Think Dog: An owner’s guide to canine psychology (revised edition)
John Fisher (Octopus Publishing 2012) ISBN 978 1 84403 709 4

For anyone considering a career in dog behaviour or for the pet dog owner, this book is  a ‘must read’.  Written in plain English it is an excellent resource for both owners and students.

John fisher was one of the forerunners in understanding canine psychology in the early 1990’s and was a mentor to a great many trainers, myself included.

His wit and wisdom was not restricted to the classroom (I use the word ‘classroom’ loosely) and it is what makes this book so easy to read.  The humour with which he regales some case histories will leave you wondering if they can actually be true, and after many years in the training and behaviour field, trust me – they can!!

John’s ‘living room’ manner of explaining to owners why their dogs behave in a certain way and what can be done to help, is explained in a gentle and guilt-free way, with no physical or mental stress to the dog.  After all, everyone wants to do the best for their dogs and the explanations in his book make everyone feel more at ease about what to do.  He explains to both owners and students how the world appears from a dog’s point of view.

Although he wrote his original book using pack theory, several years later he openly stated that it was incorrect and an inappropriate way to work with dogs.  During his revision of Think Dog he tragically died unexpectedly, leaving a gaping hole in the dog world.

The revision was completed using his own notes.

Review by Angela Pitman MAPDT MIACE, Member of ICB