Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You A Better Friend to Your Pet
Review by Kevin : Helped me appreciate my dog more

I picked up this book because I wanted to see what science has to say about the way dogs think and behave. As a dog owner, I was getting a little confused by all the contradictory theories of how to train and raise a dog. None of these methods, like Caesar Millan's, seemed to have any backing in science.

Coming from this perspective, I was very happy to find and read Dog Sense. First of all, I was surprised to learn that there is a whole academic field dedicated to biological and behavioral understanding of dogs, all the way down to how dog genes encode for particular behavior or diseases. I was also pleased that Bradshaw bases his understanding of dogs on scientific data. Countless studies have been done on dogs to learn everything from their attachment to humans vs. dogs, to how much behavioral variation exists within single breeds.

One of the Bradshaw's most convincing arguments is that dogs are currently being raised for the wrong purpose in mind. Dog breeders breed dogs for LOOKS, while compromising their genetic health due to excessive inbreeding. Instead, we should be focusing on dogs' propensity to be good companions, and this trait is rarely bred for. In fact, Bradshaw points out that good pets with responsible owners rarely have a chance to carry on their genes because responsible owners neuter/spay their pets.

Bradshaw is also a strong proponent of positive reinforcement, and is against punishment as a means to train dogs. He is able to back up this view through the use of studies that show that positive reinforcement is far more effective than punishment in training a dog. In fact, he shows that punishment can harm the human-dog relationship, and teach even worse behaviors than were initially present.

I also liked the chapter in which Bradshaw analyses whether dogs have emotions. In short, they do, but they are very primitive ones compared to humans. While their range of emotion is not as complex as humans, due in part to their limited cognitive capacity, he is careful not to denigrate dog emotions since dog emotions do comport with dogs' evolutionary past. He does believe that dogs are capable of expressing love, in their own dog way, but they do not have emotions such as guilt or jealousy. Very interesting studies are presented to back up these conclusions about dog emotions.

Overall, I recommend this book for people who want a better appreciation of the world dogs live in. It helped me to see my dog in a whole new light......

Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You A Better Friend to Your Pet
Review by Adrien L. Phipps "blue moon" : a very detailed and thorough understanding of the pet dog

First off, the people who gave this book 1 star had the similar complaint that it was too lengthy and too academic. Reality check: you read books like this to be informed, not entertained.

His training philosophy makes alot of sense. He explains that dogs need to be taught boundaries, and that permissiveness is inhumane. This leads to behavior problems which leads to the pound and euthanasia. The fate is no different than that of a dog who has been chained up and abused all its life. It annoys me when people spoil their dogs and don't bother to teach them how to safely get along in a human world. This is very detrimental to your dog, just as it would be detrimental if you allowed your child not to go to school. He also explains how the application of punishment is not a good way to train your dog. I wish more people would realize that, because every time I go out, I see someone walking their dog who is either ignorant of this fact, or does not want to learn.

The information in this book was very well laid out and I appreciate his description of the evolution of dogs, and how that information is applicable to your current dog. You cannot understand your pet unless you have a comprehensive understanding of his ancestors and origins. Bradshaw did a very excellent job of delineating all the latest research and compiling it into a coherent concept on dog behavior.

I really enjoyed how he explained what goes on in a dog's brain when he uses his nose. As humans, this is a very foreign concept to us. He goes on to say how in order to truly treat your dog well, you need to appreciate that his nose is his primary way of receiving information, no matter how gross it may seem to us. Not letting your dog sniff another dog's butt is the equivalent to hiding your face when you meet someone new. This behavior certainly would not lead to a pleasant introduction and you would likely come off as rude and antisocial.

He also puts to rest the controversial breed discrimination based on the fact that irresponsible owners are more likely to choose dogs that "look tough," and consequently mistreat them. It's a nature versus nurture debate, and he explains how puppyhood experiences influence behavioral gene expression. The truth is you can adopt a pit bull and as long as that dog is raised as any dog should; with consistent training, boundaries, and exercise, the dog is likely to turn out fine. More people need to realize this, and it's unfortunate that so many dogs are being killed just because of a specific look....

Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You A Better Friend to Your Pet
Review by rita : Understanding your best friend

This book shed a lot of light on the challenges that I am facing with my new puppy. While I have had numerous dogs in my life that found me; strays, abandoned dogs, dogs on their way to the pound that stopped at my house first, this is my first puppy. Dog Sense gave me a glimpse into the mind of my dog and has helped understand why he pouts when I take a shower with the door closed. (Separation anxiety) Sleeping with MY shoes or clothers, (that's how hounds show love) barking even when he's getting attention - (potty time-cuz I can't see him stand by the door) Just goes to show, that they are smarter than we think and we have a lot to learn. I love this book. It's not what I expected, but it is what I needed.