarian at their owner’s request, or simply abandoned." (page xi)
Coren, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, has identified seven new groups of dogs and matches people’s personalities to the breeds of dogs that they will be most compatible with.
While many of the dogs I have been fortunate to share my life with are mixed breeds, I have also lived with several purebred dogs. After taking Coren’s test I found that I was "a very strong match" for dogs in the Independent group. One of the breeds in this group is the Siberian Husky. I have been fortunate to share my life with six "Sibes" and two Siberian Husky crosses. (I should point out that I have had wonderful relationships with all of the dogs who have been part of our family - and some were breeds which, according to Coren, I should not have gotten along with very well.)
Why We Love the Dogs We Do is recommended reading for anyone who likes dogs. However, if you are looking to adopt a purebred dog then you might want to read Coren’s latest book before acquiring your next canine family member.
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