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michaelyuen 's review for:
How to Speak Dog: A Guide to Decoding Dog Language
by Aline Alexander Newman, Gary Weitzman
Originally, I picked this up from Goodwill in Fairmont, West Virginia. That has nothing to do with the book, but I think it's cool.
My girlfriend and I were finally committing to adopting a dog, so it was the perfect time to read this! I'd recommend it to anyone that wants to learn more about dogs and how they communicate, whether a dog owner or not. Each page or set of pages covers a single topic, so it would work well as a coffee table book, bathroom book, something to read on the subway, etc. The accompanying pictures are also great! Who doesn't enjoy looking at cute dogs?
But the main attraction is the content! The content is pretty good for what it is. There is certainly some fluff, but treating it as a high level introduction to dog language and behavior I have no particular complaints. I feel many people misunderstand dogs due to anthropomorphizing them and the information presented can be really helpful in clarifying reality versus assumptions. For example, why don't dogs love being hugged? Of course some do, but understanding how dogs communicate helps inform why hugs can hinder that and cause unexpected reactions.
It's also worth mentioning there are various parts of the book intended to directly engage the reader, and these are really great! Each section has a part that describes a real scenario with a real dog that challenges you to reflect on the material and consider why the dog's behavior is what it is. As is reality, the answers aren't always clear! Also, there's a quiz at the end to further test the reader's comprehension and understanding of dog language. Good stuff!
Last bit I'll mention, there's a factoid about where the name "Labrador Retriever" originates from, and it is totally not what I guessed!!!
My girlfriend and I were finally committing to adopting a dog, so it was the perfect time to read this! I'd recommend it to anyone that wants to learn more about dogs and how they communicate, whether a dog owner or not. Each page or set of pages covers a single topic, so it would work well as a coffee table book, bathroom book, something to read on the subway, etc. The accompanying pictures are also great! Who doesn't enjoy looking at cute dogs?
But the main attraction is the content! The content is pretty good for what it is. There is certainly some fluff, but treating it as a high level introduction to dog language and behavior I have no particular complaints. I feel many people misunderstand dogs due to anthropomorphizing them and the information presented can be really helpful in clarifying reality versus assumptions. For example, why don't dogs love being hugged? Of course some do, but understanding how dogs communicate helps inform why hugs can hinder that and cause unexpected reactions.
It's also worth mentioning there are various parts of the book intended to directly engage the reader, and these are really great! Each section has a part that describes a real scenario with a real dog that challenges you to reflect on the material and consider why the dog's behavior is what it is. As is reality, the answers aren't always clear! Also, there's a quiz at the end to further test the reader's comprehension and understanding of dog language. Good stuff!
Last bit I'll mention, there's a factoid about where the name "Labrador Retriever" originates from, and it is totally not what I guessed!!!