A comprehensive guide to the history and development of the Malinois breed. Learn: Specific problems Malinois handlers and trainers may encounter. How the breed developed to become the top choice for police work. Other roles for which the Malinois is perfectly adapted, including tracking, search and rescue, oil and gas detection, and more. The Malinois is one of the most effective working dog breeds in the world, prized for their intelligence and high energy level. This breed, which for centuries served as the ultimate sheepdog, has become increasingly popular among police departments and militaries that recognize its unique suitability for detection and police work. Beginning with a brief history of Belgian shepherd dogs, Resi Gerritsen and Ruud Haak next explore the emergence of the Malinois as a distinct breed over a century ago and examine the history of the Malinois in police work. They also provide practical tips and information for those who are raising and training a Malinois themselves.

Much has changed in the world of dog training since the first edition of "K9 Schutzhund Training" was published in 2000. In this completely revised second edition, world-renowned specialists in dog training, Dr. Resi Gerritsen and Ruud Haak, teach you the latest techniques to train your Schutzhund dog in tracking, obedience and protection. With proven methods rooted in classic and operant conditioning, this new edition of "K9 Schutzhund Training" provides beginners with an excellent introduction to the field, while expert trainers can stay on top of their game with the latest techniques.

A hands-on, practical approach to training your K9 for IGP levels 1, 2 and 3 Learn how to: - Implement a successful training program for the three phases of Schutzhund: tracking, obedience and protection. - Use expert tips and advice for passing the IGP trials. - Become a better trainer by understanding the theory behind the most effective K9 training techniques. K9 Schutzhund Training provides beginners with an excellent introduction to the field and helps expert trainers stay on top of their game with the latest techniques. Using proven methods rooted in classical and operant conditioning, Dr. Resi Gerritsen and Ruud Haak, world-renowned specialists in training working dogs, have developed this practical and positive Schutzhund training program. The excellent results trainers achieve through positive reinforcement prove the effectiveness of Resi and Ruud’s methods, which are based on more than 30 years of research and experience. In Resi and Ruud’s definitive guide for modern Schutzhund training, you’ll find the advice and encouragement you need to help you succeed in the IGP trials.

This very thorough book on training a protection dog builds from understanding protection work to training, being an agitator, evaluating temperament, and more. Safety is emphasized throughout. It is fun, exciting, compelling reading, even if protection work is not a goal but simply a fascination.

A powerful novel about ethnically fluid California, and the corrosive relationship between two Filipino brothers. Told with a hard-edged purity that brings to mind Cormac McCarthy and Denis Johnson, American Son is the story of two Filipino brothers adrift in contemporary California. The older brother, Tomas, fashions himself into a Mexican gangster and breeds pricey attack dogs, which he trains in German and sells to Hollywood celebrities. The narrator is younger brother Gabe, who tries to avoid the tar pit of Tomas's waywardness, yet moves ever closer to embracing it. Their mother, who moved to America to escape the caste system of Manila and is now divorced from their American father, struggles to keep her sons in line while working two dead-end jobs. When Gabe runs away, he brings shame and unforeseen consequences to the family. Full of the ache of being caught in a violent and alienating world, American Son is a debut novel that captures the underbelly of the modern immigrant experience. A Los Angeles Times Best Book, New York Times Notable Book, and a Kiriyama Pacific Rim Prize Finalist

"Ivan's training comes from the heart, for the dog. He has certainly enhanced my view of training and has taught me many valuable, yet simple techniques to achieve the most from my dogs and myself." --Mary A. Allen, World Championship Competitor, USA Apprentice Judge, USA New England Regional Director "Ivan Balabanov is among the few top trainers in the country who truly understands dog behavior and drives. He is highly respected by the best Schutzhund competitors, trainers and coaches in the country." --Glenn Stephenson, United Schutzhund Clubs of America Judge, International competitor Training methods for the top competitor. Advanced Schutzhund takes a problem-solving approach to Level III work that will help competitors bring their dogs to the highest level. Tracking, obedience and protection are dealt with individually, analyzing specific problems that crop up in each skill and offering step-by-step solutions. The approach uses operant conditioning techniques that steer clear of compulsion methods and build a dog's confidence, courage and problem-solving ability. You'll also find tips on how to compete at the National and World levels, including traveling with your dog. A Howell Dog Book of Distinction

An “entertaining and informative” look at the evolutionary biology that explains canine behavior, with photos included (Lynette Hart, author of The Perfect Puppy). What actually drives dogs to do the things they do? What’s going on in their fur-covered heads as they look at us with their big, expressive eyes? Biologist Raymond Coppinger and cognitive scientist Mark Feinstein know something about these questions, and this is their guide to understanding your dog and its behavior. Approaching dogs as a biological species rather than just as pets, Coppinger and Feinstein distill decades of research and field experiments to explain in simple terms the evolutionary foundations underlying dog behaviors. They examine the central importance of the shape of dogs: how their physical body (including the genes and the brain) affects behavior, how shape interacts with the environment as animals grow, and how all of this has developed over time. Shape, they tell us, is what makes a champion sled dog or a Border collie that can successfully herd sheep. Other chapters explore such mysteries as why dogs play; whether dogs have minds, and if so what kinds of things they might know; why dogs bark; how dogs feed and forage; and the influence of the early relationship between mother and pup. Going far beyond the cozy lap dog, Coppinger and Feinstein are equally fascinated by what we can learn from the adaptations of dogs, wolves, coyotes, jackals, dingoes, and even pumas in the wild, as well as the behavior of working animals like guarding and herding dogs. Isn’t it time we knew more about who Fido and Trixie really are? How Dogs Work provides some keys to unlocking the origins of many of our dogs’ most common, most puzzling, and most endearing behaviors.