Parlez-vous Doggish?

At long last, dogs will know just how smart their owners can be. By unlocking the secrets of the hidden language of dogs, psychologist Stanley Coren allows us into the doggy dialogue, or "Doggish," and makes effective communication a reality.

Drawing on substantial research in animal behavior, evolutionary biology, and years of personal experience, Coren demonstrates that the average house dog can understand language at about the level of a two-year-old human. While actual conversation of the sort Lassie seemed capable of in Hollywood mythmaking remains forever out of reach, Coren shows us that a great deal of real communication is possible beyond the giving and obeying of commands.

How to Speak Dog not only provides the sounds, words, actions, and move-ments with which we can effectively communicate with our dogs, but also deciphers the signs that our dogs give to us. With easy-to-follow tips on how humans can mimic the language dogs use to talk with one another, original drawings illustrating the subtleties of their body language, and a handy visual glossary and "Doggish" phrasebook, How to Speak Dog gives dog lovers the skills they need to improve their relationships with their pets.

In this volume, originally published in 1978, the authors survey the historical and contemporary research literature pertaining to two-dimensional visual-geometric illusions. They bring together much of the known data, summarising and evaluating theories that have been offered to explain these phenomena. Coren and Girgus provide a new conceptual framework that suggest that visual illusions are not unitary phenomena. Within this framework, illusions do not represent a breakdown in normal perceptual processing. Rather, it is proposed that each illusion is produced by a number of mechanisms operating at different levels in the visual information processing system. The book contains an extensive collection of illusion figures. It will be essential reading for all of those concerned with vision and visual perception, since it integrates the study of illusions into the main body of psychological and perceptual theories at the time.

In this volume, originally published in 1978, the authors survey the historical and contemporary research literature pertaining to two-dimensional visual-geometric illusions. They bring together much of the known data, summarising and evaluating theories that have been offered to explain these phenomena. Coren and Girgus provide a new conceptual framework that suggest that visual illusions are not unitary phenomena. Within this framework, illusions do not represent a breakdown in normal perceptual processing. Rather, it is proposed that each illusion is produced by a number of mechanisms operating at different levels in the visual information processing system. The book contains an extensive collection of illusion figures. It will be essential reading for all of those concerned with vision and visual perception, since it integrates the study of illusions into the main body of psychological and perceptual theories at the time.

Bestselling author, psychologist, and world-renowned expert on dog behavior and training Dr. Stanley Coren presents the most informative, in-depth, fascinating book yet on dogs. Acclaimed for its solid scientific research and entertaining, eminently readable style, "How Dogs Think" gives you the insight that you need to understand the silly, quirky, and apparently irrational behaviors that dogs demonstrate, as well as those stunning flashes of brilliance and creativity that they also can display. It lets you see through a dog's eyes, hear through his ears, and even sense the world through his nose, as Coren presents a fascinating picture of the way dogs interpret their world and their human companions, and of how they solve problems, learn, and take in new information.

"How Dogs Think" also answers questions about our canine companions that have puzzled many: Can dogs count? Do they have an appreciation of art or music? Can a dog learn how to do something just by watching another dog or even a person do it? Do dogs dream? What is the nature of dog personality? Which behaviors are prewired into your dog, and which can you actually change? And, can dogs actually sense future earthquakes or detect cancer?

With sound behavioral science and numerous funny, informative anecdotes, experiments, and firsthand observations, "How Dogs Think" shatters many common myths and misconceptions about our four-legged friends and reveals a wealth of surprises about their mental abilities and potential. It will make you love and appreciate all dogs -- including your own -- in wonderful new ways.

Lateral preferences are strange, puzzling, and on the surface, not particularly adaptive aspects of behavior. Why one chooses habitually to write or to brush the teeth with the right hand, while a friend or family member habitually uses the left hand, might be interesting enough to elicit some conversation over dinner or a drink, but certainly does not seem to warrant serious scientific study. Yet when one looks at human behaviors more carefully, one becomes aware that asymmet rical behaviors favoring one side or the other are actually a fairly universal characteristic of human beings. In the same way that we are right or left handed, we are also right or left footed, eyed, and eared. As a species, we are quite lopsided in our behavioral coordinations; furthermore, the vast majority of us are right sided. Considering that we are looking at a sizable number of behaviors, and at a set of biases that seem to be systematic and show a predictable skew in the popUlation, the problem takes on greater significance. The most obvious form of lateral preference is, of course, handedness. When studying behavioral asymmetries, this is the issue with which most investigators start. Actually, we entered this research area through a much different route. Around 1971 we became interested in the problem of eye dominance or eye preference. This is a behavior where the input to one eye seems to be preferred over that to the other in certain binocular viewing situations."

