Review: Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Learning, volume one; Adaptation and Learning
Author: Steven R. Lindsay
Hardback, 410 pages
Iowa State University Press
The Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Learning, volume 1 is a valuable resource for trainers interested in detailed scientific information on behavior and learning. This is a “niche” book that will appeal to a limited audience, and be greatly appreciated by that audience.
The Handbook is a hefty collage textbook, written by a dog trainer/behaviorist. The amount of work Mr. Lindsay has put into it is staggering. He has researched and read vast numbers of scientific studies and papers then put that information together in this book, along with the knowledge he has distilled from them.
Light reading it is not; 410 pages of fine print, presented in the bland, dispassionate writing style that is apparently revered by textbook writers just isn’t most folks’ idea of fun. If you just want to train dogs without knowing which chemicals control which processes in the brain, or hearing about the myriad of studies done on the development of behavior in neonatal puppies, feel free to stop reading right here.
But if you’re inquiring sort, and would prefer getting detailed facts about the results of actual studies on dog behavior rather than hand-me-down opinions from the trainer around the corner, you might just enjoy this tome.
Those of us who want to learn more about the possible role of seizures in aggression, the development of separation anxiety, and optimal puppy socialization, or need a place to turn for information on the development of canine obsessive-compulsive disorders will be delighted to own this reference. It also describes theoretical issues that impact learning and training in dogs, including the influence of evolution and artificial selection, development and the biological basis of canine behavior, learning and sensory abilities.
If you’ve read such books as Excel-Erated Learning, Pet Behavior Protocols, How Dogs Learn, and Treatment of Behavior Problems in Dogs and Cats and you still want to know more, this is a logical next step. Unlike the books I just listed, which give information based on the results of scientific studies, the Handbook tells you about the studies themselves.
It also covers a myriad of topics that you just won’t find in other dog training books such as:
The chemical processes controlling behaviors such as fear and aggression,
A section on the development of behavior that will be very useful to trainers trying to develop a genuinely effective puppy class,
The real differences and similarities between dogs and wolves, and much more.
One aspect that may irk motivational trainers is the substantial chapter on “Aversive Control of Behavior,” presented with no matching chapters on the use of non-aversive techniques. The author seems to be much more of a proponent of the use of aversives than many of his contemporary peers. However, it remains worth studying, considering that even the most dedicated of motivational trainers sometimes fall back on the use of aversives.
There is very little actual training advice in this book, but the knowledgeable trainer will be able to apply the information contained in the Handbook to real life. This vast bank of information will give you a solid base to draw conclusions from and enhance your knowledge of how the dog’s brain works.
If you have the patience (and stamina) required to slog your way through this text, I almost guarantee you will learn something useful!
