Clever and insightful book on the body language of dogs and the subtle signals they send to each other. I have an Aussie mix who's sensitive to loud noises, including raised voices, and a Husky mix that is leash aggressive. In both cases, I can see the anxiety in their behavior when thrust into situations they do not like. Unfortunately, those situations are unavoidable and I picked up this book to try and help soothe their distress and help them live longer more relaxed lives.

Rugaas has a lifetime of experience rehabilitating dogs and is world renowned for her work on dog behavior and body language. This really reads like a pamphlet more than a book and follows the usual format for these sorts of endeavors. Credentials are given, behaviors outlined (and illustrated) with plenty of examples, how-tos are related so the reader knows how to practically apply what they've learned to their own situation and dogs. Does it work? With the Aussie, it seems to. I've adopted a couple of the relaxed signals and translated them to human form as best as possible to give off when he hears things outside like the train or the water heater cabinet shifting in the wind and it seems to bring him down really quickly. After a few grunts and concerned looks he plops himself back down and rolls onto his side. The next step is to try it with my more aggressive Husky, which is going to be a chore to say the least.

This is an informative, easy to understand short book, but once you've got it, you've got it. There's no real need to hold onto or reread it. If you've got an anxious or fearful dog, check this out, but if you can avoid buying it, do so. The work is also summarized quite nicely in a lot of other dog behavior books and I checked this out as Rugaas was cited multiple times as an authority on the issue. I think the better book for your issues might be [b:Help For Your Fearful Dog: A Step By Step Guide To Helping Your Dog Conquer His Fears|67764|Help For Your Fearful Dog A Step By Step Guide To Helping Your Dog Conquer His Fears|Nicole Wilde|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1170678753s/67764.jpg|65717].

Skvělé, zajímavé, informativní čtení o psí komunikaci a jak ji může sám člověk využít k lepšímu porozumění mezi ním a pejskem. Něco málo už jsem znala, ale autorka mi přiměla to uchopit z jiného úhlu pohledu a využít to lépe. A samozřejmě jsem si doplnila hromadu dalších informací. Čtení je to vhodné jak pro lidi, kteří mají problémového psa, tak pro ty, kteří mají toho nejposlušnějšího :) Mně jakožto majiteli psa velmi nervózního, hromádka nervů prostě, bez sebevědomí, s traumaty, si myslím, že cvičení této komunikace nám dost pomůže. Už dnes jsem něco malinko zkoušela a určitá odezva tam byla :) Jsem nadšená a chci toto zkoumat dál.

easy to read and understand. Great information.

a gem!

I am so glad I read this book 7 weeks into getting a young puppy! Saves me years of not understanding her, and putting her under stress unknowingly. I can now recognize her body language, especially understand when she is feeling uncomfortable or stressed; and make her happier with a gentler approach. It is also invaluable to understand dog-dog interactions so you can make sure you don’t put your dog into stressful situations. Ignore the drivel on the internet, and do yourself and your dog(s) a favor, and read this book.. After all, Who doesn’t want a dog that is happy, calm, independent, and stays by their side with love?

Note: This book is ONLY about calming signals I.e. signals dogs use when they are feeling stress in themselves, their humans or other dogs. It doesn’t deal with other canine language (e.g., happiness). So its range of applicability, while valuable, is limited. I will need to do more reading to understand my dog better!