How Smart Is Your Dog? If you've ever wondered what is really going on inside your dog's head, here is your chance to find out. In this revised and updated version of this perennially popular book, psychologist and prizewinning trainer Stanley Coren provides a startling view of the intelligence of our oldest and closest animal companions. Do dogs really think? Are they conscious in the same way humans are? What is the nature of canine memory? Can dogs communicate with us -- and, if so, how can we understand them? Do they have feelings such as guilt, loyalty, and jealousy? Do they experience joy and sorrow? Drawing on scientific research that has stood the test of the past decade, interviews with top breeders and trainers, and his own personal observations as a lifelong dog lover, Stanley Coren speculates on these and many other fascinating questions about man's best friend. He offers practical tips on how to evaluate your dog's body language and understand the sophisticated "language" of a dog's bark, and how to tailor a training program to suit your dog's special needs. Here, too, are the famous, controversial lists and rankings of more than 100 breeds for obedience and working intelligence, as well as for specialized tasks such as hunting, home security, and companionship. Rich in wit, wisdom, and anecdote, The Intelligence of Dogs is a book that will bring you a greater understanding and enjoyment of the habits, antics, and abilities of your dog.

If you are among the 10 percent of people who happen to be left-handed, you've had to endure such derisive terms as "gauche" and "a left-handed compliment." At school you may have been forced to write with your right hand. And in another century your proclivity might have gotten you accused of witchcraft.

Any left-handed person, or the spouse, parent, or friend of one, will be captivated by this essential and eye-opening book. With bracing wit and a flawless command of current research, psychologist Stanley Coren answers such questions as:

Is left-handedness acquired genetically or socially?

Are southpaws more creative than their right-handed fellows?

Why do left-handers seem to die younger than right-handers?

What can left-handers do to counteract the perils and prejudices that confront them in a world that leans to the right?

Our understanding of how dogs think is littered with common misconceptions about the extent of their intellect and how they make sense of the world around them. How Dogs Think unravels the mystery of what a dog can understand and how much dogs can learn. World-renowned dog expert Stanley Coren explores the thought processes of dogs, describes how dogs solve problems, explains the depths and limits of their thinking and examines the kind of concepts which dogs can and cannot deal with. Along with practical advice for people who want to improve their dog's learning ability and working intelligence, How Dogs Think will answer such questions as: Do dogs have a notion of time? To what extent do dogs understand what you say? How sharp are their senses? What do they see and hear? Do dogs have a sense of music, humour, empathy, guilt or love? Do they learn by observation the way that people do? How much can they remember? Do dogs have ESP or the ability to predict earthquakes, and is it true that they can detect cancer or the onset of an epileptic fit in their owners? Drawing on all the latest scientific research, How Dogs Think will enable dog owners everywhere to understand more about what goes on in the mind of their best friend.

The Wisdom of Dogs
In this fact-filled and often touching book, Stanley Coren, a renowned dog expert and author of many best-selling classics including "The Intelligence of Dogs," "How Dogs Think," and "How to Speak Dog," once again focuses his insights on man's best friend. In order to probe a range of fascinating questions about the minds of dogs, Coren draws from a cache of true stories and interesting vignettes ranging from the dog who helped Freud with his psychoanalysis to the pet who helped his intoxicated owner drive home. In addition you'll find some little-known bits of scientific information, such as what dogs dream about, and also some bits of folklore such as what it means when you dream about dogs Originally published as "What Do Dogs Know?," this is a revised edition that has been updated with additional content and new illustrations. This fun and easy-to-read book is for everyone who loves dogs and wants to learn more about their astounding, endearing, and wonderful ways.

