Beware the Straw Man

The Science Dog (aka Linda Case) takes a skeptic's look at many commonly held beliefs about dog behavior and training. Each of the book's 32 essays explores a question posed by leading researchers and provides detailed and thought-provoking analysis of their findings. Learn how dogs react to different training methods, discover the pitfalls associated with the use of extinction, and read about new studies that evaluate programs that communities use to keep children safe from dog bites. Other essays explore owners' ability to understand their dog's emotions, how people perceive and train small dogs, and if standard behavior tests used by animal shelters to assess dogs' adoptability hold up under scrutiny. Whether you are a professional trainer, work with dogs in shelters or rescue groups, own a dog-related business or train your dog for fun, the information provided in "Beware the Straw Man" will be of interest and of value to you. Be forewarned though; this book does not provide the reader with pat answers. Rather it presents the current state of the science of dog training and encourages you to decide for yourself how to proceed.