I requested a copy of this book from New World Library knowing I would be adopting a dog soon. Of course, I didn’t know that I would be adopting two dogs. Here I am, with a crazy household but thankfully, a powerful resource in hand. And yes, I’m using this instructional guide by Marc Bekoff to help me navigate my new reality.

This book is a definitive doggy guidebook.

It begins with a brief education on dog psychology and behavior that is great for the novice or a gentle reminder for the seasoned pet owner. The author delves into understanding how dogs communicate and how to build a mutually beneficial relationship forged on the foundation of the centuries-old dog/human connection. The interesting twist is that it’s a blueprint to assist both species in understanding one another’s needs, instincts, and desires. But the bulk of the book is truly an A-Z “dogtionary” (sorry, my word) of everything canine. Kind of like picking up your foreign language handbook, but this one helps you communicate with pups. If it’s related to dogs, it’s in there.

Yes, the author knows his stuff and is the perfect person to create this book.

Bekoff is a professor emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, a Fellow of the Animal Behavior Society, and wrote this book from an ethologist bent. I also thought it was pretty cool that the introduction is by Jane Goodall, founder of the Goodall Institute and an expert on the human-animal connection. This lends authority to the wisdom imparted and provides an understanding around Bekoff’s passion to help people consider dogs from a better and more relatable perspective.

In a nutshell, if you have a dog—new or seasoned, young or old—pick up your copy of Dogs Demystified today!

Book and Image Courtesy of New World Library