How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You A Better Friend to Your Pet

Totally upgraded my thinking about humans and dogs as partners. I think a lot more of our two dogs as feeling beings now, who have their own thoughts, albeit mostly about food. I've always been a dog lover, but this book taught me how to think like my dogs and engage them on a more mutually beneficial level. They respect us and our position, so we should try and understand them.

I thought this book was overall very well written. I enjoyed how well Bradshaw has written this book, and will admit he had me double checking some facts which I was happily surprised were true. Overall, I recommend this book to everyone I know that has just adopted their dog. Gives great insight into the mind and evolution of man's best friend. And dogs truly are, man's best friend.

Dog Sense provides some interesting perspective on the "traditional" knowledge of dog behavior that pervades our culture. Most references will discuss pack theory and the need for humans to assert their dominance at every opportunity so that the dog does not think it is in charge. Bradshaw provides case studies into dog behavior which give the reader some insight into what the dog is thinking. His underlying theme as I took it is that a good dog owner should try to understand what the dog is thinking or how it feels from its own point of view, not how a human would react in the same situation. Unfortunately, good, comprehensive, controlled studies of dog behavior are few and far between and much works needs to be done over the next few decades to understand them better.

I would recommend this read for any dog owner, particularly a new one, as the viewpoints often contrast with most general dog guides/dog bibles etc and I think the alternate perspective will help owners better understand their pets.

While NatGeo supports self taught fools like Cesar Milan, along comes a science based insightful book by John Bradshaw. Too bad for real dog lovers that this guy doesn't have his own show! This book is a GIFT to dogs.

Do NOT waste your time on this book. Seriously. If I could get my money back, I WOULD.
The first 25% of the book is dry and BORING and basically just goes around in circles. Ok Mr. Bradshaw, you don't believe dogs and gloves have much in common. Great. Get on with it. Then in next chapter, he states 3 reasons why dogs don't pick fights and I'm just wondering if he surveyed 100 dogs and got the answers he presents. A few paragraphs later, he says that the reason dogs are HARDER to train to put a cart than horses, for example, are because dogs aren't afraid of things that are chasing them. So, you think a horse that pulls a cart is really just running away from it? Uh. No. From someone who has done extensive harness training, you couldn't be more wrong.
Lastly, he seems to think that anyone who subscribes to the idea that training involves SOME degree of dominance, regularly beats their dog(s) into submission. THAT couldn't be farther from the truth either. Obviously, he's never lived in a household with more than one dog and he's certainly never spent enough time around a GOOD dog trainer to know that it's about cooperation and teamwork, not threats and punishment.
Like I said, this book is a bunch of BORING DRY RUBBISH. Don't waste your time. You won't learn a darned thing and you'll probably just end up being as missed off and as offended as I was before I even got halfway through it.

Really disappointing. I thought it was very dry and I didn't learn much if anything. The author rambled on and on citing statistics and studies here and there. I suppose it would be ok as a textbook somewhere. Sorry but I was just really disappointed.

This book verified what most of us pet parents knew all along;You can have a well-behaved dog without resorting to dominating,aggressive tactics.While some of Milan's methods may need to be employed with certain overly aggressive animals,for the most part,trying to prove some abstract point has no real value to either of us.
So go ahead, love and enjoy your pet again!

Has the author ever tried to raise kids ?? there are times when a negative reinforcement is necessary. Whether it is small children or dogs biting is one example where a negative outcome is necessary !!

This book had some good information but it could have been about half the length if written more succinctly and didn't cover the same ground over and over.
OMG, dogs aren't wolves.... We get it! I don't need three or four super long chapters going over and over this.
And the end, the book had a lot of info on what dogs AREN'T and how NOT to train them, but little info on what they are or how to train them. Yes, I know it's not a dog training book but if the author is going to malign dog trainers and their methods then he needs to give some ideas for how to train them besides 'positive reinforcement'.
I enjoyed the information about dogs senses-- sense of smell especially, and how the search for things using their smell.
It seemed like some of the information he gives conflicts with other information. But over all it had a lot of good information.
Also would like more concrete info on how to reform dog breeding organizations to correct the inbreeding problems.

I very much appreciated the author's scientifically grounded approach and use of evidence. My only reason for giving 4 instead of 5 stars was that I thought there was a bit too much time spent in the first part of the book on dog evolution, and I am someone that in general enjoys reading about evolution. But this is a minor complaint. Bradshaw is an engaging writer. This book is good to read to help one differentiate between different types of dog training programs. The author highlights how punishment training tends to backfire and physically and mentally harms the dog. Be sure to read the footnotes too as they sometimes contain little gems too.

So much dog training is about dominating your dog, about constantly keeping the upper hand because the dog is incessantly looking to be the pack leader. I have a lot of respect for Cesar Milan and am awed by the results he gets with difficult dogs, but he works with an awful lot of really messed up dogs so his view is skewed. Most dogs are not out of control and people don't call him in when they're not having problems. What he sees on a regular basis are the worst dogs, the ones nobody else can handle.

