The Secret Lives of Dogs, The Real Reason Behind 52 Mysterious Canine Behaviors

by Jana Murphy, Pets: Part of the Family

If you've ever wished you could demystify the strange behaviors displayed by your curious canine, you should get your paws on The Secret Lives of Dogs—the book that explains the seemingly silly things dogs do that don't make much sense (to humans). Packed with practical information on canine care, it reveals the real reasons behind fifty-two actions exhibited by man's best friend.

Genres: Dogs, Nonfiction, Animals, Reference

164 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Jennifer Masterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars for "The Secret Lives of Dogs"! What an interesting and informative book! Do you ever wonder why your dog eats grass? Cocks it's head? Why they like to drink out of the toilet bowl, or even just why your dog licks you? Well it's all here in this lovely book!

The book actually uncovers 52 mysterious canine behaviors that most dog owners have seen at one time or the other. The author, Jana Murphy, spends about 4 pages per topic. There are also beautiful pictures of fabulous canines! I absolutely loved the photos!

What I liked best about this book was that the author emphasizes that there is a reason why dogs act the way they do. That it mainly comes from instinct that was bred into them over thousands of years.

I highly recommend this book for all dog owners and dog lovers!

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter received this book, a few years back, as a gift from her aunt, uncle and cousins. I decided to pick it up as a light easy read. Each behavior has its own section. I learned a few things about my dog (BFF), had a few laughs, and enriched my appreciation for my favorite animal. I'm inspired to read more about a woman's best friend.
I believe in Dog.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable book for dog lovers. A lot of the things here I knew but some things I didn't. There are 52 chapters covering dog behaviors.

[Kayla K · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Great Way to Understanding Man’s Best Friend

"The Secret Life of Dogs" is a very informational read that explains all of the odd behaviors of our canine companions. Virtually any habit that a dog owner has observed is addressed in this book. Many of the reasons behind these unique behaviors trace back centuries ago to their ancestors living in the wild. The references to these ancient survival strategies are mentioned somewhat repetitively, but they communicate the importance of the history of dogs in their more comfortable, modern lives. Personally, I enjoyed the facts from science studies such as what colors dogs are actually blind to (red and green). And, the amount of research done to complete this book is very evident in every chapter. (My only other complaint is that the rather long titles and education of the people interviewed sometimes took up a paragraph occurring a couple times in a page.) Also, I was thoroughly impressed with the abundance of practical tips to either subdue unfavorable habits (i.e. chewing shoes) or enhance your dog’s playtime and health. Of course, there are cute pet stories sprinkled in as well! Overall, this is the perfect book for any dog owner that wants to better understand their beloved pet and learn some care-taking secrets.

If you are looking for more canine-related works, "Devoted" by Rebecca Asher-Walsh has some amazing, heartwarming stories of several loyal, furry friends.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book definitely accomplishes what it sets out to do. By the last page you'll be 52 canine behaviors more informed about why your dog (or other dogs) do the things they do.

Each behavior is broken into an introduction, some further descriptions if applicable and then a section called, "Now that you know" which offers some suggestions on how to curtail the behavior if it's problematic. I stopped reading the introductions about 3/4 through. I just wanted to read the title of the section and get to the meat of how the issue is fixed. Of course I paid more attention when the issue was something I've observed in my dog.

Since dogs have just as much personality variances as any group of people, be aware that if you read this book straight through chances are that you're going to notice some contradictions. While rawhides might be perfect for a dog with stank breath, they're not so good for dogs that are notoriously flatulent. Read it and you'll see why.

While I found quite a few things to try with my dog, I think I spent most of my time thanking the stars that she doesn't do the majority of behaviors listed in the book such as digging holes, chewing wood furniture, unraveling toilet paper, saying 'hello' or showing submission by peeing....etc.

Great read for anyone looking to understand why their dog may be acting in a certain way, and how to change it.

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up to help with tricky behaviors my puppy has been doing, and I learned so much about why she is the way she is. The book includes terrific tips on how to get her to improve things I dislike her doing.

[William Burruss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m 65 and have had dogs most of my life, a total of ten. Only one dog came from a kennel, which is a purebred West Highland White Terrier that I have now. None of my dogs have been the same breed. My Lassie/collie, was the dumbest dog I ever had. Her name was Sweetie, which she was, but she also loved roadkill, which was deposited at our back steps. I have loved all of these dogs for different reasons, This book is filled with fifty-two fun chapters that answer questions about all my dogs: Burying Bones, Digging, Licking Faces, Eating Dung, Afraid of Thunder, Sniffing Private Places, Humping Legs, Drinking from The Toilet, and many more. After having so many wonderful pets it is nice to have a book that answers questions that you may have wanted answered.

