What are the benefits of owning a dog on health and well-being? Why does a ‘problem dog’ behave as it does and how can owners deal with unwanted behaviour? How do dogs communicate with humans and each other? The Psychology of Dog Ownership explores the nature of our unique relationship with dogs and its effect on our mental and physical welfare. The book uses psychological learning theory to examine dog behaviour and highlights the importance of determining between typical dog behaviour and behaviour disorders that need treatment. Focusing on how dog owners can communicate effectively with their pets, and always with the dog’s best interests in mind, The Psychology of Dog Ownership enhances our understanding of the modern human-canine bond and shows how important and enjoyable this relationship can be.

In an examination of the relationship between pets and people, Barrie Gunter illustrates the many psychological benefits that animal companionship can bestow upon us; providing security for the anxious, companionship for the lonely and status symbols for the image conscious. This book examines the phenomenon of pet ownership and the importance placed upon this strange relationship by people in modern society.

There have been dramatic increases in the financial, emotional, and psychological investment in pets over the past four decades. The increasing importance of animal companions in people's lives has resulted in growing emphasis on the human-animal bond within academic literature. This book introduces practicing and emerging professionals to vital subject matter concerning this growing specialty area by providing an essential framework and information through which to consider the unique contextual backdrop of the human-animal bond. Such contexts include a wide array of themes including: issues of attachment and loss, success and frustration with making and sustaining connections, world views regarding animal ethics, familial history of neglect or abuse, and cultural dynamics that speak to the order of things between mankind and nature. Adopting a contextual stance will aid mental health professionals in appreciating why and how this connection has become a significant part of everyday life for many. As with any other important clinical dynamic, training and preparation are needed to gain competence for professional practice and research. To this end, an ensemble of international experts across the fields of psychology and mental health explore topics that will help both new and established clinicians increase and understanding of the various ways the human-animal bond manifests itself. Perspectives from beyond the scope of psychology and mental health such as anthropology, philosophy, literature, religion, and history are included to provide a sampling of the significant contexts in which the human-animal bond is established. What brings these divergent topics together in a meaningful way is their relevance and centrality to the contextual bonds that underlie the human-animal connection. This text will be a valuable resource that provides opportunities to deepen one's expertise in understanding the psychology of the human-animal bond.

A maverick scientist who co-founded the field of anthrozoology offers a controversial, thought-provoking, and unprecedented exploration of the psychology behind the inconsistent and often paradoxical ways we think, feel, and behave towards animals. How do we reconcile our love for cats and dogs (and rabbits, snakes, hamsters, gerbils, and goldfish) with our appetite for hamburgers and chicken breast and our use of medications that have been tested on lab mice? Why do so many of us—as meat eaters, recreational hunters and fishermen, and visitors of zoos and circuses—take the moral high ground when it comes to condemning activities like cockfighting? And why are dogs considered pets in America but dinner in Korea? With Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat, Hal Herzog offers a lively and deeply intelligent look inside our complex and often paradoxical relationships with animals. Drawing on over two decades of research in the interdisciplinary field of anthrozoology, the science of human-animal relations, Herzog examines the moral and ethical decisions we all face when it comes to the furry and feathered creatures with whom we share this planet. Alternately poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat takes readers on a highly entertaining and illuminating journey through the full spectrum of human-animal relations, relating Dr. Herzog’s groundbreaking research on animal rights activists, cockfighters, professional dog show handlers, veterinary students, biomedical researchers, and circus animal trainers. Through psychology, history, biology, sociology, cross-cultural analysis, current animal rights debates, and the morality and ethics surrounding the use and abuse of animals, Herzog carefully crafts a seamless narrative composed of real life anecdotes, academic and scientific research, cross-cultural examples, and his own sense of moral confusion. Combining the intellectual rigor of Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma with the wry observation of Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods, Herzog offers a refreshing new perspective on our lives with animals—one that will forever change the way we look at our relationships with other creatures and, in so doing, will also change the way we look at ourselves.

"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"--

Succinct, highly readable and thought provoking, this important new text is designed to raise awareness of the potential economic impact of companion animals in the UK. It discusses the potential benefits and costs of companion animals to the economy and highlights the need for this matter to be thoroughly researched, given the potential scale of impact and the potential costs of ignoring this matter. Inspired by the seminal Council for Science and Society (CSS) Report, Companion Animals in Society (1988), this work updates and extends its evaluation of the economic impact of companion animals on society and lays a benchmark for future development. This pivotal new book is important for policy makers at national and international levels and all those involved in animal welfare.

'Carri Westgarth's unique combination of scholarship and practical experience with dogs will make this the go-to book for every enquiring dog owner' – Dr John Bradshaw, bestselling author of In Defence of Dogs What if your dog could teach you a few new tricks for living a happier, healthier life? Drawing on her many years of research on human-animal interaction, Dr Carri Westgarth will help you to gain a new understanding of your dog's needs and how to be the best owner you can be. Learn to harness the power of your special bond with your pet and train your dog to be a canine alarm clock, cuddle on command and get you out and about more than ever before. Improve your pet's wellbeing with a wealth of science-led techniques and easy-to-learn tips – because a contented, well-behaved dog leads to a relaxed, healthy owner. You really can train your dog to train YOU to live a better life.