The first book to summarize the burgeoning research literature on the behavioural ecology of the dog. It presents a new ecological approach to the understanding of dog behaviour and highlights directions for future research. Providing links to human and primate behaviour research, it will appeal to anyone interested in behavioural ecology.

This is the first book to collate and synthesize the recent burgeoning primary research literature on dog behaviour, evolution, and cognition. The author presents a new ecological approach to the understanding of dog behaviour, demonstrating how dogs can be the subject of rigorous and productive scientific study without the need to confine them to a laboratory environment. This second, fully updated edition of Dog Behaviour, Evolution and Cognition starts with an overview of the conceptual and methodological issues associated with the study of the dog, followed by a brief description of their role in human society. An evolutionary perspective is then introduced with a summary of current research into the process of domestication. The central part of the book is devoted to issues relating to the cognitive aspects of behaviour which have received particular attention in recent years from both psychologists and ethologists. The book's final chapters introduce the reader to many novel approaches to dog behaviour, set in the context of behavioural development and genetics. This second edition recognises and discusses the fact that dogs are increasingly being used as model organisms for studying aspects of human biology, such as genetic diseases and ageing. Specific attention is also given in this edition to attachment behaviour which emerges between humans and dogs, the importance of inter-specific communication in the success of dogs in human communities and the broad aspects of social cognition and how this may contribute to human-dog cooperation Directions for future research are highlighted throughout the text which also incorporates links to human and primate research by drawing on homologies and analogies in both evolution and behaviour. The book will therefore be of relevance and use to anyone with an interest in behavioural ecology including graduate students of animal behaviour and cognition, as well as a more general audience of dog enthusiasts, biologists, psychologists, veterinarians, and sociologists.

Dogs have become the subject of increasing scientific study over the past two decades, chiefly due to their development of specialized social skills, seemingly a result of selection pressures during domestication to help them adapt to the human environment. The Social Dog: Behaviour and Cognition includes chapters from leading researchers in the fields of social cognition and behavior, vocalization, evolution, and more, focusing on topics including dog-dog and dog-human interaction, bonding with humans, social behavior and learning, and more. Dogs are being studied in comparative cognitive sciences as well as genetics, ethology, and many more areas. As the number of published studies increases, this book aims to give the reader an overview of the state of the art on dog research, with an emphasis on social behavior and socio-cognitive skills. It represents a valuable resource for students, veterinarians, dog specialists, or anyone who wants deeper knowledge of his or her canine companion. - Reviews the state of the art of research on dog social interactions and cognition - Includes topics on dog-dog as well as dog-human interactions - Features contributions from leading experts in the field, which examine current studies while highlighting the potential for future research

This book highlights the state of the field in the new, provocative line of research into the cognition and behavior of the domestic dog. Eleven chapters from leading researchers describe innovative methods from comparative psychology, ethology and behavioral biology, which are combined to create a more comprehensive picture of the behavior of Canis familiaris than ever before. Each of the book’s three parts highlights one of the perspectives relevant to providing a full understanding of the dog. Part I covers the perceptual abilities of dogs and the effect of interbreeding. Part II includes observational and experimental results from studies of social cognition – such as learning and social referencing – and physical cognition in canids, while Part III summarizes the work in the field to date, reviewing various conceptual and methodological approaches and testing anthropomorphisms with regard to dogs. The final chapter discusses the practical application of behavioral and cognitive results to promote animal welfare. This volume reflects a modern shift in science toward considering and studying domestic dogs for their own sake, not only insofar as they reflect back on human beings.

Offering a scientifically informed perspective on canines and their relations with humans, two biologists take a close look at eight different types of dogs--household, village, livestock guarding, herding, sled pulling, pointing, retrieving and hound. 34 halftones.