About The Author
Although best known to the public for his series of best-selling books on dogs, Stanley Coren is also well-respected scientist and Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia. His many books on dog behavior and human-canine interactions have been international bestsellers and have received many awards including the "Maxwell Medal of Excellence" from "The Dog Writers Association of America." He was twice-named "Writer of the Year" by the "International Positive Dog Training Association." Coren is frequently cited in various media and has been featured on numerous television programs including "Oprah," "Larry King Live," and many more.

"For Christmas the woman who would become my wife bought me a dog--a little terrier. The next year her Christmas gift to me was a shotgun. Most of the people in my family believe that those two gifts were not unrelated."
So begins "Born to Bark," the charming new memoir by psychologist and beloved dog expert Stan Coren of his relationship with an irrepressible gray Cairn terrier named Flint. Stan immediately loved the pup for his friendly nature and indefatigable spirit, though his wife soon found the dog's unpredictable exuberance difficult to deal with, to say the least.
Even though Flint drove Stan's wife up the wall, he became the joy of Stan's life. The key to unlocking this psychologist-author's way of looking at dog behavior, Flint also became the inspiration behind Coren's classic, "The Intelligence of Dogs." Undeterred by Flint's irrepressible behavior (and by the breeder's warning that he might be untrainable), Coren set out to prove that his furry companion could pass muster with the best of them. He persevered in training the unruly dog and even ventured into the competitive circles of obedience trials in dog shows, where Flint eventually made canine history as the highest-scoring Cairn terrier in obedience competition up to that time. (Stan chose not to tell his wife that the highest-ranking obedience dog of that year, a border collie, earned a total score that was fifty times higher.)
The longest-running popular expert on human-dog bonding, Coren has enlivened his respected books and theories about dogs with accounts of his own experiences in training, living with, loving, and trying to understand them. A consummate storyteller, Coren now tells the wry, poignant, goofy, and good-hearted tale of his life with the dog who (in the words of his own book titles) taught him "How to Speak Dog "and "How Dogs Think "and whose antics made him ask "Why Does My Dog Act That Way? "Illustrated with Coren's own delightful line drawings and photos, and interwoven with his heartfelt anecdotes of other beloved dogs from his earlier life, "Born to Bark "is an irresistible good dog/bad dog tale of this extraordinary, willful pooch and his profound impact on his master's insights into canine behavior as a research psychologist and on his outlook on life as a whole.

Dogs are invented creatures -- invented by humans, who have been shaping the lives of these four-legged companions for more than 14,000 years. However, we often forget that, just as dogs live in our world, we live in theirs. "The Modern Dog" is a look at our coevolution, interpreting both canine and human points of view, by Dr. Stanley Coren, the most consistently popular author of dog books ever. A fascinating treasure trove of information gleaned from science, folklore, religious writing, tradition, and politics, "The Modern Dog" explores not only how dogs behave, but also how we share our lives with our dogs. Much more a romp than a formal exposition, "The Modern Dog"'s profiles and tales are funny, sweet, quirky, and reveal a lot about both species and our centuries-long partnership.
This book will show you how the mutually beneficial relationship between humans and dogs might very well be the reason why early Homo sapiens evolved and survived while Neanderthals became extinct. You will see how dogs have played many prominent roles in human history, from ancient Egypt, where Pharaoh Ramses II was buried with the names and statues of four of his dogs, to modern American politics, where many U.S. presidents have derived comfort from canine companionship. Our modern dog is quite different from the dogs that existed even a century ago, its job having changed dramatically from the hunting, herding, retrieving, and guarding for which many were bred. In this book, you will see that it is often how people respond to and interpret the actions of dogs (and dog owners) that has a greater effect on the dog's life than the behavior patterns that have been programmed into the dog's genes. "The Modern Dog" will show you how some of your dog's strange and funny habits are his own and some come from you.
Illustrated throughout with Dr. Coren's own charming drawings, "The Modern Dog" chronicles the various aspects of how we interact with dogs, how society responds to dogs, how our relationships with dogs have changed over history, and where dogs fit into our personal and emotional lives. It does this by telling the stories of dogs that work, dogs that love, dogs that behave badly, and dogs that will make you laugh.

We've shared our lives with dogs for thousands of years, but they still

act in ways that baffle us. To help us understand them better, Dr.

Stanley Coren, the undisputed expert on dog behavior, intelligence, and

training, tells the story of how dogs evolved over time into the myriad

forms and breeds we love today. Not simply domesticated wolves, dogs are

actually much more complex than wild canines; their ability to adapt to a

man-made world is far more flexible, their personalities far more diverse.

