Dog Packs

While most of dogs we’re familiar with live among humans, wild dogs live very different lives, revolving around the pack. Like an army, dog packs depend heavily on rank to function. Easy-to follow text is accompanied by clear photos showing coyotes, dingoes, and other wild dogs in their natural habitats and illustrating for readers what living in the wild is like for dogs. Dog owners may even come away with a better understanding of their own pet’s “pack mentality.”

Over the last 30 years the African wild dog population has declined dramatically. Dogs have disappeared from 25 of the 39 countries where they were previously found, and only 6 populations are believed to number more than 100. Today it is believed that only between 3,000-5,500 dogs remain in 600-1,000 packs with most to be found in eastern and southern Africa. The dramatic reduction in their population is attributed to a number of factors including human population growth and activities, deterioration of habitat, and contact with domestic dogs and their diseases. This Action Plan explores some of the reasons behind their disappearance and provides a number of proposed solutions split into 3 priority areas, ranging from habitat management and conservation to monitoring domestic dogs.

The first book to summarize the burgeoning research literature on the behavioural ecology of the dog. It presents a new ecological approach to the understanding of dog behaviour and highlights directions for future research. Providing links to human and primate behaviour research, it will appeal to anyone interested in behavioural ecology.

From two of the world’s leading authorities on dogs, an imaginative journey into a future of dogs without people What would happen to dogs if humans simply disappeared? Would dogs be able to survive on their own without us? A Dog’s World imagines a posthuman future for dogs, revealing how dogs would survive—and possibly even thrive—and explaining how this new and revolutionary perspective can guide how we interact with dogs now. Drawing on biology, ecology, and the latest findings on the lives and behavior of dogs and their wild relatives, Jessica Pierce and Marc Bekoff—two of today’s most innovative thinkers about dogs—explore who dogs might become without direct human intervention into breeding, arranged playdates at the dog park, regular feedings, and veterinary care. Pierce and Bekoff show how dogs are quick learners who are highly adaptable and opportunistic, and they offer compelling evidence that dogs already do survive on their own—and could do so in a world without us. Challenging the notion that dogs would be helpless without their human counterparts, A Dog’s World enables us to understand these independent and remarkably intelligent animals on their own terms.

Often the best advice comes from personal experience, so who better to offer counsel on dogs than their owners? Dog Park Wisdom shares a grassroots approach to pet care, from Fido's introduction to a new baby, to the best way to remove dog stains from car upholstery, to the ultimate shoe-chewing prevention tactic. Presented in the context of everyday life, hundreds of dog owners, dog park visitors, and folks from the ''new dog economy'' share hands-on wisdom and tips about the often confusing and contradictory world of dog ownership. Personal stories of advice givers and their dogs are woven throughout. Meet the dog-loving software engineer who gave up a stressful career at Microsoft to become a dog walker, and the international development worker who discovered a cure for her dog's hotspots in Uganda, which in turn helped fuel a small business project for women and girls there.

Dogs have been mankind's faithful companions for tens of thousands of years, yet today they are regularly treated as either pack-following wolves or furry humans. The truth is, dogs are neither--and our misunderstanding has put them in serious crisis. What dogs really need is a spokesperson, someone who will assert their specific needs. Renowned anthrozoologist Dr. John Bradshaw has made a career of studying human-animal interactions, and in Dog Sense he uses the latest scientific research to show how humans can live in harmony with--not just dominion over-- their four-legged friends. From explaining why positive reinforcement is a more effective (and less damaging) way to control dogs' behavior than punishment to demonstrating the importance of weighing a dog's unique personality against stereotypes about its breed, Bradshaw offers extraordinary insight into the question of how we really ought to treat our dogs.

The bestselling author and star of National Geographic Channel's Dog Whisperer shows you how to develop the calm-assertive energy of a successful pack leader and use it to improve your dog’s life–and your own Be the Pack Leader is Cesar Millan’s guide for taking your relationship with your dog to a higher level. By developing the skills necessary to become the calm-assertive owner your dog needs in order for him to live a balanced, fulfilled life, you’ll improve your dog’s behavior and your own life as well. Be the Pack Leader is filled with practical tips and techniques, including: • How to use calm-assertive energy in relating to your dog—and to others around you • The truth about behavioral tools, from leashes and harnesses to clickers and e-collars • How to satisfy the needs of your dog’s breed • Success stories from Cesar’s clients, viewers, and fans—including the Grogan family of Marley & Me fame • A quick reference guide of specific, step-by-step procedures to tackling some of the most common dog behavior problems “[Cesar] arrives amid chaos and leaves behind peace.” —Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker “[Millan is] serene and mesmerizing. . . . He deserves a cape and a mask.” —New York Times

More than 70 percent of dog owners take their four-legged pals on the road. Washington State hosts millions of visitors each year, and for travelers and residents alike, "Canine Washington" may just be the only guidebook they'll need. The detailed information on hikes, lodging, and other activities takes the special interests of both dog and caretaker into account.