The Secret Language of Dogs is a fun read. Fans of Animal
Planet will recognize the author, Victoria Stilwell, as host of the show It’s Me or the Dog. Although she gives
tips about dog training, this book is more about dog understanding, essential
for a current owner or someone considering adding a dog to the family. From
body language to barking, Stilwell attempts to translate dog actions so we dull
humans can understand what our pets are really trying to say.
Stilwell is a strong proponent of compassionate training
techniques and how they can be used in managing your pet. Dominance, for
instance, is important for maintaining order in a pack, but dominance is not
the same as aggression. According to Stilwell it evolved as a way to avoid
vicious conflict over resources. Dominant dogs can use behavior such as simple
looks or paw touches that don’t necessarily involve violence. A person who uses
physical force to control an animal is more bully than pack leader.
The book is divided into two sections. Part I: The Secret
Inner Experiences of Dogs covers such topics as affection and how dogs learn. She
adds a bit of sciency stuff such as the effect of oxytocin on dogs’ brains, but
not enough to turn off casual readers. Although this isn’t a training manual, Stilwell
also includes brief Top Tips and Training Tips which are more like games you
can play with your dog to promote bonding and good behavior. None of them are
complicated. All require more patience than anything and would be good
activities to help a child learn responsibility for a new pet.
Part II: The Secret Meanings of Body and Vocal Language has
topics such as paw preference. (Yes, there are right- and left-pawed
dogs.) It also clarifies the meaning
between a dog’s different physical movements such as tail wagging and head
tilting. I found the section on aging particularly interesting as Stilwell
details the physical and mental decline common in older dogs, and how an owner
can help boost cognitive health.
The book is light in the section on aggressive
dogs. There is no discussion, pro or con, on the use of muzzles or different
types of leashes. As I noted, this isn’t a training manual and the sense from
the author is that if a dog shows signs of aggression, the owner needs to call a
trainer immediately.
The Secret Language of
Dogs is fun and uncomplicated with lots of cute pictures that will appeal
to both older children and adults. By the end, the reader learns that dogs' thoughts are actually more complicated than Eat now?, Walk now?, and I see a squirrel!
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for
a review.
