What Dogs Want: An Illustrated Guide for Happy Dog Care and Training

by Mat Ward, Rupert Fawcett (Illustrator)

A smart, fun illustrated guide to decoding your dog's feelings, from i nternationally celebrated pet behaviorist Mat Ward.

Your dog is your best friend. But it's not always easy to know what your dog is trying to tell you. In What Dogs Want , you'll uncover the meaning of your pooch's body language and bark as you learn fascinating new details about how dogs see, smell, think, and live in the world at any age. Every page has illustrations that perfectly sum up what's going on in your dog's head (spoiler usually it's playing, sleeping, or eating...).

A world leader in modern dog-training, Mat Ward demonstrates that once you understand your puppy or dog, you can train them with love and encouragement, making them feel comfortable and totally at home in your house. Once your dog feels supported in this way, Mat shows, you can give them better care and help them overcome tough issues like separation anxiety. What Dogs Want also teaches exciting new games that encourage you and your furry friend to communicate-and have a whole lot of fun!

A simple guide to giving your dog a safe and happy life, What Dogs Want is a must-have book for the dog lover in us all.

Genres: Dogs, Nonfiction, Animals

160 pages, Hardcover

Published November 2, 2021

Reviews

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for two reasons:
a) I always want to be friends with as many dogs as possible, and
b) I always want to have a good time.

Well, and the publisher sent me a copy. So I guess three reasons.

I did get a lot of intel on how to befriend dogs, but more so I got a lot on how to train them (which makes sense). This is not very applicable to my life, because my family's dog is past the training age and is very flawed and very perfect and very full of personality, but it is useful for most people, and potentially for the future.

I did not have that good of a time, though. I expect not to have a good time with most nonfiction, but not with nonfiction that's filled with little cartoon dogs.

But c'est la vie. This was very dry.

Bottom line: Like most nonfiction, boring and informative!

clear ur shit prompt 10: a book with an animal
follow my progress here

(thanks to the publisher for the copy)

[Aisling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful, easy to read and reference book on basic dog needs and behavior. Despite the adorable and goofy illustrations and the humor in the writing there is a ton of good info in this book which every dog owner SHOULD know (and most don't). It's organized well. My only complaint is that some tangential information is put in orange text and I found it very hard to see/read. I'm all for colour changes in text but pale orange was a poor choice. Still, unreservedly a five star book on dogs which covers everything from what breed should you choose to their care and training.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read about what your dog wants, how it thinks, and ways to train. Easy with graphics and step by step guides I really enjoyed this book. Perfect for new dog trainers.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun illustrated basic guide to dog owning and dog training. I have certainly found a few things to implement.

[Aleksandra Chrzęst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy-to-remember tips and tricks how to start and maintain companionship with our furry friends! Bonus: beautiful illustrations!

[Nadia Galpin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Livre qui se lit facilement avec ses petites illustrations type BD. Quelques informations intéressantes mais qui, selon moi, ne sont pas suffisamment étayées.

[Leffetripel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, Clear and Funny.
I now see my dog as the cartoon he is ;-)

[Daniela Underheaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

What Dogs Want is a straightforward, easy-to-follow book packed with practical ideas for dog owners, especially beginners. Its greatest strength is how it turns everyday routines into opportunities for fun, bonding, and training.

The book introduces the concept of “food for fun”, showing how meals can become stimulating games—scattering kibble in the grass, hiding it under cups, or using it for nose-work activities.

Highlights include the “Find-it” game, where dogs gradually learn to search for hidden treats, and other nose-work classics such as:
• Which hand? (guessing which hand holds the treat),
• The magic cup (lifting the right cup to get the food),
• Track back (finding a dropped toy during walks by following the scent trail).

On top of that, the book tackles common behavioral issues like jumping up and pulling on the lead. The strategies are simple yet effective: reward calm behavior (four paws on the ground), ignore unwanted attention-seeking, and make sure pulling on the lead never results in forward progress.

Overall, What Dogs Want is a light but valuable read. It doesn’t overwhelm with theory, but instead provides clear, positive, and practical tools to enrich your dog’s daily life. Perfect for new dog owners who want fun activities and basic training methods that really work.

🇮🇹

What Dogs Want è un libro semplice ma ricco di spunti pratici per chi convive con un cane e vuole renderlo più felice attraverso giochi, attività e piccole regole di educazione. Non serve avere esperienza: le spiegazioni sono facili da seguire e subito applicabili.

Una delle idee più interessanti riguarda il concetto di “food for fun”, cioè usare il cibo non solo come pasto ma come occasione di gioco e stimolo mentale. Alcuni esempi: lanciare i croccantini nel prato, nasconderli sotto bicchieri o usarli per giochi di fiuto.

Il libro spiega bene anche il gioco del “Find it”: mostrare un bocconcino, nasconderlo poco a poco in posti sempre più difficili e lasciare che il cane lo trovi. In questo modo si uniscono divertimento, concentrazione e l’uso dell’olfatto, che è la vera “super forza” dei cani. Altri giochi di fiuto consigliati sono:
• Which hand? (indovinare in quale mano c’è il premio),
• The magic cup (il classico gioco del bicchiere),
• Track back (lasciare cadere un giocattolo durante la passeggiata e incoraggiare il cane a ritrovarlo seguendo la scia).

