The Story Of Your Dog

EXPERT DOG TRAINER AND BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF LUCKY DOG LESSONS, BRANDON MCMILLAN REVEALS THE SURPRISING CONNECTION BETWEEN DOG BREED, BEHAVIOR, EVOLUTION, and GENETICS TO COMMUNICATE BETTER, TRAIN EASIER and BUILD A LASTING BOND WITH ANY DOG After weeks of perpetual "nos" and "offs" don't work, dog owners typically get frustrated, give up, and take the dog back to the shelter--a story repeated thousands of times each year. The sad truth is, dogs have been bred to have a deeply ingrained sense of purpose - like herding sheep, protecting livestock, tracking animals, killing vermin, and even accompanying royalty - but that purpose doesn't necessarily translate to a modern household. This makes training difficult, communication fraught, but most important, it impacts your ability to form a meaningful connection with your new dog. Expert trainer Brandon McMillan begins every training session with a new dog and owner by offering a deep dive into the specific breed and evolutionary forces at work in that unique dog's DNA. Every mutt, mixed breed, rescue, and even "purebred" dog has a complicated set of instincts at play, and those instincts are at the root of behavior problems. In The Story of Your Dog: A Straightforward Guide to a Complicated Animal, he gives pet parents these surprising and necessary insights and tools to bond with their dog in remarkable ways. The key is figuring out what your dog wants and needs by recognizing the biological instincts that drive him to nip, bark, lick, guard, chase, or pull, and then finding a healthy outlet for those instincts. Step 1 is accepting the link between prehistoric wolves and dogs, and the five wolf characteristics that govern dog behavior Step 2 is leaning into your unique dog's group and breed - from the Adorable Hunters (terriers) to the Benevolent Leaders (retrievers) and everywhere in-between - when you know the job your dog was bred for centuries to perform, you have a new lens on their sometimes confusing, alarming, or curious behaviors and how to redirect them The Story of Your Dog is an invitation to know more about the complicated dog at the other end of your leash. As Brandon McMillan shares in these pages, "When owners do the work to uncover the 15,000 years of purpose-driven breeding that motivates their dog, they quickly learn how to correct unwanted behaviors and provide their dog with a joyful existence that leads to a lasting bond."

Does your dog sleep a lot? Maybe he or she is bored. Why not try reading these three stories to your dog? Accompanied by lively illustrations, they are all about the things dogs understand best -- burglars, bones, and running free.

The #1 New York Times bestselling book from the author of The Year of the Puppy that asks what dogs know and how they think. The answers will surprise and delight you as Alexandra Horowitz, a cognitive scientist, explains how dogs perceive their daily worlds, each other, and that other quirky animal, the human. Horowitz introduces the reader to dogs’ perceptual and cognitive abilities and then draws a picture of what it might be like to be a dog. What’s it like to be able to smell not just every bit of open food in the house but also to smell sadness in humans, or even the passage of time? How does a tiny dog manage to play successfully with a Great Dane? What is it like to hear the bodily vibrations of insects or the hum of a fluorescent light? Why must a person on a bicycle be chased? What’s it like to use your mouth as a hand? In short, what is it like for a dog to experience life from two feet off the ground, amidst the smells of the sidewalk, gazing at our ankles or knees? Inside of a Dog explains these things and much more. The answers can be surprising—once we set aside our natural inclination to anthropomorphize dogs. Inside of a Dog also contains up-to-the-minute research—on dogs’ detection of disease, the secrets of their tails, and their skill at reading our attention—that Horowitz puts into useful context. Although not a formal training guide, Inside of a Dog has practical application for dog lovers interested in understanding why their dogs do what they do. With a light touch and the weight of science behind her, Alexandra Horowitz examines the animal we think we know best but may actually understand the least. This book is as close as you can get to knowing about dogs without being a dog yourself.

This is the story of a special relationship between a beloved dog and his family. A love that endured nearly fifteen years with many twists and turns. Some stories were very funny and some very frustrating at the time, but none the less a part of this amazing story. It is a true story of a special love of a dog who became more of a family "member" than of just a dog. For those of you who are true animal lovers, this story will make you laugh and cry and feel the frustration of having a dog who sometimes really believes he is a human and then feel the anguish of making some critical decisions regarding your dog. It is mostly a story of all the years of memories, both good and then some you would like to forget. Read this book with a sense of knowing that a beloved dog IS a real part of your family and a member who is treated the same as everyone else, albeit a dog.

