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Writer's pictureShel Graves

Book Review: Breed Differences in Dog Behavior: Why Tails Wag Differently



A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel lies next to the book Breed Differences in Dog Behavior: Why Tails Wag Differently
"That's one of many reasons why animal advocates are so staunchly anti-backyard breeder and anti-puppy mill...By the age of six, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, for example have a 70% rate for canine syringomyelia..." --Breed Differences in Dog Behavior Why Tails Wag Differently

I have listened to a number of webinars and podcasts on the topic of whether dog breed affects behavior. A favorite is the Enrichment for the Real World podcast episode with Dr. Jessica Hekman.


Being very bookish, however, I was excited to learn that my professors (Renee Robinette Ha and James C. Ha) at the University of Washington's Applied Animal Behavior certificate program had written a book on the topic: Breed Differences in Dog Behavior: Why Tails Wag Differently.


Now, you may have some strong opinions on this topic ranging from, "Of course shepherds behave differently than Shih Tzu's!" to "Actually, dogs are individuals! I've had a number of retrievers and Corgis with totally different preferences."


But this text takes a deep dive into what the science says (actually a bit of both). It's an excellent synthesis of the latest science of dog breeds: what we know and what we have yet to learn (quite a lot!).


Not everyone is going to want this level of detail about genetic science! But as a dog nerd and animal behavior nerd, I was game. And I appreciated the accessible tone (narrative examples and some humor) as well as the nuanced and scientific (research-based, curious, and questioning) approach, which is similar to what you will get in the Ha's UW-AAB program. I highly recommend it!


So, does breed affect behavior? Well, yes and no, and we have more to learn: "While breed isn't a determining factor in dog behavior, it provides a baseline for what to expect." As a dog trainer, I was particularly interested in the question of whether dog breed affects training and cognition to which the answer was: Well, no. And, yes, a bit, and we have more to learn. Each chapter includes detailed references for further study.


This is an excellent resource and reference which I am glad to add to my dog book shelf next to Dog Behavior: Modern Science and Our Canine Companions by James Ha and Tracy Campion (the text from the UW-AAB class when I took it). It provides a solid foundation of knowledge for passionate discussions about the dogs we love and how to care for them. I recommend it for anyone interested in dog behavior, examining the ethics of dog rescue and breeding, advocating for dogs' welfare (against puppy mills and breed specific legislation, for example), and for those who train dogs.


I appreciated the mention of some organizations training dogs for interesting jobs including Courthouse Dogs Foundation and Rogue Detection Teams (if you are not familiar with the work rescue dogs and their humans are doing to help endangered wildlife, you must check it out!). The book also includes some quotes and perspectives from Seattle-area dog trainers and behavior experts as well as examples from Dr. James Ha's work as a dog behavior consultant with private clients. Very engaging!



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