Beware the Straw Man: The Science Dog Explores Dog Training Fact & Fiction

by Linda P. Case

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.

Genres: Dogs, Nonfiction, Animals

190 pages, Paperback

First published November 13, 2014

About the author

Linda Case is a well-known author and dog trainer who speaks world-wide about evidence-based dog training, behavior and nutrition. She taught at the University of Illinois Department of Animal Sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine for 20 years and owns AutumnGold Dog Training Center in Illinois. She writes the popular blog, The Science Dog (https://thesciencedog.wordpress.com/).

Reviews

[Lucas Brands · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book. Many different studies are evaluated in a multi point system: First the research lay out, its pros and cons, then the results, and at the end of each chapter everything is summarized concisely for the reader's easy access. Different areas are covered- Training (aversives vs R+, clicker, etc), behavior, dog-human interactions, and more. Since it gives the reader a lot to digest and to think about, it may not be a book for people interested in answers only, but rather for people that would like to know about the background and scientific foundation of why things are applied and why certain techniques work and others don't.

[Bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth reading not only for its discussion of dog training science, but also for basic guidelines and advice about how to read and understand science writing. The table of contents offers a good overview of some current popular issues. I especially enjoyed reading the chapter on the Benjamin Franklin effect. Anyone working with shelter dogs should read the 2 chapters on behavior assessment tests.

[Elizabeth Frum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had a fantastic collection of essays going through recent scientific studies. I learned quite a bit and it was a joy to read.