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“A must read for all dog owners.” —The Washington Post “The best key to what dogs are thinking.” —The Seattle Times How to Speak Dog is one of the few books today that show us what dogs are trying to tell us, not just how we can control them. Parlez-vous Doggish? At long last, dogs will know just how smart their owners can be. By unlocking the secrets of the hidden language of dogs, psychologist Stanley Coren allows us into the doggy dialogue, or “Doggish,” and makes effective communication a reality. Drawing on substantial research in animal behavior, evolutionary biology, and years of personal experience, Coren demonstrates that the average house dog can understand language at about the level of a two-year-old human. While actual conversation of the sort Lassie seemed capable of in Hollywood mythmaking remains forever out of reach, Coren shows us that a great deal of real communication is possible beyond the giving and obeying of commands. How to Speak Dog not only provides the sounds, words, actions, and movements with which we can effectively communicate with our dogs, but also deciphers the signs that our dogs give to us. With easy-to- follow tips on how humans can mimic the language dogs use to talk with one another, original drawings illustrating the subtleties of their body language, and a handy visual glossary and “Doggish” phrasebook, How to Speak Dog gives dog lovers the skills they need to improve their relationships with their pets. Read more
Publisher : Atria Books
Publication date : April 17, 2001
Language : English
Print length : 288 pages
ISBN-10 : 074320297X
ISBN-13 : 78
Item Weight : 12 ounces
Dimensions : 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.44 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #886,818 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #51 in Dog Breeds (Books) #72 in Mammal Zoology #304 in Dog Training (Books)
#51 in Dog Breeds (Books):
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Top Amazon Reviews
Format: Paperback
This is a very useful book that will, I promise, help you make positive changes in the way that you interact with your dog, even if you already have a great relationship. Author Stanley Coren writes clearly and compellingly and provides a wealth of specific and helpful information in a modest number of pages. I read the Kindle version on my iPhone and sometimes missed stops on the train because I was so deep into the text. Coren not only describes typical situations where people misconstrue a dog's behavior (growling, barking, etc.) but offers up a lot of interesting tidbits about the co-evolution of dogs and humans and the probable reasons that motivate dogs to do what they do. It's all very interesting and at times quite surprising. I searched out this book because I have a rescue dog who is sometimes aggressive and I couldn't figure out how to deal with his behavior, nor could I determine what was causing it. Coren explains a good deal about the things dogs see as threats and how they communicate their feelings to us. And he also explains how we, in turn, can respond to our dogs so as to defuse negative situations. Many canine behaviors stem from a dog's understanding of dominance within his family, a substitute pack. And these behaviors are often misinterpreted by people. One example that Coren gives is of a dog that consistently leans against a person. While the person may think the dog is signaling affection, in truth the dog is attempting to make the person shift position, which is a sign that the dog is dominant. This amazed me because my dog does that very thing. I thought he was loving me up, but it turns out he is merely trying to make me give him my place on the sofa! Similarly, when my dog stared at me while I was eating, I thought he was just being cute, trying to gain my sympathy. In fact, his stare is a challenge and if I give him some of my food he interprets that gesture as me being submissive. This is a slippery slope because it seems that in being generous I have been telling my dog that he is in charge of our household. This only furthers his aggressive tendencies. Now that I am armed with the information from this terrific book, things will be changing around my house.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2012 by B. McEwan
Format: Paperback
For the price, I really like this book! As a speech and language pathologist (SLP) with a very "vocal" rescue dog that also communicates through non-verbal gestures, I was frustrated by not always being able to interpret what she was clearly trying to tell me--especially given the fact she had a bad past life before I adopted her. I was looking for not a "cutsey" book but something with more substance and evidence/facts. I like how this outlines different types of vocalizations and what it may mean, as well as provide visuals to illustrate some of the different behaviors. I think my dog is more vocal than most, so not all vocalizations she had that I wondered about were on there. Unfortunately, the one I was really curious about was not on there--a sort of howl/whine that she does if we have interacted with a dog on the walk then see them again, not sure if she WANTS to see the dog again or is telling me she does not want to interact again. If I let the leash loose, she continues walking and does not try to turn toward them, so I'm thinking she may not want to interact again. However, I wish I knew for sure! However, all in all I am very pleased. I would give it a 4.5 stars if I could, but since I cannot, I will give it 5 stars! Pleased overall. Nice book for any people who want to know more basic evidence/facts about dog behavior and communication.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2018 by CF
Format: Kindle
About my dog. I will admit it wasn't a quick read. A lot was very technical with reports from studies. But the stories of interaction, analogies were well written and brought me back to continue reading. Having watch the dog whisperer on tv I thought the book would be similar, however not even close. I better understand what my dog wants, what he needs, and how I ( unknowingly) make him happy. I wish I had read this when he was a pup. Long waits for him to relieve himself might have been quicker. Finding why dogs mark hydrants or trees may sound boring until you hear of the dog that would do flips while a stream was released against the tree. Guess you need to read to find out. Because I felt the information was excellent I gave it four stars, as I said a slow read but worth while Just my opinion
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Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2013 by Lawrence Bolger
Format: Paperback
