Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Bandgt;"For Christmas the woman who would become my wife bought me a dogand#8212;a little terrier. The next year her Christmas gift to me was a shotgun. Most of the people in my family believe that those two gifts were not unrelated." andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Bandgt;So begins andlt;Iandgt;Born to Barkandlt;/Iandgt;, the charming new memoir by psychologist and beloved dog expert Stan Coren of his relationship with an irrepressible gray Cairn terrier named Flint. Stan immediately loved the pup for his friendly nature and indefatigable spirit, though his wife soon found the dogand#8217;s unpredictable exuberance difficult to deal with, to say the least. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Even though Flint drove Stanand#8217;s wife up the wall, he became the joy of Stanand#8217;s life. The key to unlocking this psychologist-authorand#8217;s way of looking at dog behavior, Flint also became the inspiration behind Corenand#8217;s classic, andlt;Iandgt;The Intelligence of Dogsandlt;/Iandgt;. Undeterred by Flintand#8217;s irrepressible behavior (and by the breederand#8217;s warning that he might be untrainable), Coren set out to prove that his furry companion could pass muster with the best of them. He persevered in training the unruly dog and even ventured into the competitive circles of obedience trials in dog shows, where Flint eventually made canine history as the highest-scoring Cairn terrier in obedience competition up to that time. (Stan chose not to tell his wife that the highest-ranking obedience dog of that year, a border collie, earned a total score that was fifty times higher.) andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;The longest-running popular expert on human-dog bonding, Coren has enlivened his respected books and theories about dogs with accounts of his own experiences in training, living with, loving, and trying to understand them. A consummate storyteller, Coren now tells the wry, poignant, goofy, and good-hearted tale of his life with the dog who (in the words of his own book titles) taught him andlt;Iandgt;How to Speak Dog andlt;/Iandgt;and andlt;Iandgt;How Dogs Think andlt;/Iandgt;and whose antics made him ask andlt;Iandgt;Why Does My Dog Act That Way? andlt;/Iandgt;Illustrated with Corenand#8217;s own delightful line drawings and photos, and interwoven with his heartfelt anecdotes of other beloved dogs from his earlier life, andlt;Iandgt;Born to Bark andlt;/Iandgt;is an irresistible good dog/bad dog tale of this extraordinary, willful pooch and his profound impact on his masterand#8217;s insights into canine behavior as a research psychologist and on his outlook on life as a whole.
Review
and#8220;Stanley Coren writes about his dog with the thoroughness and insight of a scientist, infused with tenderness and empathy for how his dog feels and why he thinks and acts the way he does. This leads to revelations about training his terrier and other breeds, and about how individual dogs differ and why. A deeply thoughtful yet lighthearted, fun read, this book had me alternately laughing and crying, and reflecting on my relationship with my own dog. I recommend this book to anyone who has ever loved a dog or tried to train one.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;--Stacey Oand#8217;Brien, author of andlt;iandgt;Wesley the Owlandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;Just as Stanley Coren's important books on dogs deserve prime spots in every animal lover's library, so will his Cairn terrier, Flint, win a special place in each dog lover's heart. This little dog with a big soul will utterly captivate you. Even when he's misbehaving (which is rather often) you can't help but love Flint's fierce terrier courage, his boundless energy, and his mischievous sense of humor. In this personal and personable memoir, Dr. Coren offers respectful and penetrating insights into the lively mind of a special dog--and revealing glimpses into his own soul as well.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;--Sy Montgomery, author of andlt;iandgt;Birdology andlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;I've learned more from Stanley Coren about dogs and people than from just about any other writer and thinker on the subject. andlt;iandgt;Born to Barkandlt;/iandgt; is a wonderful addition to the growing, long overdue body of literature on dogs and humans. He writes about Flint with joy, warmth, and great love, and in so doing, teaches us so much about ourselves and the intense way we connect with our dogs. Coren understands better than anyone how dogs think. Now he teaches us about how we think about them. A wonderful read for anyone who has ever loved a dog.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; --Jon Katz, author of andlt;iandgt;Soul of a Dogandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;Stanley Coren's funny and touching memoir, andlt;iandgt;Born To Bark,andlt;/iandgt; reveals how the mentor we've come to know and love became so expert at reading the minds and hearts of dogs.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;--Ted Kerasote, author of andlt;iandgt;Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dogandlt;/iandgt;
Review
"[W]ith charming biographical history of his youth enriched by
Review
"[W]ith charming biographical history of his youth enriched by a variety of pets, all of whom played a large part in his emotional development. ... A tender, charming portrait of a consummate canine connoisseur." --andlt;Iandgt;Kirkusandlt;/Iandgt;
Synopsis
The consummate storyteller about dogs tells his own story of living with a terrior who was Coren’s beloved companion and his wife’s sworn adversary.
About the Author
Stanley Coren, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, is a recognized expert on dog-human interaction who has appeared on Dateline; The Oprah Winfrey Show; Good Morning, America; 20/20; Larry King Live; and many other TV and radio programs. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with a beagle, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and a Nova Scotia duck-tolling retriever, as well as his wife and her cat.