Robert Vetere - From Wags to Riches: How Dogs Teach Us to Succeed in Business & Life

This book doesnt rely on outdated theories about pack leadership with alpha dogs attempting to achieve world domination. From Wags to Riches beautifully illustrates what modern behavioral science tells us: the most effective leaders (dog or human) dont force their will on othersthey find out what motivates their followers and help them make good choices.

V ICTORIA S TILWELL , world-renowned dog trainer and host of Animal Planets Its Me or the Dog

Bob Vetere has been a professional champion of a surprisingly resilient sector of our economy: pets. We may scrimp on ourselves, but well always find a way to afford the best food for Fido. Now, with From Wags to Riches, he explains how business success flows from our understandingand adoptingsome of the same traits animals use to win our devotion. A fun read for alpha CEOs as well as bystanders at the corporate dog run!

M ICHAEL S CHAFFER , author of One Nation Under Dog

In this fun read, Robert Vetere brilliantly develops this metaphor between dog-human relationships and solid, collaborative business practices by offering examples from his own fascinating experiences as a successful businessman. Even if youre not a business executive or MBA student, From Wags to Riches offers lessons on business (and life) that everyone should know.

D R. A LAN B ECK , director of the Center of the Human Animal Bond, Purdue Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University

I am a dog lover for over 58 years and have been a business entrepreneur for the past 30 years. How Bob has connected the dots between the similarities of dogs, people, relationships, and business is just phenomenal. Every MBA student, every executive looking to move ahead, and maybe any manger struggling with responsibility, along with anyone who loves dogs and business, needs to read this book. Every chapter is absolutely illuminating and intuitive. At the end of the day, From Wags to Riches was like eating comfort food made me feel warm and cozy. We all can learn a lot from this well-written and entertaining book.

T HOMAS A. C OOK , managing director and CEO of American River International, LTD

Copyright 2011 by Robert Vetere

Introduction 2011 by Robert Vetere

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

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To Brenda, Rob, and Josh
Who bring color, joy, and humor to my life

And to Perseus (20102011)
The office dog everyone should have
Gone too soon

Which came first: books on business or books on dogs? I bet if you dug deep enough, youd find that our interest in dogs and in business goes back almost as far as we do, if for no other reason than for many generations working dogs were part of our business, as sheepdogs, hunting dogs, sled dogs, guard dogs, and more.

These days, of course, most dogs are born retired, and animals dont figure much in books on business, with the possible exception of the rodents in the best seller Who Moved My Cheese? An AmazingWay to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life. But if you think there arent some lessons from sharing your life with dogs that can help you in business, then Id like you to meet my friend Bob Vetere, author of this innovative and entertaining business book.

If the idea seems ridiculousbusiness advice drawn from dogs?then youve either never had a dog or never thought much about the great lessons dogs teach us. As a practicing veterinarian, author of bestselling books on pets, and frequent guest expert on Good Morning America, Ive long been aware of this connection. A resourceful businessman, Bob is an industry leader who is fascinated by the human-animal bond, and well respected among researchers in that field. Over the years he has used stories about his golden retriever to teach the principles of teamwork and creativity. His insights will be useful to CEOs and managers, as well as anyone who needs to learn how to wag their tail to get ahead in business. Theres even a wonderful chapter on the benefits of bringing your dog to work with you.

But you dont have to own a dog to benefit from the lessons in this book. You just have to think caninebe open, enthusiastic, and willing to experiment. Bob is a funny man, and his sense of humor comes through in stories of CEOs who rely on their doglike wisdom to get some astonishing results.

Bob knows the importance of working in a tight-knit pack, cultivating a doglike empathy for others, sniffing out the competition, and using your canine instincts to tune in to others moods and emotions. In short, he tells you how to read people as well as a dog can read humans, enabling you to create enduring bonds in the workplace.

This smart, fun read will tell much about how to succeed in life and business. Buy it before your competition does. Because as the saying goes, If you arent the lead dog, the scenery never changes.

D R . M ARTY B ECKER
Americas Veterinarian
DrMartyBecker.com

M ove over, Jack Welch and Warren Buffett. The new role model for business leaders isnt a corporate superstar or one of Americas wealthiest tycoons. Its the family dog. Whats behind this love affair between top dogs in the corporation and their canine companions? Dogs reflect our social self. They show us how to work in teams and build strong alliances, and they have much to teach us about leadership, loyalty, and trust.

According to an informal poll of CEOs conducted in 2009 by USA Today, 67 percent of CEOs surveyed own dogs, compared with 39 percent of the general population. Moreover, these top executives say mans best friend has taught them a good deal about how to succeed in business and in life.

They may be on to something. Dogs are much more than pets that are loved, spoiled, and fretted over. Biologists believe that mans best friend was a kind of genetic pilot for the human race. By keeping us warm, alerting us to danger, helping in the hunt, and cleaning up our scraps, dogs have shown humans how to collaborate.

Canis familiaris