After reading "How To Speak Dog:.." I am now fluent in Doggish. Author Stanley Coren really made it easy to effectively communicate with our mix-breed rescue dog, Finn. Finn came to New York from "The Peach State" to join our family, so he speaks with a noticeable Southern drawl. He likes to say that his mother is a Dachshund and his father is from Georgia; Turns out he has a strange sense of humor. Finn has explained that you don't really know somebody until you've sniffed their butt. Thanks to this book, I don't have to sniff Finn's butt to get to really know him. That alone is worth the cost of the book. Having mastered the art of dog-human communication, it was easy to "house break" puppy Finn. Now I'm trying to get him to use the toilet. I don't care how developed your dog-human communication skills are, I seriously doubt that even Stanley Coren would be able to teach him that. There are just some words that simply do not translate. The cover of "How To Speak Dog," shows what appears to be a dog and his man playing chess. While Finn's pretty smart, I don't think playing chess is in his future; Although, he has been getting pretty darn good at checkers recently. So far, I've lost four Kibbles and two bits to him. This really is one great book. It's far more than merely communicating with your dog. By the time you've finished the book, you'll know what your "best friend" is thinking. I wish someone would write a book on "How To Speak Wife," because after 43-years of marriage, I am still clueless. Finn might be right, maybe I should just sniff her butt.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2014 by John Wilcox
Format: Kindle
...a little more action"... was the pleading mantra that I found my subconscious playing back intermittently throughout the book. The ratio of 'The stuff I wanted to know' vs 'The argument that dog's have a language' tipped the scales into the annoying for me. There are pages upon pages (scattered throughout) devoted to this and I was left feeling either the author is on some personal endeavour to prove a point or filling the book out. Dogs communicate with each other and us - we get that. Is it a language per se? Define language - and (unfortunately) thats exactly what the author attempts to do to at a brainwashing level of repetitiveness. A little harsh I know, but this very subjective and philosophical argument will no doubt annoy those who already know dogs can 'talk' and just wish to enhance their communication. It need not be formally acknowledged that dogs have a language for us to already know. There are some interesting things to learn about our four legged friends from the beginner to the advanced, you'll surely find something. There is some fascinating musing on the history of how and why we adopted dogs into our lives, lots of well detailed and explained gestures that you'll find yourself nodding along to. If you are a dog owner and have any kind of respect for it, you owe it to yourself to learn how to communicate with it or at least understand the meanings of their communications, because as you will learn, their vocabulary (of gestures and sounds) is far more populated than most give them credit for. I'm just saying - there is excess here - the sort that one wouldn't hope to find in a 'How To' or educational piece, but if you've always dreamt of being dragged through a subjective war on linguistics that at best is swings and roundabouts, you may find yourself blissfully smiling through those pages instead of clinching your teeth as I did.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2012 by mecan
Format: Hardcover
I have been looking for a book like this for ten years and once I finally found it I couldn't read it fast enough. Coren answered questions that I've been searching for ever since I got my first dog. I have read more books than I can count on dog training and behavior. This is by far the most comprehensive book on dog communication I've read to date. This book is STUFFED with dogs' body language and their meaning! Seven facial and body signs of aggression, seven ear positions, what changes in the pupil, sclera and iris mean, five types of tail wags, five meanings of whining, all the different kinds of barks, yawns, growls and other types of vocalizations. Wow! He weaves in clear illustrations and great anecdotes to clarify information making it an interesting and entertaining read. Coren dispels several common errors humans make by interpreting their dog's behavior based on human thinking. It is more about understanding dogs than "speaking" dog although he does tell you how to communicate to an aggressive dog that you're not a threat avoiding the terrifying experience of getting attacked! And he was able to give me the information I needed to get my dog to stop whining when she sees other dogs. All those dog training books and TWO trainers couldn't do that for me! It is my opinion that this is a must read for anyone who owns a dog or works with dogs. I just ordered five copies and I'm going to give them to all my dog owning friends. Do yourself and your dog a favor. Read this book.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2011 by Heidi
Format: Kindle
The simple title of this book belies the wonderful complexity within its pages! It is a fascinating read interspersed with humourous moments making learning and understanding fun! You will not only see your dog in this book, but yourself as well! Coren covers voice, facial, body and scent communications and mis-communications occurring in dog-dog, dog-human and even briefly cat and cat-dog and human-human relations. He meaningfully incorporates the co-evolutions of the human-dog relationship and the impact of the physical characteristics of the dog on intra- and interspecies communications. The book concludes with a glossary of diagrams and tables depicting sound, facial, body and tail communications and their equivalent human meaning. A terrific reference, especially for understanding the nuances of otherwise similar facial and body language, but awkward as an e-book. Actual photographs would have been a nice touch. To address criticisms of this book, while Stanley Coren may not have a degree in animal behavior nor performed rigorous scientific testing, perhaps the opposite of "anthropomorphism" is "human arrogance" - a condition of mindset that has been just as injurious to solid scientific inquiry, Some people are "gifted" with inherent abilitiy uncommon to most and can even further develop that aptitude. Clearly, Stanley Coren is gifted when it comes to Doggish communication and has a valuable skill to share with us all.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2014 by Dr. Mom
Format: Kindle
This book has tons of valuable information on how dogs communicate: whether its woofs, body language, ear posture, etc. It also has plenty of fun stories to demonstrate the information, and illustrations to help explain body language and postures. I did think it harped a bit too much on philosophical and technical ideas in some parts: whether dogs actually speak a "language", the biological parts of a dog (such as vocal cords), etc. Overall, a good read for dog lovers or anyone who wants to better understand dog gestures. Stick with it through the slower parts; its an easy read that has lots of good info.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2012 by Chemgrl08