The Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way to Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs | 
 enlarge | Author: Jean Donaldson
Publisher: James & Kenneth Publishers
Category: Book
List Price: $17.95
Buy Used: $6.45
You Save: $11.50 (64%)
New (43) Used (30) Collectible (4) from $6.45
Rating:  155 reviews
Sales Rank: 9989
Media: Paperback
Pages: 224
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 1020
ISBN: 1888047054
Dewey Decimal Number: 636.70835
EAN: 9781888047059
ASIN: 1888047054
Publication Date: January 19, 1996
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Cover: minimal wear * Spine: uncreased * Pages: several dog earred pages, otherwise clean w/ minimal wear * Enjoy!
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Product Description
A revolutionary new way of understanding the relationship between humans and domestic dogs. Jean Donaldson offers an exciting new perspective on the age-old relationship between mankind and dogs. Donaldson's work with the rehabilitation of aggressive domestic dogs has brought her to the understanding that biting is natural, normal dog behavior. Aggressive behavior within a community of dogs does not fracture relationships; it's all taken very much in stride, much as we humans accept the occasional exchange of heated words. Problems arise when dog rules and standards conflict with human values. This book will help you to understand the difference between our world and the canine world. How our actions can many times cause more problems than they solve. (2nd Edition, 2005, Paperback, 203 pages)
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| Customer Reviews: Read 150 more reviews...
 Best book on dog behavior I've ever read January 6, 2009
F. Pincus (Pasadena, CA)
I considered myself pretty progressive regarding dog training and behavior and then I read this book and realized I needed to update my thinking even more. The book is so good I bought 5 more to give to my friends with dogs. I STRONGLY recommend it to anyone who owns a dog. It is really worth the read. After you read this book, then move on to clicker training books - especially anything by Karen Pryor. Using clicker training (discussed in Culture Clash as well), I was able to train my 7 week old Aussie puppy how to sit, down, give paw, "attention," and "touch" (target) my hand, in about 3-5 minutes for each command. If you love your dogs, read these books and train them well.
 Good info, not so good writing December 26, 2008
Jeffery R. Hanson (Albuquerque, NM)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Donaldson clearly knows alot about dog behavior and provides some useful knowledge about the dog's evolutinary history and behavior issues. Unfortunately, her writing style is overly tedious and at times excessively academic. Who cares, other than psychologists, about the subtle differences between operant and classical conditioning and the overly complicated version of "aversives" that she brings to the discussion? Much could be said with far simpler words and better sentence construction. I felt like I was reading a textbook,,,,not what I wanted. Why say "olfactory" when "smell" would do quite nicely. She also displays, on occasion, a rather silly arrogance when she refers to some people (who might have differing views than she does)as "poor" or "stupid." I was extremely disappointed. Her writing got in the way of providing solutions to my dog's issues.
A gift to dogs and their humans November 27, 2008
Dr. Nancy Kay, author of Speaking for Spot - www.speakingforspot.com (Rohnert Park, California)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I love any information that allows us to better understand a species that doesn't communicate via human language. Dogs certainly have a wonderful ally in Jean Donaldson. Her explanations are clear and insightful, based on science rather than subjective interpretation. Anyone who reads this book will have a much better understanding of how to interact respectfully and effectively with dogs. And isn't that what dogs really and truly deserve?
For Anyone That Really Wants To Understand Dog Behavior September 4, 2008
Eric Letendre (Western MA USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
My dog-eared, worn-cover, beaten up copy of The Culture Clash, signed by Jean Donaldson Oct. 5, 1997, is one of my most prized books in my dog training library. I've had the great opportunity to attend her seminars and listen to her speak on a few occasions. It's a book that is required reading for any serious student of dog behavior. It's also great for anyone just interested in learning more about dog behavior and training. Let me explain why:
1. The book opens with "Getting The Dog's Perspective - Walt Disney vs. B.F. Skinner" and goes on to explain that dogs are amoral animals, that they have no understanding of right and wrong. She adds that dogs don't spite us, get back at us or feel guilty for doing "bad behavior." When we believe that our dogs are getting back at us, or trying to spite us, they end up getting a lot of punishment.
