Mich. dog trainer teaches humans a few new tricks

Humans must make the effort to see the world through a dog's eyes, says author Brenda Aloff.
By RANNY GREEN
THE SEATTLE TIMES
When you've been reviewing pet books for more than a quarter-century, there's a temptation to become a bit cynical about volumes touting a new perspective on canine behavior. What more can possibly be said?
It turns out that Brenda Aloff, a Midland, Mich., dog trainer specializing in problem behavior, has plenty new to say with this powerful visual book, capturing trigger points from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail -- in 432 photos and a fresh, full-throttle text.
Subtle exchange
Most of the photos are not of dramatic, growling postures most of us can grasp, but rather the subtle and quick exchanges that are commonplace yet misinterpreted or overlooked by owners.
"For humans to effectively communicate we have devised an immense vocabulary," Aloff emphasizes. "Millions of words. The dog is limited by his body parts. Because of this, the dog must re-use 'words' and depend on context and combination to form the 'sentence.' You must make the effort to think like the dog would, seeing the world through her eyes.
"Training issues disappear as you recognize when your dog is asking for help [anxiety or confusion], as opposed to making a choice to disobey [I'll greet this dog, THEN I will respond to your cue of 'Come,' even though I clearly heard you]. The real prize is communication with your lifelong friend can be even more rewarding, as you become 'bilingual,' including 'Dog' in your language repertoire."
Open to interpretation
Some interpretations will surprise you. Yawn, for instance, isn't necessarily a laid-back action; it can reflect stress. Paw lifts might be saying curiosity, anticipation, submission or simply waiting, depending upon what human interaction is taking place. Or then there's the Michael Jordanesque tongue flick, which might signal personal-space violation, negotiation, stress or early warning.
Sections are divided into "Expressions of an Emotional State," "Calming & amp; Negotiation Signals," "Neutral & amp; Friendly," "Space Invaders," "Predation" and "Play." It took Aloff three years and rummaging through approximately 3,000 photos to complete the work.
If you thought you knew dogs, this volume can be humbling. Aloff's refreshing straightforward presentation dramatically raises the bar for future literary works detailing canine behavior.
Knight Ridder Newspapers