A Modern Dog's Life

June 15, 2010

Veterinarian, animal behaviorist, professor of veterinary medicine (Univ. of Sydney, Australia), and author (Carrots and Sticks: Principles of Animal Training), McGreevy challenges some long-held assumptions concerning the human-canine relationship. Instead of defining themselves as owners, keepers, or alpha leaders, humans should see themselves as their dogs' "life coaches." He argues that people must do the best for their dogs, rather than try to get the best out of their dogs. To accomplish this, they should eschew the concept of drive and interpret canine behavior in terms of motivation and attention. VERDICT This is a book for those who wish not just to coexist with dogs but also to understand their cognitive abilities. For the person wanting to comprehend the underlying principles of current positive-reinforcement training methods, this is an essential read, though it breaks no new ground in terms of canine behavioral science a la Karen Pryor's Don't Shoot the Dog! (1999), Stanley Coren's How Dogs Think (2004), and Alexandra Horowitz's Inside of a Dog (2009). Psychology students studying operant conditioning and behavior modification will also learn much from this book.--Florence Scarinci, Nassau Community Coll. Lib., Garden City, NY

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