Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Five best books for you and your dog

Back in 2005 at the Wall Street Journal, Kari Harendorf named a five best list of books for your canine, and you.

One title on the list:
"Bones Would Rain From the Sky" by Suzanne Clothier (Warner Books, 2002).

Suzanne Clothier turns the tables on the usual "training manual," making us examine the behavior we exhibit toward our animals. Dogs need leaders, she notes, but leaders need not be tyrants. Or even raise their voices. For instance, though possession is nine-tenths of canine law, we can still encourage a dog to cooperate. (You give me the toy, I'll give you a treat, plus the toy back.) A vital tactic especially if the object in the dog's mouth is roach-bait and not a toy. The book stresses leading in ways that make sense from the canine perspective and avoiding behavior that undermines the relationship with our dogs, which can result when we act in certain very human but--from a dog's viewpoint--very crazy ways.
Read about another book on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue