Review: A Dog is Not a Gun, by Dr. Cannie Stark
by Dr. Cannie Stark
Review written by Jessi S. Clark-White
Copyright 2000
This unusual Canadian book makes for pleasant and thought-provoking reading. Don t be dismayed that the author is neither a police officer nor a dog trainer…. she isn’t telling you how to be either one. Dr. Cannie Stark is a psychologist who has spent many years studying stress and aggression, and she s spent thousands of hours working alongside Canada s canine handlers in six different jurisdictions. A Dog is not a Gun presents a collection of her observations and interviews with experts in the field of canine policing.
The book is basically a collection of the author s articles, which previously appeared in publications such as The Quarterly and The LongLine. The goal is not to teach you how to train dogs or be a canine handler; it is to provide a psychologist s perspective on K9 policing and to share the author s observations of the field.
It was interesting to me to read this book after reviewing many American police books and articles. The differences are many, reflecting a more relaxed and compassionate working environment and outlook on life in general. Canadian handlers are obviously plagued by problems with understaffing, unknowledgeable administrators and budget problems just as the Americans are, but a less violent population and a tighter-knit organization aid them. One thing that becomes obvious to the reader is the great caring and dedication of the canine handlers, both Canadian and American.
The author s interviews with canine policing experts bring up some thought-provoking ideas and concepts. Why is it that America and Canada, with all of their wealth, technology, knowledge, and resources cannot breed working dogs to meet their own standards? Why do we still have to import our working dogs from Europe? Dr. Stephen Mackenzie, author of Decoys and Aggression, suggests some ways we might be able to change that.
Two controversial chapters challenge the much-lauded drive theory of behavior. While the concept of drives is thoroughly entrenched in the theories of most protection trainers, it is based on faulty and outdated scientific reasoning, according to the author.
While her views may raise the hackles of some readers, Dr. Stark addresses the flaws in this reasoning with intelligence and good humor…. Especially when discussing the excessive proliferation of drives we seem to be equipping our dogs with.
As she points out, food doesn t just materialize out of the blue, so there d better be a food acquisition drive. With all this food and liquid being ingested, our animal will burst if we don t provide it with an elimination drive. So now our animal is fed and watered, has eliminated wastes and may be ready to reproduce itself… and so on.
Other chapters cover many more topics, including an informative look at the use of the agitation muzzle for police service dog training written by K-9 trainer Brian Amm.
Thumbs up on this unusual and enjoyable book!
