Customer Reviews

The Evolution of Canine Social Behavior

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A very disappointing book. An outdated primer in Ethology, written in limited English. As another reviewer comments, many of the examples are taken from noncanid species, further limiting what is already a very short volume. Some of the terminology is not accurate. Overall a disappointing book in a crowded market.

I bought this book because I am a big fan of Turid Rugaas and it is on her recommended reading list. I had purchased and watched a Twazer seminar video with Abrantes, in which he is obviously very knowledgeable but too showman for my taste. This book makes some really important and original points, that I didn't find in other great books on canine evolution(i.e. Coppinger's Dogs) about dominance theories. Abrantes suggests that some dogs are innately more dominant,(just born that way, without being anthromorphic) and others less, while still refuiting the outdated classical dominance theories. Abrantes scientifically explains why this innate difference is useful and necessary in dog/wolf evolution.I have studied this argument alot and a light bulb went off and did some serious reflecting. There are some other pearls. I highly recommend.

As a student of science and someone who does research in the animal behavior field I had to comment. The author makes a pale attempt at writing a book both for a scientific and a layman audience. It was a good effort, but the amount of oversimplifications and just incorrect information makes this book a waste of time. It is rife with spelling mistakes and a lot of the text is fill

I got this book because I'm a dog behavior consultand and am very interested in wild canines as well. The book was more than a bit disappointing. It reads like a science text book and although school was fun when I was there I really don't need my pleasure reading to feel like studying. I would have prefered something more readable - not bad to fall asleep to though. However, the biggest problem I had with it was that too much of detialed other animal species. I bought the book to learn canine social behavior and the book goes into everything from birds to deer. All in all it was nothting like I expected. I still gave it 2 stars for the people who want a textbook. For them this might be perfect. I think the typical amazon shopper will give up half way through this short book.