How do animals perceive the world, learn, remember, search for food or mates, communicate, and find their way around? Do any nonhuman animals count, imitate one another, use a language, or have a culture? What are the uses of cognition in nature and how might it have evolved? What is the current status of Darwin's claim that other species share the same "mental powers" as humans, but to different degrees? In this completely revised second edition of Cognition, Evolution, and Behavior, Sara Shettleworth addresses these questions, among others, by integrating findings from psychology, behavioral ecology, and ethology in a unique and wide-ranging synthesis of theory and research on animal cognition, in the broadest sense--from species-specific adaptations of vision in fish and associative learning in rats to discussions of theory of mind in chimpanzees, dogs, and ravens. She reviews the latest research on topics such as episodic memory, metacognition, and cooperation and other-regarding behavior in animals, as well as recent theories about what makes human cognition unique. In every part of this new edition, Shettleworth incorporates findings and theoretical approaches that have emerged since the first edition was published in 1998. The chapters are now organized into three sections: Fundamental Mechanisms (perception, learning, categorization, memory), Physical Cognition (space, time, number, physical causation), and Social Cognition (social knowledge, social learning, communication). Shettleworth has also added new chapters on evolution and the brain and on numerical cognition, and a new chapter on physical causation that integrates theories of instrumental behavior with discussions of foraging, planning, and tool using.

Thoroughly updated for its third edition with the latest research in the field, this innovative text delivers an apt and comprehensive introduction to the rich and complex world of animal behaviour and cognition. Discover pivotal case studies and experiments that have irrevocably shaped how we view the psychological and social lives of animals and discover such key cognitive topics as memory, communication and sensory perception. Projecting an insightful scope into the cognitive world of animals, from considering the use of tools in birds to the dance communication system of the honey bee, Wynne and Udell analyse and explain the importance of the observations and studies that have led to the greater understanding of how animals learn, perceive social relations, form concepts, experience time and navigate space. Written by two leading researchers in the field, including the author of the best-selling popular science book Dog is Love, this textbook is a complete resource for students of animal cognition, animal behaviour or comparative psychology.

"This hardback almanac is the perfect edition addition to any dog lover's library and a useful tool for anyone considering acquiring a four-legged friend for their household." - Countryside magazine (National Farmers' Union) "Provides a good read for those wanting a better understanding of their canine companion. For those working with dogs, in any capacity, the book is a must-read." - The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors "Divided in sections and beautifully illustrated with photographs, The Dog: A Natural History is a fascinating, comprehensive exploration of everything we know about dogs so far - in terms of biology, evolution, behaviour and their role in our lives and culture." - Dogs Monthly There are plenty of books out there about living with and training a dog. The Dog: A Natural History is something much wider-ranging: an in-depth look at every aspect of the species, from prehistoric origins to its biology, its behaviour, and its relationship with humankind. An initial chapter on Evolution & Development looks at dogs’ ancestors. Chapters on Anatomy & Biology, Society & Behaviour, and Dogs & Humans follow, accessing the most recent studies on everything canine. From hunting patterns to diversity, and training methods to classification, you’ll find everything you ever wanted to know in this comprehensive study. To finish, a canine Directory offers extended profiles and portraits of a range of the most popular breeds. From first to last, it’s a book that will prove irresistible to anyone curious about how the dog gained his prime position in the human world.

Dogs have been mankind's faithful companions for tens of thousands of years, yet today they are regularly treated as either pack-following wolves or furry humans. The truth is, dogs are neither -- and our misunderstanding has put them in serious crisis. What dogs really need is a spokesperson, someone who will assert their specific needs. Renowned anthrozoologist Dr. John Bradshaw has made a career of studying human-animal interactions, and in Dog Sense he uses the latest scientific research to show how humans can live in harmony with -- not just dominion over -- their four-legged friends. From explaining why positive reinforcement is a more effective (and less damaging) way to control dogs' behavior than punishment to demonstrating the importance of weighing a dog's unique personality against stereotypes about its breed, Bradshaw offers extraordinary insight into the question of how we really ought to treat our dogs.

A scientific analysis of dogs, their behaviour, and their relationships with humans.