Why Does My Dog Act That Way?

A Complete Guide to Your Dog's Personality

We've shared our lives with dogs for thousands of years, but they still act in ways that baffle us. Do you ever look at Ginger's body language and wonder what she's about to do? Do you wish you could predict how King will act when brought into a new situation or meeting a new person? Do you compare your sweet, mild-mannered dog with your neighbor's aggressive, unruly canine and wonder where your neighbor went wrong? In short, do you ever wonder why dogs act that way?

This new book by the undisputed expert on dog behavior, intelligence, and training, Stanley Coren, answers all these questions and more. For many years, most people -- even scientists -- mistakenly believed that dogs were simply domesticated wolves, with natures, minds, and behaviors significantly diminished from those of their wild cousins. But recent discoveries have demonstrated that dogs are actually much more complex than wolves, coyotes, foxes, and other wild canines; their ability to adapt to a man-made world is far more flexible, and their personalities are far more diverse. Using the fascinating findings from scientific experiments by dog breeders and the domestication of foxes and wolves, Coren re-creates the story of how dogs evolved over time into the myriad forms and breeds we love today. With specific information on which breeds were bred to become more dominant, affectionate, cooperative, or even dangerous, this practical, surprising book can help you to select a new companion or simply to understand your old friend better.

In Why Does My Dog Act That Way? Dr. Coren also presents for the first time a simple, fun test you can administer to your own dog to get a detailed picture of his personality. Based on the personality-profiling questionnaires used in human psychological studies, the "Dog Behavior Inventory" is a straightforward, user-friendly test to help you analyze the personality of your dog in relation to other members of his breed. Using the findings of the U.S. Army's once-classified studies of "Superdogs," you, too, can train your pet to become a "superdog" -- a friendly, calm, confident, "bomb-proof" dog that is not disturbed, angered, or frightened by much of anything. New, exciting data also explain the characteristics that make some dogs act heroically -- the real-life equivalents of Lassie and Rin Tin Tin who spontaneously act to save human lives.

So, why does your dog act the way he does? You'll soon find out in this uniquely complete guide to dog psychology, filled with all the entertaining anecdotes and scientific data that Coren's avid followers have come to expect and enjoy.