Resources
Our passion for pets extends beyond our adventure services. We want to equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to keep your furry friend safe and happy while exploring the great outdoors or snuggled in at home. That's why we've compiled a list of resources to help you. We are committed to providing the best experience possible for both you and your pet, and our resources reflect that commitment.
The Woof Book Nook
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Dog Is Love:
Why and How Your Dog Loves You
Clive D. L. Wynne, PhD
The founding director of the Canine Science Collaboratory at Arizona State University
2019
"To be loved by a dog is a great privilege, perhaps one of the finest in a human life. May we prove ourselves worthy of it."
Wynne concludes that Love is the essence of dogs. Citing hundreds of scientific studies, visiting scientists studying canids around the world, and conducting a number of experiments alongside his students to analyze the behavior of dogs and uncover why and how dogs love us.
A few teasers:
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The human-dog bond can be observed on neurochemical level, citing a study at Emory University where dogs’ brains were scanned in an MRI machine.
Dogs were trained to lay still in an MRI machine! WOW
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An innovative approach to measuring the neurochemicals in humans and canines found: oxytocin levels in both humans and dogs spike when they look into each others eye.
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The results of a comparison of dog (912) and wolf (225) genomes show that dogs possess a “hyper sociability” gene that matches one in humans with a rare genetic condition known as Williams syndrome. People with this condition exhibit extremely outgoing personalities, among other traits.
In the final chapter of the book, “Dogs Deserve Better,” Wynne argues against training methods involving harsh punishment, laments the conditions in many shelters where such social creatures are isolated in a noisy and uncomfortable environment. Finally, he urges people to avoid leaving their furry companions home alone for a full workday.
What is a Dog?
by Raymond and Lorna Coppinger
This book has fundamentally changed my understanding of what dogs are with its dive into their behavior ecology; the study of their biology or nature of behavior.
"In this book, the Coppingers look at the world's dog population not by species or even by geographical categories but by local social roles: restricted dogs (fully dependent and fully restricted); family dogs (fully dependent and semirestricted); neighborhood dogs (semidependent and semi - or unrestricted); and feral dogs (independent and unrestricted).
In this way, the book tackles the fascinating question: are village dogs around the world essentially different from the many breeds that populate our homes and dog shows in the developed world?
The reason the planet can support the huge dog population, both pet and pest, is because human beings provided all dogs with a place and sometimes food and protection, indeed a niche found around the world - a niche in which dogs have lived for thousands of years. But without people, the village dog and the pampered pet alike would soon disappear - dogs would become extinct. "
Inside of a Dog; What Dogs See, Smell, and Know
by Alexandra Horowitz
A fascinating compilation of scientific studies in animal behavioral science and her own observations of dogs at play. Cognitive scientist Alexandra Horowitz dives into our understanding of a dogs Umwelt (OOM-velt): their subjective or "self-world." All animals have their own umwelten - their own subjective realities largely defined by two components – perception and action. Umwelt captures what life is like as an animal.
Consider the sensory world of your dog. Keen observers of our gaze, and micro movements who can smell across time. 'Inside of a Dog' is thought provoking, offering gentle, deconstructed correctives to many fallacies that still circulate today (15 years later)
Scientific and philosophical with elements of story-telling. I devoured this book, captivated from the very beginning to digging through its sources at the end.
The Other End Of The Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs
By Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D.
An enlightening book that offers a profound understanding of the complex relationship between humans and their canine companions. McConnell combines her scientific knowledge with personal anecdotes to deliver an engaging and eye-opening exploration of the canine mind.
By delving into the fascinating world of ethology, the science of understanding animal behavior as the interaction of evolution, genetics, learning and the environment. McConnell unravels the mysteries of dog behavior in a way accessible to readers of all backgrounds.
She highlights the impact of our body language, tone of voice, and emotional states on the dogs we interact with and provides invaluable advice on improving our communication skills and strengthening our connection with our pets. She reminds us that dogs are intelligent beings with emotions and instincts, and it is our responsibility to understand and cater to their needs. Writing is engaging, laced with humor, and heartfelt moments that will resonate with all dog lovers.
What is a Dog?
by Raymond and Lorna Coppinger
This book has fundamentally changed my understanding of what dogs are with its dive into their behavior ecology; the study of their biology or nature of behavior.
"In this book, the Coppingers look at the world's dog population not by species or even by geographical categories but by local social roles: restricted dogs (fully dependent and fully restricted); family dogs (fully dependent and semirestricted); neighborhood dogs (semidependent and semi - or unrestricted); and feral dogs (independent and unrestricted).
In this way, the book tackles the fascinating question: are village dogs around the world essentially different from the many breeds that populate our homes and dog shows in the developed world?
The reason the planet can support the huge dog population, both pet and pest, is because human beings provided all dogs with a place and sometimes food and protection, indeed a niche found around the world - a niche in which dogs have lived for thousands of years. But without people, the village dog and the pampered pet alike would soon disappear - dogs would become extinct. "
The Culture Clash: A revolutionary new way of understanding the relationship between humans and domestic dogs
By Jean Donaldson
Donaldson unravels common misconceptions around dog behavior and training. Beyond the 'how' in a step-by-step guide for dog training, Donaldson digs into the 'why'. People from all backgrounds can understand this presentation of the classical and operant conditioning practices in R+ training.
Donaldson convincingly demonstrates that dogs are NOT disobedient because they are trying to be dominant, but because they didn't understand what the cue means, or they find other instinctual stimulus more rewarding than what we are asking.
Preventative training is a big part of this book. Highlighting how many people try raising dogs by teaching them what NOT to do when they never taught them what TO do in the first place.
One of my favorite sections in this book is on how we can enrich the lives of our dogs through play that engages their natural instincts in the predatory sequence:
1. Search (find prey)
2. Stalk (stealthy approach to prey)
3. Rush (move rapidly towards prey)
4. Chase (if prey fleas)
5. Bite/hold/shake/kill (the prey)
6. Dissect and eat (the prey)
As well as chewing and food guarding
The voice of Donaldson is engaging, intelligent, direct, honest, and humorous. I'd enjoy having Donaldson as a dinner guest.
"The first task in training any animal is finding out what motivates it. No motivation, no training. All animals are motivated by food, water, s*x, and avoiding aversives. If they are not motivated by these at all, they die. A lot of animals can be motivated by play, attention, and the opportunity to socialize with or investigate other dogs and interesting smells. All animals can be motivated by signals that represent one of these primary reinforcers, provided the relationship between the signal and the primary is kept adequately strong. This is mostly where praise comes in, as a sort of imprecise marker that tells the animal the probability of a primary has improved. If you opt not to use positive enforcement, you end up, like they all do, using aversives and announcing that you dog's doing it for you. Pathetic."