What Dogs Want

The facts behind 100 dog behaviors.

What Dogs Want interprets all the postures, expressions, sounds and actions exhibited by dogs individually and in their with other dogs and people. The 100 behaviors are described over one or two pages each with a photograph and an explanation of why the dog is doing it and what he is telling its owner, such as showing attentiveness or being aggressive. Vet's Notes provide insight into potential medical causes and Breed Boxes shed light on genetic predisposition to certain behaviors.

The 100 specific behaviors are divided among six types:

• Postures: Cowering, exposing belly, raising front paw, twitching while sleeping
• Expressions: Opening mouth when sniffing, lip licking, eyebrow raising, head tilting
• Sounds: Yelping, high-pitched barking, howling, whining
• Actions: Gutting stuffed toys, eating grass, shredding paper, circling before sleeping
• Dog-to-Dog Actions: Placing head over another dog, licking another dog's muzzle, humping
• Dog-to-People Actions: Shadowing, leash yanking, hogging bed, bringing objects.

An informative appendix organizes behaviors into 16 types--e.g., Submissive, Attention-seeking, Compulsive, Fearful--and cross-references them to the detailed explanations earlier in the book, e.g., Postures, Expressions, Actions. Where appropriate, advice on how to respond to the behavior is provided.

Suitable for all dog breeds, What Dogs Want will be welcomed by all dog owners who seek to better understand their beloved pet.

Arden Moore is an animal behavior consultant and the author of 20 books on cats and dogs. She has appeared on The Today Show, Fox News, CNN Headline News, HGTV's "Smart Solution," Martha Stewart Living Radio, NPR and hundreds of other programs. She is the editor of Fido Friendly and Catnip magazines, and host of "Oh Behave!" weekly radio show on Pet Life Radio.com. She is also the creator of National Dog Party Day?, first celebrated in New York City and San Diego in 2011. Her website is fourleggedlife.com