Fascinating findings reveal which breeds were bred to become more dominant,

affectionate, cooperative, or even dangerous. This practical, surprising

book also presents -- for the first time -- the "Dog Behavior Inventory,"

a simple, fun test based on the personality-profiling questionnaires used

in human psychological studies that you can administer to your own dog to

get a detailed picture of his personality and how he compares to other

members of his breed. Then, using the findings of the U.S. Army's once-

classified studies of "Superdogs," you can train your pet to become a

real-life equivalent of Lassie and Rin Tin Tin -- a dog who is not

disturbed, angered, or frightened by anything.

Filled with the entertaining anecdotes and scientific data that Dr.

Coren's avid followers have come to expect and enjoy, this uniquely

complete guide to dog psychology can help you to select a new companion

and to understand and communicate better with your old friend.

In this examination of the facts and folklore of sleep, Stanley Coren provides evidence that we are becoming an increasingly sleep-deprived society, and that this condition is seriously affecting our work, posing a danger to ourselves and to others. He argues that the "Exxon Valdez" oil spill and the space-shuttle "Challenger" disaster were associated with people suffering from sleep deprivation. He also looks at some of the more subtle and insidious effects of sleep loss on our physical and mental health. Coren asks questions such as: do fish sleep?; are there really "morning" and "night" people?; do some people really only need four hours' sleep a night? There are stories about sleep oddities, such as people who commit murder in their sleep, and descriptions of strange sleep disorders that affect a large number of people and might even be involved in unexplained infant deaths. Finally, the book describes specific techniques to improve the quality and efficiency of your own sleep.

The Pawprints of History shines a new light on a favorite subject -- the relationship between humans and their four-legged best friends. Stanley Coren, a renowned expert on dog-human interactions, has combed the annals of history and found captivating stories of how dogs have lent a helping paw and influenced the actions, decisions, and fates of well-known figures from every era and throughout the world.

As history's great figures strut across the stage, Coren guides us from the wings, adoringly picking out the canine cameos and giving every dog of distinction its day. In this unparalleled chronicle, we see how Florence Nightingale's chance encounter with a wounded dog changed her life by leading her to the vocation of nursing. We learn why Dr. Freud's Chow Chow attended all of his therapy sessions and how the life of the Fifth Dalai Lama was saved by a dog who shared his bed. Dogs have even found their way to the battlefield -- great military leaders such as Robert the Bruce and Omar Bradley have shared their lives, exploits, and gunfire with dogs. From Wagner, who admitted that one of the arias in the opera Siegfried was "written" by one of his dogs, to the dogs that inspired and lived with Presidents Lincoln, Roosevelt, Johnson, and Clinton, these loving canines do double duty as loyal pets and creative muses.

From war to art, across the spectrum of human endeavor and achievement, there often stands, not only at his side but leading the way, man's beloved "best friend." For those who believe that behind every great person is a good dog, the uplifting stories in The Pawprints of History will be a lasting delight.

Do dogs dream? Can they recognize themselves in the mirror or understand what they re seeing on television? Are they more intelligent than cats? People have a great curiosity and many misunderstandings about how dogs think, act, and perceive the world. They also wonder about the social and emotional lives of dogs. Stanley Coren brings decades of scientific research on dogs to bear in his unprecedented foray into the inner lives of our canine companions, dispelling many common myths in the process. In a conversational Q&A format with illustrations, Coren answers approximately 75 questions often asked of him during his nearly fifty-year career as a dog researcher, combining the authority of an expert with the engaging delivery of a guest at a cocktail party."

Do dogs dream? Can they recognize themselves in the mirror or understand what they re seeing on television? Are they more intelligent than cats? People have a great curiosity and many misunderstandings about how dogs think, act, and perceive the world. They also wonder about the social and emotional lives of dogs. Stanley Coren brings decades of scientific research on dogs to bear in his unprecedented foray into the inner lives of our canine companions, dispelling many common myths in the process. In a conversational Q&A format with illustrations, Coren answers approximately 75 questions often asked of him during his nearly fifty-year career as a dog researcher, combining the authority of an expert with the engaging delivery of a guest at a cocktail party."