[Eva-Marie Nevarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first half of this completely through and then skimmed the second half. This wasn't because the last half wasn't interesting- it just either had less to do with my dogs or I already knew it.
That being said, this is a nifty book. I can't say that it dropped any knowledge bombs- most of what's inside can be thought up on your own. The thing is, most people, myself included, don't stop to do just that.
I never stopped to think about why my neighbors dog always puts his front paws on my dogs back, even though it's an obvious sign of "I'm tougher than you are, I'm the big shot here'. I never really thought about a lot of the things I'd read in here and I'm one of the biggest dog lovers around.
This is very easy to read and also has some small breed specific parts. I would have liked those to be a little larger honestly. My family is very much into Labs and I would have liked to have been able to flip to the lab part and read away to my hearts content. I don't much care about what a Collie can see or what a Huskie likes to play with. But that's for another book I suppose and it didn't take away from this book for me.
I'd recommend this easily to anyone wanting to dig a little deeper into understanding their dog(s). I'm happy I read it and I wish I had read it before now. I would have tried to help my Lab that passed away this month with his allergies more had I read this.

[Emily Ann Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, fun read with a lot of fun photographs. Didn't really expand my knowledge significantly, but reinforced it. I'd recommend to dog owners who ask "good gawd, why'd s/he roll in that dead animal?" And are more inclined to laugh about it than scold.

[Sparrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I saw this at Barnes and Noble one day long ago and it came up next on my "to read" notification from my book organizing program.

It was quite an enjoyable read. It's clearly bare bones information, but still interesting to get some insight on more obscure dog behaviors. I was mostly intrigued by the small notes about breed discrepancies, like how Labradors have trouble on controlling their eating habits.

[Daniel Brubeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a good book to read for people that is just starting to share their lives with a dog, one thing that I really enjoy of reading these type of books because I always learn something new even if you have read other similar books; I also enjoyed a lot all the side stories on the topics.

[Jing · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just have my girl Spark who is only 13 weeks. My friend gave me this book as a gift. It really broaden my knowledge of how to deal with dogs and know what they like which makes it easier to teach her and keep a good relationship with her.

[Mark Bunch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for dog owners wanting to understand their dog's behavior.

[Galion Public Library Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review by I.C. : "Very helpful."

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read. I liked the fact I could read bits here and there before bed when my mind was too drained from the day to read anything more serious

[Bryan Kuchar · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this book achieved its basic purpose, it exemplified the epitome of boredom.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative answers on weird things my dog does that I never thought to Google.

[Jessica Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great read! Like the way it’s organized. So helpful to me as a new dog owner.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of common sense and things I already knew. I got bored pretty quickly.

[Kimberlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned a few things.

[Stephen Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read similar information in other books, but for what this book is about is very well organized, nice pictures, very good advice to take advantage or minimize behavoirs, so good to read at least once, and maybe have for reference. I am glad it is part of my collection.

[Jeanne Daly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Packed full of information for all dog owners who are trying to understand their dog's behavior and why they do what they do. You'll find this book helpful if you are new to the world of having a canine companion as well as if you've had a dog in your family your whole life. You'll probably want to keep this on your bookshelf to refer to from time to time when you're trying to figure out why does my dog do that or when you need a gentle reminder that dogs share some common behaviors that we struggle with and also enjoy. This is not I a book on how to train your pup but it will help you figure out how to recognize and correct some common problems.

[Jenn Hailley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had higher hopes for this book than perhaps I should have...it doesn't help that my dog is weird and doesn't even do most of the things in this book. But I did find little snippets of interesting or helpful information. For instance why dogs rub themselves on the carpet after a bath, or why they eat ANYTHING, lol. Could have gone farther though I think, and a couple of the chapters were a little repetitive. Worth a quick read.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pint-sized snapshot into why some dogs do what they do. As this is a general book, not much is catered towards a specific breed, or individual pup. Generally, it is best if you can spend lots of time training, and do so consistently. Some of the actual dog examples are funny, and might make you not want to have one. Still, they can be great companions, if you establish boundaries, and stick to them.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why do they chew on sticks, eat dung, roll in disgusting smelling things, and hate bathes? This book answers those questions, has engaging illustrations, and an informative though occasionally cute) text. The authors also offer practical suggestions for stopping some of the more unlovely behaviors.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is very engaging and fun, but double-check the tips carefully. At one point it recommends baking soda to keep dogs from eating the trash, but I found online resources suggesting it's poisonous for dogs. It does have some good advice, but just double-check its ideas quickly before implementing.

[Allie Dorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting!! I read it to help understand my puppy more so I skipped some things we didn't have a problem with or that she doesn't do. But this definitely will also come in handy when I get another one!

[RoseAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book entertaining. Although I've had dogs for over 10 years, I did learn a few new facts about why they do certain behaviors.

I plan to pass the book on to a much younger dog owner, both so she can benefit from new knowledge about her pet and so she can work on her reading skills!

[Susan Molloy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even at 164 pages, this was a fast read for me. There are a lot of photographs and good information that one can accept or take with a grain of salt. I didn’t care for the intense citations within the chapters, e.g. the listing of veterinarians and . . . .

[Jayme(theghostreader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book. I had five dogs and recognized many of the doggie behaviors. I learned a few new tricks myself. I recommend this book to all dog lovers.