Book Recommendations?

[podblack]

I recently purchased a book that I've used in conjunction with my psychology classes, called 'Don't Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training', by Karen Pryor, which is apparently considered a 'classic'.

Much of it naturally seems to be behaviourist theory, which is then extended to human behaviour modification. Are there any other books that people have found useful in terms of extending to helping in more than just training of animals? Or perhaps more 'classics' out there?

[Janba]

One that I would highly recomend is The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell. It gives a really good insight into both dog and human behaviour patterns and how they inter relate. Any of her books are really good.

Karen Pryor's Lads Before the Wind is also a good book although it is mainly about dolpins a lot of what she says can be related to dogs although it is an older book. Suzanne Clothier's Bones Would Rain From the Sky is also another good one.

I will probably think of a lot more when I am less tired

ETA If you really want to read some classics I would try some of Konrad Lorenz's books. Though a lot of what he has written is now a bit dated he is considered one of the founders of ethology and the books are well worth reading.

Edited October 21, 2008 by Janba

[corvus]

I second McConnell. Very good.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Bones Would Rain From the Sky" by Susan Clothier. It was more about relationships than training.

I am currently reading "Kicked, Bitten and Scratched" which is tales from a school for exotic animal trainers. It's as much a story about people and personalities than training animals.

[SkySoaringMagpie]

The Clothier book is good, I nearly put it down tho' because of the bizarre introductory story. It gets better.

I really like Jean Donaldson's "Culture Clash" because it does a good job of mythbusting.

Both books examine the human mind as much as they do dogs, and the Clothier book particularly draws out themes about what working with dogs can show us about working with our fellow humans.

[Staff'n'Toller]

Excel-Erated Learning by Pamela Reid is another that discusses learning theory in a succinct manner.

How Dogs Learn by Burch and Bailey is also good and I found that an easier read than the above book.

They are both fairly well priced on Amazon.com. You may also be able to find them on abebooks.com.au.

Mel.