Arden Moore - The Dog Behavior Answer Book: Practical Insights & Proven Solutions for Your Canine Questions

Practical Insights & Proven Solutions for Your Canine Questions

ARDEN MOORE

ILLUSTRATED BY MATT AMBRE
FOREWORD BY JOHN GROGAN

The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by publishing practical information that encourages personal independence in harmony with the environment.

Edited by Lisa H. Hiley

Art direction by Mary Velgos

Cover design by Kent Lew

Text design by Jessica Armstrong

Text production by Jennifer Jepson Smith

Illustrations by Matt Ambre

Indexed by Christine R. Lindemer, Boston Road Communications

2006 by Arden Moore

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other without written permission from the publisher.

The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author or Storey Publishing. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this information. For additional information please contact Storey Publishing, 210 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Moore, Arden.

The dog behavior answer book: practical insights and proven solutions for your canine questions / by Arden Moore; Illustrated by Matt Ambre.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-58017-644-6 (pbk. : alk. paper)

1. DogsBehaviorMiscellanea. 2. DogsTrainingMiscellanea. I. Title.

SF433.M64 2006

636.70835dc22

2006020472

I dedicate this book to my delightful friends Cindy and Flo; my dog-adoring siblings, Deb, Karen, and Kevin; my wonderful niece Chrissy and nephew Andy; my cool dog Chipper; and our favorite canine play pals, Buddy, Cleo, Stella, and Gracie.

Find out what makes a dog behave like a dog. Learn about canine senses, emotions, and instincts. Discover fascinating facts about dog intelligence, puppy love, and breed-specific behaviors.

Dogs and people have lived together for eons, but we dont always communicate well with our canine companions. Brush up on barking, learn about body language, and sharpen your ability to speak canine-ese.

Our dogs often have habits that we find puzzling, amusing, and sometimes downright disgusting. Find out more about canine quirks and foibles and learn how to change the ones you cant live with.

Life with a badly behaved dog is no fun for anyone, including the dog. Explore training and behavioral issues and discover ways to raise a mannerly pup or to teach an old dog some new tricks.

We love our dogs, but sometimes they drive us crazy. And sometimes its hard to tell whos the top dog in the house. Figure out a more peaceful existence with your best friend.

Life is full of changes and choices, some of them difficult. Here are some tips for coping with death, divorce, moving, and more.

As dog owners, my wife Jenny and I were I wont mince words here totally clueless. We picked out a puppy without first researching breeds or their personality traits. We didnt insist on meeting the sire. We went on curb appeal alone, choosing looks over temperament. We ended up falling in love at first sight with an adorable yellow Labrador retriever pup who quickly morphed into a 97-pound steamroller of unbridled energy. We named him Marley and spent the next 13 years trying to get him under control, never quite succeeding.

I, only half jokingly, dubbed Marley the worlds worst dog, and in many ways he was. He crashed through screens, dug through drywall, gnawed furniture, swallowed jewelry, stole food off the kitchen table, and rooted through trash. He yanked at his leash and drank from the bathtub. He joyfully lunged at guests, leaping up on them with muddy paws to plant wet kisses on their faces. He sniffed crotches and flung drool through the air. Not even dog lovers appreciated it.

What I now realize is that Marley wasnt the worst dog, only one of the worst trained dogs. Jenny and I ran our house like a democracy, and Marley soon learned he had an equal vote. Obey orders? No way! He never did quite get the whole chain-of-command thing.

Thats where Arden Moores The Dog Behavior Answer Book could have helped us in a big way. Had we had Ardens commonsense expertise then, we would have better understood what motivated Marleys bad-boy behavior and been able to formulate a strategy to change, or at least temper, it. Good, solid advice from knowledgeable experts is the first step to having a reliably well-behaved pet who will bring joy and pleasure to its owners, not frustration and heartache.

Then again, had I followed Ardens wise advice in this book, Marley might have been so good I never would have been tempted to write a book about him. No doubt about it, bad dogs make for good reading. But good dogs are what every pet owner wants and deserves. Arden and her team of animal-behavior experts can show you the way.

John Grogan

Author of Marley & Me: Life and Love
with the Worlds Worst Dog

If only our dogs could get by on their cute looks. After all, many people are initially drawn to a particular puppy or dog because of its physical appearance. Arent her floppy ears adorable? How can I say no to that sweet face?

Unfortunately, some dogs grow up to be more challenging than cute, more fearful than fun, more bossy than benign. The people/pet honeymoon ends abruptly and the problem-solving phase begins. Your dog puzzles you. Why does he chase that tennis ball again and again? Or greet your date by sniffing his butt? Or bark-bark-bark whenever you speak on the phone? You want answers to save the remaining leather shoes in your closet, the prize roses in your garden, and the plush carpet in your living room.

You wish you could wave a magic wand and engage in a meaningful person-to-dog chat. You want to know why your dog wants to pick a fight with your dishwasher, but runs with his tail tucked from a kid on a skateboard. You want to learn how to stop her from yanking on the leash and stealing your pillow at bedtime.

Thats why I wrote this book. Think of The Dog Behavior Answer Book as a guide to how dogs think. What makes this book stand out like a Great Dane in a pack of Yorkies is that I answer actual questions from owners like you who just want enjoy a great relationship with that tail-wagger sharing your home. During the past few years, Ive been collecting queries posed to me during appearances on television and radio pet shows, at dog events (my favorite was judging Americas Search for the Least Obedient Dog), at public speaking presentations, and as a former pet columnist for