Help With Books

IceGirl

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone! :)
I'm new here and I'm not sure this the right place to post this, but anyway....
I'm a girl from Slovenia and I'm finishing my high school next. In the last year we must choose a topic, something we're interested in, and work on it for a year (Senior Project). I've chosen "Relationship between human and dog" (how did our relationship with dogs change through history, how dogs learn, positive training methods vs "old school", behavioral problems...).
Now I need your help with choosing books, articles, TV shows...anything that comes to your mind and covers this areas.
So far I've been thinking about using this books:
  • Pat Miller: The power of positive dog training
  • Jean Donaldson: The culture clash
  • Suzanne Clothier: Bones would rain from the sky
  • Emma Parsons: Click to calm
  • Jean Donaldson: Dogs are from Neptune
  • Nan Kene Arthur: Chill out Fido
And documentary "Dogs decoded"​
I haven't read all of the books yet, so if you have read any of them, you are more than welcome to share your thoughts. :)
Thank you for your help!
 

charmedwolf

Moderator
Staff member
That's cool that you get the whole year. Our only lasted 3 months. Mine was about Dog Temperament in regards to Nature or Nurture.

The Domestic Dog: Its Evolution, Behaviour and Interactions with People by James Serpell. Was one of the books that I used a ton in my essay. It follows mostly on how the dog became as it is and has a few experiements that were done on the temperament and development of puppies.

Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor will help you with how dogs learn as she has a scientific explaination for exactly how they learn.

Good luck and I hope it turns out great!
 

sara

Moderator
Staff member
Reaching the Animal Mind, by Karen Pryor is a tad more modern, and has video's that corrispond on the website for the book :) but Dont shoot the dog was a great read too! You've chosen some very good books, and it's a fantastic start!
 

IceGirl

Well-Known Member
Thank you both! I'll definitely check out the books you recommended... I've actually been thinking about Karen Pryor's books before, but I wasn't sure how different are they from The culture clash. But now I will definitely add them to my list.:)

That's cool that you get the whole year. Our only lasted 3 months.
We have a whole year because, although we have to do a theoretical part where we write about our topic, the most important thing is practical part (actually doing something). For example, me and my dog Aske are going to work on some tricks and train Rally Obedience. And because we have chosen so many different things (diving, photography, skiing, rocket science...), not all of them can be done in 3 months or during summer.
 

sara

Moderator
Staff member
Karen Pryor basically invented Clicker Training. She started with Dolphins in the 60's. Her books are not about dogs, but about the method of clicker training. In "Reaching the Animal Mind" she talks about horses, dolphins, dogs, cats, wolves, Zoo animals, people, fish and a crab. And the science behind clicker training.
 

tx_cowgirl

Honored Member
Staff member
As for communication between people and dogs, check out Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas.
Also...you are lucky! You live in SLOVENIA...gorgeous country, and home to Silvia Trkman. She is my training idol. ^^ Hopefully, for your sake, you aren't really far away from her. Check out her YouTube channel (yolle555).

Anything by Jean Donaldson or Patricia McConnell is great. Emma Parsons is also very good. The list you have so far should help you out a lot. :)
 

IceGirl

Well-Known Member
Also...you are lucky! You live in SLOVENIA...gorgeous country, and home to Silvia Trkman. She is my training idol. ^^ Hopefully, for your sake, you aren't really far away from her. Check out her YouTube channel (yolle555).
Yeah I know I am lucky.(y) But when my dog was young enough to go to puppy class, we didn't live where we live now and we couldn't attend Silvia's classes. But I've recently read they also accept adult dogs, so am thinking of asking her if we can join. Anyway, I have read most of her blogs in English and Slovenian, watched her videos (I couldn't believe my eyes when I watched he "Puppy class" video!) and have a friend we lives close enough to attend her classes. She is amazing!(y)
 
Top