Your dog deserves a "celebration of life" video. Here's how to video record your dog's life story or make a movie, DVD, training documentary, or Time Capsule starring your dog included in your intergenerational family. Learn to record your dog's life story. Nearly everybody uses a camcorder to make videos of the family dog or takes pictures and puts them in a scrapbook to remember a dog as part of a family. Put your videos on DVDs, Flash Drives, CDs, or save to your computer linked to your camcorder for editing. From the time you first bring home a new puppy, a "this is your life" video podcast or disc of your dog's memorable moments can become part of a family history video newsletter or keepsake heirloom album. Learn how to conserve, protect videos, diaries, scrapbooks, or photos in digital or acid-free paper scrap books. Produce a personal, family, or salable video starring you and your dog. If you want to make the video available to others, you'll find instruction here on how to write, finance, produce, distribute, publicize, launch, promote, and market salable dog documentaries that include intergenerational family video newsletters or videos that feature prominently dogs or any pet.

This is the story of a special relationship between a beloved dog and his family. A love that endured nearly fifteen years with many twists and turns. Some stories were very funny and some very frustrating at the time, but none the less a part of this amazing story. It is a true story of a special love of a dog who became more of a family "member" than of just a dog. For those of you who are true animal lovers, this story will make you laugh and cry and feel the frustration of having a dog who sometimes really believes he is a human and then feel the anguish of making some critical decisions regarding your dog. It is mostly a story of all the years of memories, both good and then some you would like to forget. Read this book with a sense of knowing that a beloved dog IS a real part of your family and a member who is treated the same as everyone else, albeit a dog.

Did you ever wonder why your dog sleeps so much? Perhaps your dog is bored. Maybe it’s raining and your dog can’t go outside. On days like this, you can always read a book. But most dogs can’t read, even the smart ones. There is something really nice you can do for your dog, however. Sara Swan Miller and True Kelley have joined forces to create three new and funny dog adventures. Read your dog the stories in this book—and always remember to pet your dog while you read!

Most of us will experience various forms of heartbreak, loss, and tragedy at some point in our lives. Joan did, experiencing the loss of some of her closest family members and beloved pets, all within a very short time. She lost her best friends and main support system overnight. It was as if a sink hole opened and swallowed her, and she was lost in darkness and depression every day. She was still alive, but she needed a miracle. Hope. A new best friend. A new sounding board, a new cheerleader that would always be there to root for her. Joan desired someone or something to end her darkness and loss of direction. Magically, a miracle soon appeared in the form of a beautiful charming dog, Rio, a gift to her, but she didn't realize it at first. Slowly and surely her new canine friend diagnosed her malady and started her healing process by providing her with unconditional love every day and enticing her back into the bright daylight of life. Step by canine step, her devoted Rio encouraged her daily to pursue new activities together with him. These included showing in the conformation ring and trialing in rally and herding and other dog sports. The training, practice, and competition of these activities, coupled with meeting new friends in training and at the shows were just what Joan needed. Her clouds of darkness and loneliness started to dissipate. Joan's passage through this portion of her life may help the reader deal with their own loss of family, friends, and furry and feathered companions when that time arrives. The ability of her sweet boy, Rio, to lovingly kiss her every day, heal her wounds and lead her out of her depression may even encourage many to visit their local pet rescue to find that sweet soul that will move them to once again join in the beautiful dance of life This precious and heartwarming book is written for everyone, not just pet owners.Younger readers and those new to dog showing and trialing, and other activities no matter what age, will be fascinated by the number of activities that are available to them. Readers, pet owners or not, will be intrigued by the discussion of the intelligence and abilities of many canine breeds that are just recently attaining recognition for their many talents including cancer detection. Most importantly, Joan's candidness and honesty in relating to and resolving her deep sadness might help all of us deal with life's low points and perhaps prevent other tragedies as we have too often seen and heard about lately. This book will exceed everyone's expectations on the very important role that dogs and other pets have in our lives. As Joan learned, by sharing charming Rio with beautiful people in nursing homes and hospice settings, many that do not have visitors, life with a dog can be very fulfilling, not only for the dog owner, but for those angels that a therapy dog team lovingly visits. If you are looking for a book of rebirth, triumph and the re-celebration of life, this book delivers this message powerfully, and you will surely find Joan and Rio's story heartwarming and inspirational. This truly is a must read book for everyone