THE BOOKSHELF

For those who enjoy reading about animals, or are looking for a gift for a "pet person", we are presenting brief book reviews of some of our favorite reads.


Puppy's First Steps, edited by Dr. Nicholas Dodman:  This is the best puppy book ever!  Dr. Dodman is the behavior specialist at the Tufts University Veterinary School, and the author of two best-selling books on pet behavior problems ("The Dog Who Loved Too Much" and "The Cat Who Cried For Help").  This puppy book tells you everything you need to know about:  How to choose a puppy, how to bring the new family member home, feeding, training, and most of all, how to understand your new dog.  Even if your dog is well past the puppy stage, there are plenty of useful things to learn from this book.  

Cesar's Way by Cesar Millan:  This self-taught master of the misbehaving canine is know to watchers of his television show as "The Dog Whisperer".  His central philosophy is that dogs need to be dogs in order to happy and well behaved.  His formula for the sucessful dog might be difficult for many dog owners to accept.  Cesar stresses that dogs need (in this order) exercise, discipline, and affection.  He advocates heavy exercise (running, fast walking) for 2 hours a day.  He insists on rigorous discipline to establish the dog's appropriate role at the bottom of the human "pack".  Only after the dog is tired and submissive can it receive affection.  These things are probably all true, although they may be difficult for many owners to achieve.  Cesar does go too far in his dominance-based approach; many of the behavior problems that he views as the dog trying to be the leader are actually the result of a fearful, anxious dog acting out, and taking a dominant approach could make the behavior worse.  The book is a good read, however, and an excellent reminder that dogs have their own needs.

The Hidden Life Of Dogs, by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas:
Ms Thomas is actually an anthropologist, but this short and very entertaining book tells about her Malemutes and their regular escapes from her fenced yard.  By following the dogs from a distance (much as a wildlife observer would do), the author tries to solve the mystery of why her dogs leave, where they go, and what they do along the way.  Her fascinating observations provide a revealing glimpse of why dogs behave the way that they do.  This is an enjoyable book for anyone who finds dog behavior interesting.

The Tribe Of The Tiger, by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas: 
Ms Thomas grew up in the plains of Africa, and has had experience with both domestic cats and their wild relatives.  This book presents the idea that cats are not the loners that we think,  but they are social in a different way from humans or dogs.  In addition, groups of cats develop cultures of their own that affect how they interact with each other.  Anyone with a multiple-cat household should read this to appreciate the subtle interactions of the cat family.

The Doctor's Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats is a compilation of home health care recommendations by various veterinarians from around the country.  caution should be used when consulting this book for any serious health problem, since the veterinarians were essentially asked "what can someone do at home for a particular condition?", not "what is the best thing for my pet?"   As long as the reader recognizes that "home remedies" are often not appropriate for serious health conditions, this is a good resource book for pet owners.

The Art of Raising A Puppy by The Monks Of New Skete is a classic.  This older book was the first to incorporate an understanding of the dog's natural behavior into a plan for a happy, well behaved dog.  This book was written some time ago, and there are some of their suggestions that are no longer  recommended (the "alpha rollover" technique for establishing a dominant relationship is too heavy-handed for the normal puppy, and most contemporary behavior specialists would now recommend against it).  Despite these few exceptions, this book is worth reading for the new puppy owner.