Patricia B. McConnell: The Other End of the Leash

By LINDA HERRICK

One of my neighbours has a dog. I've never met my neighbour, or his dog, but I hear them all the time. He's shouting words at the dog like "beg" and "shut up", while the dog works itself into a frenzy of barking. One of these two is an idiot, but unfortunately the dog is stuck with him.


McConnell, an animal behaviourist in Wisconsin, specialises in treating aggressive dogs, many of whom have become so because they have owners who don't have a clue how and why dogs behave. McConnell believes there's a problem in the man-dog relationship because we are primates and they are canines.


Things we do - such as looking directly into a dog's eyes, facing them head-on, and patting them vigorously on the head - may be fine in the primate world but for dogs those actions are aggressive and upsetting; in other words, biteworthy.


Most dogs love affection but they also need sensitivity and clarity. McConnell is adamantly against the practice of owner dominance over dogs. He believes it can lead to "appallingly abusive behaviour" when misguided folk confuse dominance with aggression.


Instead, and it seems so obvious, she advises quiet calm, consistency, firmness and benevolence. "Spare the rod and have a better dog" is her adage, with plenty of practical tips on how to achieve this without turning your mutt into a spoiled brat.


Some of McConnell's anecdotes will chill you, and some poor animals have come to her too behaviourally damaged to save.


But if you are interested in dogs and in having a great relationship with yours - one that will make you both happy - this is an insightful, absorbing read. I might pop it into a nearby letterbox. It could help my neighbour to become his dog's best friend.

Random House

$27.95