The Other End of the Leash


Book Description

Learn to communicate with your dog—using their language “Good reading for dog lovers and an immensely useful manual for dog owners.”—The Washington Post An Applied Animal Behaviorist and dog trainer with more than twenty years’ experience, Dr. Patricia McConnell reveals a revolutionary new perspective on our relationship with dogs—sharing insights on how “man’s best friend” might interpret our behavior, as well as essential advice on how to interact with our four-legged friends in ways that bring out the best in them. After all, humans and dogs are two entirely different species, each shaped by its individual evolutionary heritage. Quite simply, humans are primates and dogs are canids (as are wolves, coyotes, and foxes). Since we each speak a different native tongue, a lot gets lost in the translation. This marvelous guide demonstrates how even the slightest changes in our voices and in the ways we stand can help dogs understand what we want. Inside you will discover: • How you can get your dog to come when called by acting less like a primate and more like a dog • Why the advice to “get dominance” over your dog can cause problems • Why “rough and tumble primate play” can lead to trouble—and how to play with your dog in ways that are fun and keep him out of mischief • How dogs and humans share personality types—and why most dogs want to live with benevolent leaders rather than “alpha wanna-bes!” Fascinating, insightful, and compelling, The Other End of the Leash is a book that strives to help you connect with your dog in a completely new way—so as to enrich that most rewarding of relationships.




Chaser


Book Description

Chaser has a way with words. She knows over a thousand of them—more than any other animal of any species except humans. In addition to common nouns like house, ball, and tree, she has memorized the names of more than one thousand toys and can retrieve any of them on command. Based on that learning, she and her owner and trainer, retired psychologist John Pilley, have moved on to further impressive feats, demonstrating her ability to understand sentences with multiple elements of grammar and to learn new behaviors by imitation. John’s ingenuity and tenacity as a researcher are as impressive as Chaser’s accomplishments. His groundbreaking approach has opened the door to a new understanding of animal intelligence, one that requires us to reconsider what actually goes on in a dog’s mind. Chaser’s achievements reveal her use of deductive reasoning and complex problem-solving skills to address novel challenges. Yet astonishingly, Chaser isn’t unique. John’s training methods can be adopted by any dog lover. Through the poignant story of how he trained Chaser, raised her as a member of the Pilley family, and proved her abilities to the scientific community, he reveals the positive impact of incorporating learning into play and more effectively channeling a dog’s natural drives. John’s work with Chaser offers a fresh perspective on what’s possible in the relationship between a dog and a human. His story points us toward a new way of relating to our canine companions that takes into account our evolving understanding of the way animals and humans learn.




The Valkyrie's Daughter


Book Description

Paste Magazine Pick for Best New Fantasy Books of July 2022 From the time she was born, Sigrid has only ever been ordinary. Being paired at birth with a plain horse—instead of the powerful winged mare of a valkyrie—meant there would be no warrior path for her. No riding the skies, no glory among the nine worlds. Just the simple, unremarkable life of a stable hand. Everything changes when a terrible enemy ambushes Vanaheim and Sigrid sees a vision of herself atop a mythical stallion, leading the valkyries into a harrowing battle. Finally, she can grab her future with her own two hands and become the hero of her own story...if she dares. But her destiny is tied up with Mariam, a fallen valkyrie who’s allied herself with the very enemy Sigrid is trying to stop. Now Sigrid has left ordinary behind as she begins a journey with the beautiful—if treacherous—valkyrie, each step bringing her closer to answers...and to awakened feelings for Mariam. But the life Sigrid left behind is starting to look a lot like paradise...especially when her destiny lies in the one place no mortal should tread: the gates of Hel. The Sigrid and The Valkyries series is best enjoyed in order. Reading Order: Book #1 The Valkyrie’s Daughter Book #2 The Valkyrie’s Shadow




The Book of Sheffield


Book Description




New York's Poop Scoop Law


Book Description

The story of how New York City adopted laws to force pet owners to clean up after their pets. Michael Brandow shows how a combination of science and politics, fact and fear, altruism and self-interest led to the adoption and enforcement of legislation that became a shining - and perhaps surprising - success.




