This is quite an old book, I was surprised not to find a review of it here. I picked it up for $1 at a library sell-off, I figured I couldn't go wrong with Turgid Rugaas as the author. Rugaas is a Norwegian dog trainer and behaviourist, whose work in understanding dog "language" has been extremely helpful for dog owners around the world. In this very short book (I finished it in about half an hour - and it has plenty of pictures) she explains exactly how dogs communicate to eachother and how we can use these same signals to communicate to our dogs as well. Most of them we can do (turning the head, licking the lips, sniffing the ground - she suggests scratching at the ground or looking at it closely) although she admits to having a hard time with wagging the tail! It's a very clear manual on dog language, and gives the owner a fascinating glimpse into what our dogs are trying to say to us - for they are communicating with us all the time, we are just "deaf" to their language, poor things! The communication covered in this book are the signals dogs use to calm both themselves and each other, so very useful to know if you want to know how your really feels about one situation or another. Very useful, for it helps the owner to think differently about their relationship with their dog. As she says in closing, "Remember that every time you are close to a dog, you have a choice how to behave. You can act in a threatening or a friendly way. There is no, absolutely NO, excuse for scaring a dog. Dogs are survivors. They defend themselves when they feel threatened. Some will try to get away, others may answer back, and hat ever solution the dog decides upon, it is you who made it happen. By telling your dog you are friendly, it does not need to feel insecure in your presence. It can change the whole relationship to your dog." Highly recommended!
I love that book its great. It helped in the home and when I was out walking the dogs and i think helped keep my dogs out of trouble with some aggresive dogs. we've all seen a lot of this behavour when walking our dogs I think we all have but some putting in writing helps clarify what we see quickly and act according. avoiding action usually My oldest dog is really funny and one day when I was telling both him and one of the younger dogs off for running away and eatting rotting bread that some one had "kindly" left out for the rats/birds, He did a very clear calming signal to me. Needless to say once I recovered from laughing and telling him he was a cheeky bugger, it really made me look more and try to understand more what they were trying to communicate. I also realised that being annoyed at dogs being dogs was stupid and all it took was being patronised by my dog. I will tell them off but I don't get angry. The book changed my relationship with my dogs for the better and I think my dogs are happier and calmer because I listen more. We've (me and my dogs) had to go through some very difficult times and the fact that we are a cohesive accepting bunch means that its made things a lot easier. Lots of things have contributted to this, but this book helped. Sorry i really do like it this book but sadly my dogs still run away to eat rotting bread.
I enjoyed this book too, and agree it's recommended reading. I also liked her book "Help! My dog pulls". Very clear and sensible. I love how sympathetic she is to the dog's point of view. I just wish she would write more stuff....
I know! I was surprised at how little she has in print! It would be wonderful to see her in action in person, as well.
Just ordered this based upon comments; hopefully it will be here towards the end of next week despite the p&p costing more than the book
Thanks for the recommendation Lisa, I have just ordered a copy too £6.00 free P&P, delivery tomorrow from EBay. Looking forward to reading it xx
I wish she would write more, she has done a couple of tours over the years here in the uK but I've never managed to get to one.
I appreciate the recommendation for this book, I really found it very interesting and understand dog language far better now. It's a short read which suits me as I don't have the concentration for long winded books It's written in a non science, straight forward, no nonsense way which is great. Highly recommended
Started reading this but keep getting interrupted. Perhaps I'll have a better chance of reading it tomorrow on the ferry to Portsmouth . Trying to decide what it means when Juno tries to eat the book as I hold it though