This book is useful because it's more about the science and balances the viewpoint that has held sway in dog ownership for so long. Some dogs/breeds need strong measures and some do not. My current dog is extremely smart but also a real pleaser---heavy handed techniques would be horrible for her. If she were owned by someone who believed that you must constantly dominate and control your dog, it would be very bad for her, she would be one of those poor cowering dogs. On the other hand, the akita I once owned needed a serious leader in the early years or it would have been impossible to live with her. She turned out to be a beautiful companion, and she did need to know in no uncertain terms who the boss was early on or she would've been out of control.

So---balance. I think it's incredibly important to have a balanced view of our dogs. They are NOT wolves and do not need to be treated as they are, as Bradshaw makes clear. It doesn't have to be either/or---Milan has some good points and knows a lot about dogs, and so does Bradshaw. They just see the world differently, partly because one is a scientist and one is not and partly because their own experiences with dogs has been so different. Both views are valid.

For me it was great to read ideas that broaden my mind, to learn more about the wonderful companions I've loved all my life. There is a lot to learn and Bradshaw opened up a new door.

This is ethology at its best and covers all aspects of dog behavior as well as cognitive, emotional and sensory capabilities . It is not a training manual, but it does discuss implications of the findings for training, and sometimes even gives a few specific tips. I give it less than 5 stars only because some editing would be useful: I know Bradshaw is frustrated by all the misinformation out there, but he is sometimes repetitive. Also, I would relegate discussion of inconclusive experiments on issues not yet resolved to an appendix, and simply note the author's own opinion in the main text.

One main point is that dogs learn by association, but act and consequence must be close in time. Bradshaw is a strong advocate for using reward rather than punishment, but recognizes that using reward to modify behavior is not always possible (as in rearing children). Incidentally, dogs don't experience "higher level" emotions such as guilt; jealousy can only be felt to the extent that an owner is currently showing someone else affection rather than the dog. Dogs are masters at picking up on indicators of human emotions. As with human babies, early experiences (4 - 16 weeks in the case of dogs) are critical in forming personality, but note that socialization training will not do much good if commenced too early. Dogs have the potential to become attached to humans, but also to other species of animals at the same time; compare this to a baby chick who can be imprinted so that it treats a human as its mother, but will then have problems with other chicks.

I will give Bradshaw credit for several things, with which I strongly agree: that positive reinforcement is more effective than physical punishment, and that many breeders are ruining dogs by limiting their genetic variation and selecting only for looks. Further, he is a far cry and welcome departure from other scientists, who in their attempts to be taken seriously, try to purge all emotion from the study of animals. This led (and still does) to many cruel experiments, and to insane beliefs that persisted since the Victorian era claiming animals are 'merely machines' and 'do not feel pain the way humans do.'

Because Bradshaw champions ethical treatment of animals, encourages rescue, and promotes spay/neuter, I give him three stars. Otherwise, based solely on literary grounds, I would give two stars.

I enjoy the theories, but was hoping for more hands-on advice in working with dogs. As others have said, far too much time is spent on tedious genetic data, and an attempt to convince the reader that dogs are not wolves. It's almost as if he's expecting us to argue the point, when I agreed with it fairly quickly. Differentiating between dogs and wolves, and especially between wolves in the wild vs. captive wolves was extremely useful. However, to presume that wolf behavior doesn't ever apply to dogs is premature. If you have worked with feral dogs, you will notice they have some wolf-like traits, and by understanding wolves a little, you can be more successful in socializing these dogs.

Which brings us to an interesting point: Bradshaw repeatedly slams trainers who have no scientific education, yet he himself seems to have very little hands-on experience working with dogs. I found his criticism of Cesar Milan and Victoria Stilwell a major turn-off. Bradshaw lumps them into the category with harsh trainers who use physical punishment, and I have never seen either one harm a dog. Much of the time, Cesar doesn't even speak, much less raise his voice. There are hundreds of dogs alive today because of Cesar's intervention. I don't see how this warrants such contempt merely because the man doesn't have a PhD.

Perhaps Milan does over-emphasize the pack leader concept, but I dispute the notion that dogs do not form any natural hierarchy. Is it a constant struggle to dominate? Not at all. But there is a definite pecking order. We let it be. With one dog in (mostly) benevolent charge of the others, there is more harmony and we have less need to exercise discipline ourselves. Because Bradshaw does not appear to have lived in long-term, multi-dog situations, it undermines some of his conclusions.

There seems to be a backlash on here against anyone who doesn't praise this book. I hope all of them have over a dozen years experience in dog rescue, and have managed packs of 5 - 6 dogs, from pit bulls to Chihuahuas, in their homes. That way we'll know they are qualified to weigh in, and not merely peeved that someone disagreed.