Illumination in the Flatwoods


Book Description

An unforgettable story about the fascinating behavior of the most elusive of wild game birds. When Joe Hutto began his experiment in imprinting two dozen wild turkey--in the tradition of the great animal behaviorist, Konrad Lorenz--he had no idea that it would change his life. Told with skill and humor, and vibrating with the natural wonders of the Florida flatwoods, Illumination in the Flatwoods will amaze and enrich all who share this season with the wild turkey.




The Areas of My Expertise


Book Description

In the great tradition of the American almanac, The Areas of My Expertise is a brilliant and hilarious compendium of handy reference tables, fascinating trivia, and sage wisdom on all topics large and small. Although bestsellers such as Poor Richard’s Almanack and The Book of Lists were certainly valuable, they also were largely true. Here is a different kind of handy desk reference, one in which all of the historical oddities and amazing true facts are sifted through the singular, illuminating imagination of John Hodgman—which is the nice way of saying: He made it all up. John Hodgman brings his considerable expertise to bear in answering all of the questions book buyers have been asking: -What are the mottoes of the 51 United States? THE ANSWER IS PROVIDED -Who were the U.S. presidents who had hooks for hands? THE ANSWER IS PROVIDED -What role does the Yale secret society “Skull and Bones” play in the secret world government? THERE IS NO SECRET WORLD GOVERNMENT -What was the menu at the first Thanksgiving, and did it include eels? Technically, that is two questions, but do not apologize, for John Hodgman shall answer them both . . . LATER. -Aside from a compendium of fake trivia, what is the best kind of book to write? A SIMPLE TABLE OF THE 55 MOST DRAMATIC LITERARY SITUATIONS PROVIDES THE ANSWER, and John Hodgman is the author of that table. Imagine if The Book of Lists had been rewritten by Peter Cook and Jorge Luis Borges under the pseudonym of “John Hodgman” and then renamed The Areas of My Expertise, and you will only begin to have a sense of the dizzying, uproarious, sublimely weird, and strangely wise journey that is contained within this book (along with all the pages and words). Perfect for anyone who thirsts for knowledge, and especially for collectors of books of fake trivia, The Areas of My Expertise offers through absurdity a better understanding of the world we share—and recognizes that while the truth may be stranger than fiction, it is never as strange as lies . . . or as true. Look out for John Hodgman's latest book, Vacationland, available from Viking in Fall 2017.




Hunting Together


Book Description

Predation Substitute Training is a force-free and motivation-based training program to stop predatory chasing in dogs.




The Dog Encyclopedia


Book Description

This complete catalog of all things canine is essential reading for dog lovers everywhere. From Beethoven to Toto, dogs have a special relationship with humans and are forever known as man’s best friend. The enduring loyalty and companionship of our four-legged friends is celebrated throughout The Dog Encyclopedia. Starting with their history, evolution, and anatomy, this beautiful book puts on a show of dogs in art and advertising, sport and service, and religion and culture. Famous dogs in fiction line up alongside heroic helpers. More than 400 dog breeds are introduced, from primitive dogs and working dogs to companion dogs and scent hounds. Each and every breed includes stunning photographs and fact-packed profiles detailing individual character, compatible owner traits, and breed-specific advice. If you’re bringing home a new pet, this guide comes crammed with top tips for a balanced diet, exercise, grooming, and training, as well as a health section on continuing care, identifying illness, and veterinary visits. This perfect pooch package is an indispensable owner's guide and an invaluable reference for budding dog whisperers.




Do as i Do


Book Description

Train dogs based on "social learning"? Yes! Recent research suggests chat dogs can engage in social learning which includes the ability to observe the actions of other dogs and imitate them to learn new behaviors. The big news for dog trainers is that author Claudia Fugazza and her colleagues in Europe have discovered that dogs can also imitate people. This natural skill can be used to teach dogs new behaviors using the Do As I Do protocol presented in this book-DVD combination. The "Do As I Do" method is particularly useful in working with service dogs and canine athletes who must masters skills such as ringing a bell, jumping over a hurdle, spinning and dozens more. Learn about: The fascinating research which shows that dogs can observe, then imitate human behavior and remember it over time. How you can start with a known behavior, then teach the dog to perform the behavior after observing you demonstrate it, followed by the new cue "Do it!" Eventually the dog learns that "Do it!" means to do whatever has just been demonstrated by the trainer, even new behaviors. How this method can build a closer bond between you and your dog, bring new energy and joy to your training efforts and challenge your thinking about how dogs learn. Book jacket.