If youre feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of getting a dog or nervous about caring for the one youve already brought home, now you can relax.Understanding Your Dog for Dummies helps you recognize not only why your dog behaves the way she does, but in a way that enables you to parlay that into a well-behaved companion who listens (and sits, and speaks, and comes, etc.).

Whether your pooch is a mixed breed or purebred, she has a distinct identity that makes her unique. The first step in understanding your dog is to respect the honorable task she was originally bred for and to identify how these inbred impulses influence her personality and behavior. In essence, you need to speak her language if you expect her to learn to understand yours.

Understanding Your Dog for Dummies gives you everything you need to learn to understand your poochs unique dialect of Doglishand shows you how to take on the role as pack leader to give your dog the cues, guidance, and consistency she needs to shape and develop good behaviors. Inside youll discover how to:

Read your dogs body languageCommunicate with your dogInterpret your dogs breed-specific traitsCorrect dog-behavior-gone-badCounter anxiety-based behaviorUnderstand and resolve aggressive behaviorAnd so much more!

Think of this book as Doglish 101a prerequisite for every human member of your dogs family. Now, let the training begin!

Stanley Coren is best known to the public for his popular books on dogs and on general psychological issues. However, within the scientific world, hes also a highly respected scientist, a Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. His engaging writing style and his broad knowledge about the behavior of dogs and people have made his booksThe Intelligence of Dogs, Why We Love the Dogs We Do, What Do Dogs Know?,How to Speak Dog, The Pawprints of History, How Dogs Think, Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses?, andWhy Does My Dog Do That? all bestsellers. Roger Caras, President of the ASPCA, and himself a bestselling author of dog books, noted Stanley Coren has an incredible gift the ability to take the most complex matters and make it all seem so simple and clear. Perhaps this is why Coren was named Writer of the Year by the International Positive Dog Training Association and is a sought-after contributor to a number of national dog and pet magazines, includingPets Magazine, Modern Dog, AnimalSense, Dog and Puppy Basics, andAKC Gazette.Many professional associations have recognized Corens work with service dogs, and hes received awards from several major police dog organizations, including the California Canine Narcotic Dog Association and the British Columbia Police Canine Association. His work with and knowledge of dogs has often caught the attention of the media, and hes been the subject of feature articles inPeople Magazine, USA Today, Time Magazine, Macleans, US News& World Report, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Washington Post, and others. His affable manner has also made him a popular guest with the broadcast media, and hes been featured on numerous television programs, includingOprah, Larry King Live, Dateline, 20/20, Maurie Povich, Good Morning America, Charlie Rose, and theToday Show. He currently hosts the national TV seriesGood Dog! in Canada.

Sarah Hodgson, president of Simply Sarah Incorporated, has been a trainer of dogs and their people in Westchester, New York, and Southern Connecticut for more than 20 years. Shes the author of eight dog-training books, includingPuppies For Dummies, Dog Tricks For Dummies, Puppies Raising& Training Diary For Dummies, Teach Yourself Visually Dog Training, You and Your Puppy (co-authored with James DeBitetto),DogPerfect, 2nd Edition,PuppyPerfect, andMiss Sarahs Guide to Etiquette for Dogs& Their People. In addition, Sarah has produced two videos, patented a dog training leash (the Teaching Lead), and invented many other products to simplify the shared lives of dogs and people. Sarah is frequently featured as a dog training specialist on network television, radio, and print media, includingThe New York Times, NBC, CBS, Animal Planet (Disney syndicate), FOX, CNN, WOR, Hollywood Pets,Parenthood magazine, and others. She has worked with many famous persons dogs, including TV personality Katie Couric, actors Richard Gere, Glenn Close, Chazz Palminteri, Chevy Chase, and Lucie Arnaz; business moguls George Soros, Tommy Hilfiger, Tommy Mottola, and Michael Fuchs; and sport greats Bobby Valentine and Alan Houston. In addition, Sarah is a behavior consultant and education facilitator at the Adopt-A-Dog shelter in Armonk, New York, where she holds training and socialization programs, conditioning each of the dogs within a fully decorated home environment before their formal adoption.

Introduction 1

Part I: The Fascinating World of Dogs 7

Chapter 1: A Dog for Life: Dog Psychology 101 9

Chapter 2: Understanding Your Dog 15

Chapter 3: Communicating with Your Dog 29

Chapter 4: Seeing Life from Your Dogs Perspective 47

Part II: Embracing Your Dogs Identity 61

Chapter 5: Identifying Your Dogs Individuality 63

Chapter 6: Interpreting Your Dogs Breed-Specific Traits 83

Chapter 7: Sensory Perceptions 95

Chapter 8: Meeting the Needs of Your Growing Puppy 107

Chapter 9: Reading and Communicating as Your Dog Ages 123

Part III: Doggie Delinquency 137

Chapter 10: Inspiring Behavior with Motivational Techniques 139

Chapter 11: Helping Your Dog Learn from Everyday Living 159

Chapter 12: Happy Training, Happy Tails 171

Part IV: Dogs Dont Misbehave: Misperceptions and Solutions 185

Chapter 13: Addressing and Solving Problem Behavior 187

Chapter 14: Countering Anxiety-Based Behavior 205

Chapter 15: Understanding and Resolving Aggressive Behavior 221

Part V: The Part of Tens 241

Chapter 16: Ten Forms of Silent Communication 243

Chapter 17: Ten Common Misunderstandings 249

Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Become Your Dogs Leader 255

Index 261