Yes, humans and canines are different species, but current research provides fascinating, irrefutable evidence that what we share with our dogs is greater than how we vary. As behaviorist and zoologist Dr. Patricia McConnell tells us in this remarkable new book about emotions in dogs and in people, more and more scientists accept the premise that dogs have rich emotional lives, exhibiting a wide range of feelings including fear, anger, surprise, sadness, and love. In For the Love of a Dog, McConnell suggests that one of the reasons we love dogs so much is that they express emotions in ways similar to humans. After all, who can communicate joy better than a puppy? But not all emotional expressions are obvious, and McConnell teaches both beginning dog owners and experienced dog lovers how to read the more subtle expressions hidden behind fuzzy faces and floppy ears. For those of us who deeply cherish our dogs but are sometimes baffled by their behavior, For the Love of a Dog will come as a revelation–a treasure trove of useful facts, informed speculation, and intriguing accounts of man’s best friend at his worst and at his very best. Readers will discover how fear, anger, and happiness underlie the lives of both people and dogs and, most important, how understanding emotion in both species can improve the relationship between them. Thus McConnell introduces us to the possibility of a richer, more rewarding relationship with our dogs. While we may never be absolutely certain what our dogs are feeling, with the help of this riveting book we can understand more than we ever thought possible. Those who consider their dogs part of the family will find For the Love of a Dog engaging, enlightening, and utterly engrossing.

For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend

Crafts, Hobbies & Home

McConnell, Patricia B.

Pets & Animal Care

Ballantine Books

In this powerful, soul-searching memoir, beautifully written in the vein of A Pack of Two and Wild, animal behaviorist Dr. Patricia McConnell recounts for the first time the compelling story of her dark past, memories of which are triggered by a troubled dog named Will. World-renowned as a source of science and soul, Patricia McConnell combines brilliant insights into canine behavior gained from her work with aggressive and fearful dogs with heartwarming stories of her own dogs and their life on the farm. Now, she reveals that it wasn t just the dogs who had serious problems. For decades Dr. McConnell secretly grappled with her own guilt and fear, which were rooted in the harrowing traumas of her youth. Patricia is forced to face her past by her love for a young Border Collie named Will, whose frequent, unpredictable outbreaks of fear and fury shake Patricia to her core. In order to save Will from this dangerous behavior, she must find her own will to heal, and along the way learn that will power by itself is not enough. Interweaving enlightening stories of her clients dogs with tales of her deepening bond with Will, Patricia recounts her fight to reclaim her life. Hopeful and inspiring, the redemptive message of her journey is that, while trauma changes our brains and the past casts a long shadow, healing, for both people and dogs, is possible through hard work, compassion, and mutual devotion."

The Education of Will (Thorndike Press large print popular and narrative nonfiction)

Biographies & Memoirs

Community & Culture

Thorndike Press Large Print

In this powerful, soul-searching memoir, beautifully written in the vein of A Pack of Two and Wild, animal behaviorist Dr. Patricia McConnell recounts for the first time the compelling story of her dark past, memories of which are triggered by a troubled dog named Will. World-renowned as a source of science and soul, Patricia McConnell combines brilliant insights into canine behavior—gained from her work with aggressive and fearful dogs—with heartwarming stories of her own dogs and their life on the farm. Now, she reveals that it wasn’t just the dogs who had serious problems. For decades Dr. McConnell secretly grappled with her own guilt and fear, which were rooted in the harrowing traumas of her youth. Patricia is forced to face her past by her love for a young Border Collie named Will, whose frequent, unpredictable outbreaks of fear and fury shake Patricia to her core. In order to save Will from this dangerous behavior, she must find her own will to heal, and along the way learn that will power by itself is not enough. Interweaving enlightening stories of her clients’ dogs with tales of her deepening bond with Will, Patricia recounts her fight to reclaim her life. Hopeful and inspiring, the redemptive message of her journey is that, while trauma changes our brains and the past casts a long shadow, healing, for both people and dogs, is possible through hard work, compassion, and mutual devotion.

