Dog Behavior Book Recommendation Appreciated

Hi,

I don't know what exactly you are looking for, but I have really enjoyed this book.

Steve

Anything by Cesar Millan the Dog Whisperer. He also has his TV shows on DVD and are worth watching.
I don't have a dog but from watching dog owners in campgrounds I think most dog problems are the fault of owners who either don't know what to do or are not disciplined/energetic enough to do it.

Since you mentioned in your other post that the main issue is anger/aggression, here are some recommended resources for aggression from Dogwise.com --

Link

Personally, I'd recommend anything by Patricia McConnell or Ian Dunbar. Both are certified behaviorists.

Three that Dogs for the Deaf, Inc recommends to their recipients are:

Positive Reinforcement by Aloff
The other end of the Leash by McConnell
How Dogs Learn by Burch and Bailey.

I would also recommend any of Patricia McConnell's books. One of the trainers at the Humane Society recommended her books, and I have found both her books and DVDs to be very helpful. :)

Victoria Stilwell is amazing. She used to have a program called "Me or the Dog". She understands behavior (she's a behaviorist)and uses common sense techniques without force.

I like her methods very much and have learned a lot. She has a website and books and videos are available. Look her up. You can contact her as well, if you really are desperate but I bet she's pricey.

campn4walleye wrote:
Victoria Stilwell is amazing. She used to have a program called "Me or the Dog". She understands behavior (she's a behaviorist)and uses common sense techniques without force.

Not to be nitpicky (because I do like Stilwell), but she's certainly not a behaviorist in the sense that Dunbar and McConnell are. And on her website she avoids describing herself as a behaviorist.

Stilwell, like Cesar Milan, is basically a TV personality. According to Wikipedia, her degree is in theatre (I use the English spelling because her degree is from an English university). The only "certifications" she has are from the American Pet Dog Trainers and Animal Behavior and Training Associates. They're both essentially pay-to-join organizations with no credentials required. And according to what Google is telling me, Animal Behavior and Training Associates appears to now be a defunct organization.

Dunbar is a licensed veterinarian with a specialty in canine behavior. McConnell is a certified applied animal behaviorist with a Ph.D. in zoology. They have the education and legitimate credentialing to call themselves behaviorists.

Another vote for Patricia McConnell. Here's a link to her site, listing her available books: Patricia McConnell's Dog Training Books

This McConnell book, The Cautious Canine, may have some good information for your dog.

You can read all the books and watch all the TV shows, that you want. If you want to learn about dog behavior-find someone that has a good relationship with their dog-and watch/learn from them.
I think it's similar to learning to drive from a book. Unless you have someone that can actually drive to teach you-you will be at a disadvantage.