Though I think Bradshaw is correct in theory, I think you need to rely on a balance of methods individualized to the dog and its developing personality. The book is also outdated/misinformed, because there are many dog breeds in the US that the breeders are explicit on the type of common personality traits their dogs (being bred) have and that you ought to expect similar results from their puppies. The book is still very good and a definite read for any owner or future owner

The first half of the book is pretty interesting, considering I'm an evolutionary history buff. Even the middle-training section of the book held my interest enough to continue reading it. But my god, the redundancy drove me insane! He repeated the same information so often, within chapters and in other chapters, that I could not finish the final few chapters. Definitely not as good as the Cat Sense book, which I adored. But if you want to read it, try and find it at your library instead of spending the money on it.

John Bradshaw has written the most informative, useful, and moving account of dogs' lives and behavior. Although he is a dog enthusiast the amazing information contained here is not clouded by sentimentality or inappropriate emotion. It's a long book, packed with new information, so that a reader might pace herself. The posted reviewers' quibbles really don't diminish the value of "Dog Sense."

I write from experience with my own dogs, including two amazing rescued boxers, from working with a caring dog rescue organization, and from working at a "no-kill" shelter. John Bradshaw has added considerably to what I learned from all these dogs.

I had hoped that this book would be different from the myriad of other books written on dogs, but unfortunately, it is not.

The author purports to be an academic, and decries anthropomorphism, but is guilty of it numerous times in this book and he frequently reverses his statements from chapter to chapter. He and his students have apparently done some research on dogs, but this volume is a cut-and-paste of many papers and anecdotes.

The author seems to have good intentions - he wants dogs to suffer less at human hands, but there is nothing new presented here, and worse, much of it has no continuity and many conclusions are out in left field.

I learned some new things about dogs, but found the book rather repetitive of certain themes. As I am already opposed to overbreeding to the detriment of the health of the dog - I tired of this repeated over and over. Interesting that dogs are not related to American wolves at all.

...have to be overly-aggressive with your dog. In many ways, in the same way that we have moved on from hitting our kids to treating them with more care and respect, then there is no reason why we shouldn't 'evolve' in the same way in respect to how we interact with man's best friend! In addition to this excellent book, I would also recommend Dog Training And Behavior: Obedience Tips To Raise The Perfect Dog Or Puppy. Plus BONUS The Successful Dog Adoption Guide which is also an excellent read.

I read this book with the same craving for knowledge that I approach all dog information books. There is so much information out there and there are many different methods of obtaining the desired results from your dogs.
First of all ,the first 94 pages of this book are dedicated to the history of the wolf and canine. After about 50 pages I felt like I got the point about the wolf/dog backround and was anxious for the information about the DOG SENSE s. Frankly I felt the author was beating a dead horse on the wolf backround.I got it in the first 40 pages.
I find it odd that that author is so threatened by other methods that he resorts to ( mud slinging) at the New Skeete Monks, Victoria Stillwell, and Cesare MIllan. If he ever took the time to really study their training methods he would find that they are not so far apart.He dismisses these trainers methods as good television. I think the author is arrogant and thinks if a fancy degree is not after the trainers name they do not count.
I noticed that most of the studies were done by others and not personally by himself.
It was clear to the trained dogs observer that the author devulges alot of personal information about his dog training by his own description of his dog. He describes his dog as a pudgy cho lab, who is fear agressive with other dogs. Well that tells me he is not tending to the needs of his own personal dog. The dog would not be pudgy if he was properly exercised and would not be scared of other dogs if he took the time to expose his dog to many dogs . Dogs are smart and can learn with gentle and assertive guidence. The book had alot of good studies and gave me the backround of why diffenernt methods of training work or do not work. Overall the book has lot of good information in it, but it reads like a school text book. This book is not for the casual reader. I also wonder since he did not take the time to study the ones he was so critical of and gave misinformation on ,,,what other information was done with the same carelessness//??????

This is more like a doctoral dissertation than a popular book. Still going on about differences between wolves and dogs a hundred pages into the book! Must have had his academic friends give him the high ratings given so far. Had to return it.

What a pile of nonsense! Actually I believe this guys wants to believe what he is desperately trying to convince us is the truth...but on page 4 he says, "Dogs, for instance, are clearly not pack animals (although they do occasionally do form groups)," now where did this guy go to school??? He states that he formed all his work on spending many years conferring with other academics??? WHat about spending time with dogs? Obviously he doesn't know what he's talking about...ridiculous.Page xx in the intro he says, " that dogs who do come into conflict with their owners are ususally motivated by anxiety" not trying to dominate them...what malarky. Honestly I really believe his awareness is based on trying to be equal...it's all about mental dominance not physical people! Nature designed all of the animal kingdom to be ordered through hierarchy. If your dog is a mischief maker then it stems from your relationship. Aggression cases are much deeper...
Susan Hill mystic