The Education of Will: A Mutual Memoir of a Woman and Her Dog

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Mental Health

Atria Books

Bestselling author and internationally renowned animal psychologist and dog trainer Patricia McConnell “gives a voice to those who can’t speak in words and provides hope for fearful animals everywhere” (Temple Grandin) in this powerful and uplifting memoir about healing. World-renowned as a source of science and soul, Patricia McConnell combines brilliant insights into canine behavior with heartwarming stories of her own dogs and their life on the farm. Now, she reveals that it wasn’t just the dogs who had serious problems. For decades Dr. McConnell secretly grappled with her own guilt and fear, which were rooted in the harrowing traumas of her youth. Patricia is forced to face her past by her love for a young Border Collie named Will, whose frequent, unpredictable outbreaks of fear and fury shake Patricia to her core. In order to save Will from this dangerous behavior, she must find her own will to heal, and along the way learn that will power by itself is not enough. Interweaving enlightening stories of her clients’ dogs with tales of her deepening bond with Will, this is a “compassionate account of the reclamation of the author's life from abuse and shame. An uplifting story of hope about how both dogs and humans need "a sense that they are not helpless victims" (Kirkus Reviews).

The Education of Will: Healing a Dog, Facing My Fears, Reclaiming My Life

A must have for any dog owner, this user-friendly and engaging book employs gentle and effective methods rather than punishment-oriented techniques that so often lead to aggression. Covering commands from sit and down to heeling and coming when called, this book explains how dogs communicate, think, and learn in order to train them effectively with scientifically-based, humane methods. If you love dogs, you'll love this book!

Beginning Family Dog Training

Dog's Best Friend, Ltd.

How well do you and your dog understand each other? Have you ever caught yourself wondering what your dog is thinking when he rolls in something stinky? Do you wonder how much of your emotional life is like that of your dog's? What about life from your dog's perspective? Join best-selling author and ethologist Patricia McConnell in pondering these questions in this thought-provoking collection of essays about people and dogs. Written for every dog lover out there who wants to know more about their canine companion. Gain insight into the dog-human relationship -What does the name given to a dog say about the owner and the future relationship between the two of them? -Humans are experts at using words. Dogs are experts at body language. How can we use these talents to better communicate with each other? -We have bred dogs for many different purposes over thousands of years to hunt, to herd, to provide protection, even to cuddle. How has this process impacted a dog's ability to learn and be trained? -Why getting "dominance" over your dog isn't the answer to having a more obedient dog. What other dog experts say about Tales of Two Species It's rare for someone with so much scientific knowledge to have her feet so solidly planted in the real lives of dogs. This book is a gift to those of us who want to understand dogs better, to communicate with them more clearly, and perhaps most importantly, to help dogs understand us! Sue Sternberg, author of Great Dog Adoptions and A Guide to the Inducive Retrieve In Tales of Two Species Patricia McConnell gives us a thoughtful and glowing picture of how the lives of dogs and people have become entwined. Some of these essays will make you laugh, others will bring a tear, but all will make you think more closely about your relationship with your own dog. Stanley Coren, author of The Modern Dog and Why Does My Dog Act That Way? Plato, Socrates, Descartes, McConnell those are the great philosophers. Truly no one in our time asks the questions McConnell does about why dogs act as they do. For anyone interesting in going beyond training, to truly begin to understand how the canine mind ticks, this book is a must. Steve Dale, My Pet World, Tribune Media Services; Pet Central, WGN Radio, Chicago; and nationally syndicated Steve Dale's Pet World

Tales of Two Species: Essays on Loving and Living with Dogs

Dogwise Publishing

Die Hundegrundschule: Ein Sechs-Wochen-Lernprogramm

Moore, Aimee M.

Kynos Verlag

Das andere Ende der Leine: Was unseren Umgang mit Hunden bestimmt

Al otro extremo de la correa: Por qué a veces no entendemos a los perros y ellos tampoco nos entienden a nosotros

Ediciones Invisibles

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Books by McConnell, Patricia B.