Oltre al gioco, il libro affronta in modo pratico anche alcuni problemi comuni come il saltare addosso alle persone e il tirare al guinzaglio. La chiave sta nella coerenza: premiare il cane quando ha “quattro zampe a terra” e ignorarlo completamente quando salta, oppure non permettergli mai di avanzare tirando, ma dargli libertà solo quando il guinzaglio è morbido.

In sintesi, What Dogs Want è un libro che unisce consigli concreti, facili da mettere in pratica, con un approccio positivo e rispettoso. Lo consiglio a chiunque abbia un cane, soprattutto ai proprietari alle prime armi che vogliono imparare giochi, tecniche di addestramento base e modi per creare una relazione più serena e divertente con il proprio compagno a quattro zampe.

[M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

เป็นเล่มที่ช่วยให้เราเข้าใจสุนัขได้มากขึ้น เราว่าสามารถนำไปลองปรับใช้ได้หลายเรื่องเลย เหมาะกับทุกคน ไม่ใช่แค่คนที่เลี้ยงสุนัขเท่านั้น

สำหรับเนื้อหาที่เราชอบมากๆเป็นเรื่องของ ‘อาหารที่ต้องเลี่ยง’ แน่นอนว่าหลายคนทราบ แต่ก็ยังมีอีกหลายคนที่ยังไม่ทราบเช่นกันว่าอาหารบางอย่างที่เรากินเป็นเรื่องปกติ แต่สำหรับสุนัขแล้ว เป็นอาหารที่ต้องเลี่ยง

แต่ทั้งนี้ทั้งนั้นเล่มนี้ก็เป็นการนำเสนอให้เราเข้าใจคร่าวๆ แต่ก็เรียกได้ว่าค่อนข้างครอบคลุมประเด็นที่น่าสนใจและควรรู้เอาไว้ ภาพประกอบน่ารักมากก อธิบายสั้นๆ เข้าใจง่าย ทำให้อ่านเพลิน อ่านสนุก และได้สิ่งที่เป็นประโยชน์แน่นอน

[Kelly Erickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably best for first time dog owners, as there is a lot of very basic information. There was also a lot of new interesting things and facts that I wasn't aware of, but I probably wouldn't have bought my own copy if I'd realized how much overlap there was with what I already knew.

I have to agree with the other review mentioning the little bullet points in orange font being hard to read.

[Debby · Rating 3 out of 5]

More information is definitely needed in order to get a better understanding of your dog; as this book is quite simple and not comprehensive enough for my taste. Despite its simplicity, I think it's a fun way and easy introduction for those who want to welcome a dog into their life. Maybe it's also a great book to show your family members/friends/partner/whoever will be near your dog on how to behave or understand your beloved pet a little bit better.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very easy to read and practical. Loved all the illustrations. Having pictures made it interesting for my children to read which is important as having children makes training a puppy much much harder!
Advice is in line with what other trusted sources say and also added new things I hadn’t learned elsewhere. This is my 4th dog but first puppy.

[Susan Krutzler · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars. Good compact book with illustrations. Easy to read and summarized with the most important points about dogs from pups and all about raising them including behavior and how they learn. A must for new dog owners.

[David Correia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good for people that have a dog for the first time it’s incredible the things you are doing wrong while raising your dog due to the myths people have created during the years.
I recommend to everyone who have or is thinking about getting a puppy/dog.

[SillyNyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very easy to understand book with fun pictures. It contains the basics and a bit of slightly advanced pieces of information about dog owning and training. I would say to get this and supplement it with outside research, as this book is mostly an introduction.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this training book. It was straight forward, had easy to implement ideas, and each concept was only two pages long so it didn’t feel overwhelming. Cute, charming, illustrations also made it for an informative and enjoyable read.

[Arina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would say this book offers very good advice on how to interpret your dog’s behaviour and how to be the best human for your dog. You chose to take care of a living thing and you have to treat it like that.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book with nice drawings which is best suited for first-time dog owners. It includes of course some new information for everyone, but it’s probably most helpful to new dog parents.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eh

[Nosemonkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent short tips and insights into dog behaviour, accompanied by lots of cute cartoons of dogs. What more could you ask for?

[Yates Buckley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great dog manual, quick, fun and cute illustration with some surprising tips.

[Jen_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read layout with helpful illustrations. Would have liked a bit more of a breakdown on how to teach the various commands but overall a good read

[Bloss ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging, high-level training guide with utterly adorable illustration. This book is super cute and very readable.

[Lindsey Bagley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good basic information about dogs- it touches on a little bit of everything that you might need to know about owning a dog. I enjoyed the illustrations.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good for novices, short simple statements

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine 2 day break from academia.

[karyna z dwoma gorylami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Urocze obrazki 🥰🥰

[Jacob Stansfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for anyone getting a new dog or wanting to re engage with their current dog.

Easy read, great training advice and great illustrations.

Would recommend to anyone.

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and informative

[Juliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick and easy! Everything I expected it to be.