Product Description

Why do dogs and their woners, both social animals, often have problems? As a practicing veterinarian, Dr. Milani found that many owners fail to understand the meaning of dogs' behavioral displays. By mistaking territoriality for spite, dominant behavior for love, and making other false interpretations, owners often respond inappropriately. Many owners also fail to grasp how their own emotions and body language affect their relationships with their pets. Here, based on fascinating case histories form her own practice, Dr. Milani offers a guide that goes beyond solving dog behavioral problems.

The Body Language and Emotion of Dogs also explores the powerful emotions aroused in those of us who seek satisfactory bonds with our pets. Understanding both the social nature of dogs and also that our own emotional responses enhance the physical, mental, and emotional health of both owner and pet. Dr. Milani uses fact, practical experience, and above all, sensitivity and tolerance to help owners build better relationships with their dogs.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #829531 in Books
• Published on: 1993-10-28
• Released on: 1993-10-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

From Library Journal
In explaining the complexities of canine psychology and human interaction, Milani provides excellent information on special problems, such as depression, fear, aggression, boredom, and isolation. Charming, realistic views of people through a dog's eyes reveal the effects of behavioral and emotional states on relationships. Unlike training books, this focuses on interpreting canine body language, assigning motives, and developing an effective response. Since little has been published on this topic, this will be of interest to students of animal health and behavior. Written with repetitious examples in a continuous style that tends to require reading of the entire book, this is unsuitable as a reference resource, and may not appeal to the average dog owner. Recommended for larger collections.Carolyn Alexander, USACDEC Tech nic al Information Ctr., Fort Ord, Cal.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Myrna M. Milani graduated from the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and has taught and spoken widely on various aspects of the human-animal bond. She has also written The Body Language and Emotion of Cats (also available from Quill/William Morrow).

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter One

Seeing Is Not Believing

Bob Kalish had just whistled for his sheepdog, Shaggy, to terminate their romp in the park when a group of picnickers asked for directions. As Bob stood talking with the group, a gray and white blur shot out of the dense undergrowth and barreled down on them like a cannonball.

"Excuse me," said Bob, stepping apart from the group. As the others watched in horror and then amazement, the fourlegged projectile hit Bob full force and knocked him to the ground. Owner and dog rolled over and over with much laughter and licking.

"That's some dog you have there," observed one of the picnickers.

"Oh, he's a lover," agreed Bob, rubbing Shaggy's ears fondly.

"You mean a killer," muttered a fearful woman at the back of the group who tightly clutched the hands of two children straining to get closer to the dog. "He'd better keep that dog on a leash or I'll report him to the park ranger!"

The Espositos took great pride in their devoted Doberman, Madd Max, because he defended their property so heroically. After watching Max romp with the rottweiler next door, little Joey invented a new game to play with his dog: He would hide behind the couch, wait for Max to walk by, then growl ferociously, lunge at the dog, and try to pin him to the floor. The first time Joey tried his new game, Max whipped around and lashed out at the child, who toppled backward. Screaming, Joey clutched the side of his face.

"Max is vicious; I want him destroyed," Rose Esposito insisted when she brought Joey home from the emergency room.

"No, Mommy! It was my fault. I scared him," sobbed Joey. "Please don't kill my dog!"

Al Esposito looked at the fourteen stitches in his son's swollen and bruised face. Then he looked at Max lying at Joey's feet and staring at the boy with that familiar look of undying devotion.

Every time the Bennetts' doorbell rings, their springer spaniel, Photon, performs a dancing, barking ritual that led one guest to describe her aptly as "a mindless yapping cyclone."

"She's so devoted to us," the Bennetts invariably apologize to startled visitors. "We can't seem to convince her we don't need all this protection."

When the local dog officer served the Bennetts with a warning citing Photon as a public nuisance and threatening court action if the behavior persisted, the family felt crushed. At least one of their neighbors, sharing their guest's view of the yapping dog, had filed a complaint. The Bennetts ricocheted between embarrassment, guilt, remorse; and anger aimed at themselves, Photon, and their neighbors. These varied and conflicting emotions proved to be such a drain that the Bennetts sold their suburban dream home and moved to the country.

In this book we're going to explore how body language and its attendant emotions affect our relationships with our dogs. A few years ago the idea of body language as an important form of nonverbal communication preoccupied many psychologists and writers, who told us how to interpret the signals lovers, spouses, and bosses were giving us with their bodies. Armed with our lists of body signals and their associated meanings, we proceeded to "read" other people, thus reducing their need for verbal expression of conscious (and unconscious) emotions. Unsuspecting women who crossed their ankles would find themselves branded brazen hussies by other women while simultaneously deflecting the unwanted attention of men responding to their silent come-hither calls. Harried businessmen who loosened their ties and ran a hand through their hair unwittingly revealed to all those privy to the vocabulary of body language that they were insensitive and too attached to their mothers. Eventually the fad died out as it became clear that interpretations of body language are so subjective that any signal sender and any receiver could attach totally different meanings to any gesture. When Shiela assumed that the way her boss sat during meetings indicated deep-seated insecurities and latent sexual problems, you can imagine her embarrassment when she learned that he sits that way because he's recovering from a total hip replacement.