Think about it, you come home after a long day at work only to find your favorite $200 pair of shoes chewed to bits. If you think your dog did that to "get back at you" you would dole out a nice big dose of punishment. In reality, your dog was stressed at being left alone and chewed to relieve the stress. The next day you leave for work and your dog feeling stressed again, chews your kitchen chairs. You walk in the house and think, "He did it again to ME!" Severe punishment follows.
If this happens again and again the behavior is likely to get worse. In reality, your dog is not associating the chewing with his behavior. The chewing is a direct result of your behavior. Your dog associates the punishment with your homecoming. You walk in the door and pound him - this sets up a behavioral history. When you walk out the door there is a good chance that when you come back in a beating will follow.
Everyday you leave and your dog learns that when you come home he is going to be punished. It's all very stressful. How does the dog relieve stress - CHEWING!
Jean Donaldson explains this process so well and really gives you insights into why your dog is behaving a certain way.
2. Chapter 2 continues with the fact that dogs are predatory animals, that they are hard wired to search, stalk, rush, chase, bite/hold/shake/kill, and to dissect and eat(prey). This chapter is particularly important because of the writing on tug-o-war, the most misunderstood game in "dogdom".
In addition to tug-o-war, she discusses alone training, chew training and a lot more.
3. Chapter 3 on Socialization, Conflict Resolution, Fear and Aggression goes on to give some of the best advice for new puppy owners. The sections on bite inhibition, timid puppies, dog-dog socialization, food bowl exercises, object exchanges, and the bite threshold model is a must read for any new puppy owner.
4. Chapter 4 - Its All Chew Toys To Them, starts off with the story of The Gorns. The Gorns is an excellent story of putting us in the position of dogs. Humans are kept as companion animals to a more intellectually sophisticated species.
Imagine living on a planet with a Gorn and this Gorn punishes you for doing normal human behavior like: Shaking hands, sitting on couches, eating anything but "Human Chow," etc.
Think about dogs, they get punished for sniffing each others butts (human equilevlent to shaking hands), sitting on the couch, trying to eat anything other than the food from a bag that we feed them. This is a very eye-opening chapter.
5. Chapter 5 is the one chapter that I think makes a lot of people upset - "Lemon Brains But We Still Love Them." The first paragraph of this chapter she states:
"The enmeshment between dog owners and Walt Disney has been too tight to allow behaviorism in. We've been clinging to the wish that dogs might just have big, convoluted, melon brains like humans and have a natural desire to please. The fact of the matter is dogs have little, smoothish lemon brains and are looking out for number one. I personally still like them."
It's an excellent chapter that goes on to explain how behaviors are taught. Much of what has been taught on dog training is false. For years dog owners have been told that when a dog does NOT do the command the dog is being dominant. The dog owner is then instructed to be "The Alpha" and apply appropriate force, setting up a negative situation between dog and owner. If we truly believe that the dog has a natural desire to please, then the dog should want to do it for us.
On the other hand, if we take a realistic view and understand that as Jean states, `They are looking out for number one," we figure out what the proper motivation is to teach the dog to do the command.
6. The final chapter finishes up with instructions on how to teach your dog obedience commands starting with kindergarten levels and working up to PhD levels.
The relationship between dogs and humans is a long one. It's time that we stop expecting our dogs to think like us and learn to think like our dogs.
Is it any reason that we have 56 million dog bites every year in the United States? The only way were going to make that number go down is to read books like Jean Donaldson's book, The Culture Clash.
2005 UPDATED EDITION is available but not sold on Amazon August 27, 2008
Just Me (here and there across the USA)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is the most significant dog book ever written -- yes, it's that good. Everyone who owns a dog should read it. I'll let you read the other reviews to hear why. But you should know that there is a revised edition (with 11,000 more words) available, though for some reason Amazon isn't selling it.
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