I asked a psychologist friend to help me understand the relationship between body language and emotion in people. From my own experience I knew that a physical signal such as a wink could mean one thing to one person and something entirely different to another. But weren't there some general rules of interpretation?

"Yes--sort of," my friend said. "However, the meaning of physical cues goes far beyond simple cause and effect. If I winked at you during a boring lecture, you'd interpret my gesture as our sharing an inside joke; but if you winked at a strange man in a cocktail lounge, he'd interpret your cue as a sexual invitation. Still, even though the meaning of the signal depends on the situation and on the relationship of the people involved, we can loosely categorize signals. For example, a person standing at the side of the road with his thumb in the air wants a ride."

We explored this example further, discussing how the hitchhiker's stance could trigger a wide range of emotional responses in passing motorists. Shoulders back, eyes glaring, feet planted firmly might suggest that this person wouldn't be a safe passenger, whereas a bright but weary smile might evoke compassion.

"It's a two-way street," my friend continued. "Body language may express a variety of emotions, and the interpreter of the signals adds his or her own emotions to the process. A driver who's been mugged and robbed by a hitchhiker obviously views all hitchhikers differently than one who's only had positive experiences picking up riders."

"I think I've got it," I said. "If the IRS audits ten percent of all taxpayers, that's body language; if they audit me, that's emotion. If the fourth-grade band performs with distinction in the statewide competition, that's body language; if my son's playing the tuba, that's emotion."

Customer Reviews

What a disappointment
I regret to say that I agree with a previous reviewer who said that this book "turned my stomach." I bought the book because I wanted to learn about dog body language and our interpretations (or misinterpretations) of that language in an effort to improve my understanding of canine behavior.

Instead of the careful analysis I expected from a veterinarian, Dr. Milani uses anectotal examples of cruelty to dogs as her examples. She describes, over and over again, dogs who are beaten, tied outside and euthanized because their owners "misunderstand" them. Not only are the case studies anecdotal and, as such, not a useful statistical description of dog/human relations, but they are very upsetting to read. And, as a previous reviewer has stated, Dr. Milani fails to condemn the practices she describes in such great detail. In fact, she admits to euthanizing otherwise healthy dogs simply because their owners failed to change their attitudes toward their pets, take them for training or make attempts to re-home the dogs. I cannot imagine how a veterinarian could engage in such a practice.

In conclusion, my work with a breed rescue organization prevents me from recommending a book in which euthanizing dogs is called "termination of the relationship." It is a fact that sometimes dogs and owners are mismatched, but every effort must be made to re-home the dog before euthanasia is ever considered. In fact, there are several animal sanctuaries in the United States which provide permanent homes for "untrainable" or aggressive dogs.

Shame on you , Dr. Milani, for representing your book as a useful tool for improving our relationships with dogs.

Reading Language of Your Dog while your's is being read
This is not written in the most entertaining or comfortable of styles, but nonetheless, it contains much valuable info on body language of dog and of dog owner.

We learn from our dogs and trainers and vets much about how to relate better to our dogs. Milani certainly has experience and credibility demonstrated by this work that she knows how to read dog's signs and react appropriately with behavior that gives them the feedback, message received.

If you're looking for more comfortable read, see "Latchkey Dogs." Both will give similar info. This one, slightly more of a heady version without all the story format.

Interesting
As a dog trainer-in training, I've been systematically reading just about every title I can find about dogs. I do find this book taking a bit longer to read then many others, however I feel it contains helpful information on the various behaviors of dogs that humans often misread.

Anthromorphisizing our pets' behaviors, while often cute and funny, can lead to some serious relationship issues and Ms. Milani is attempting to combat that in this book. Rather then emphasizing "terminating the relationship" as many of the previous reviewers have focused on, the author is attempting to prevent such occurances. She does mention on occasion that in some situations rehoming the dog in a more suitable environment is best for all those concerned. I don't feel her intent is to condone euthanasia as a "cure-all" nor do I feel she encourages anyone to simply give up on the dog/human relationship without taking every reasonable measure to ensure sucess.

I feel she does a good job explaning common issues that arise in dog/human teams and the reasons behind these problems. Dog training is often more about the person then the dog and she does well illustrating how our behaviors shape those of our companion animals.

I would recommend this book to anyone wishing to understand the motivations of dogs, the behaviors they present, and the reasons we humans do what we do. Ms. Milani presents solutions to common problems in an easy to understand and implement manner.