The Story of Your Dog: From Renowned Expert Dog Trainer and Host of Lucky Dog: Reunions

by Brandon McMillan

Overview

GET TO KNOW YOUR DOG. Renowned expert dog trainer and bestselling author of Lucky Dog Lessons Brandon McMillan unpacks the unique and often misunderstood 15,000-year evolutionary history governing a dog’s every move.

Most dog owners know the truth—their dogs are totally incompatible with the modern world. Instincts like herding, chasing, and protecting have no natural outlet and frequently result in chewing, barking, nipping, jumping, lunging, and worse. However, as McMillan argues in these pages, the solution isn’t as simple as mastering “sit” and “stay.”

No matter what kind of dog you have, no matter how old or young or well trained or well-bred, your beloved companion is strongly influenced by his DNA. The result of these genetic distinctions shows up in every inch and action—from the size and shape of a dog’s head (and the brain inside it) to the length and curve of his tail, from the texture of her fur to the webbing (or lack of webbing) between her toes. It’s in their lung capacity, their tolerance for heat and cold, their appetites for food and exercise, and whether and how they bark. It goes beyond their structure and deep into their psychological profiles. Perhaps you’re lucky enough to have a dog with more than a few breeds mixed in, which makes this information all the more crucial to know and understand.

In The Story of Your Dog, McMillan breaks down why your dog acts the way it does, so you can train better and easier, with fewer missteps and miscommunications, and bond in ways you never thought possible. It is an invitation to get to know the sometimes frustrating but always incredible dog at the other end of the leash.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063040670
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/05/2022
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Born into a family of animal trainer entertainers, Brandon McMillan has been training wild animals since childhood. In addition to his work as a Los Angeles-based animal trainer for film, television, and many of Hollywood’s A-list celebrities, he was the host of the Emmy Award-winning CBS show Lucky Dog and Discovery’s Shark Week. His sog-training Masterclass has been one of the most successful on the platform. He studied under International K9’s Advanced Master Dog Trainer course developed by International K9, and cofounded Argus Service Dog Foundation, which trains and provides service dogs to veterans.

Table of Contents

Introduction: What's the Story of Your Dog? 1

Part 1 What Drives a Dog

1 From a Wolf 13

2 A History of Dogs Doing Jobs 33

Part 2 The Story of Your Dog

3 The Luckiest Dogs on the Block: Mutts and Mixed Breeds 45

4 Highly Specialized Machines: The Working Group 61

5 High-Octane Smarty-Pants: The Herding Group 93

6 Focused and Friendly Hunters: The Hound Group 117

7 Hunters with Hearts of Gold: The Terrier Group 147

8 Ideal Companions at Home and in the Field: The Sporting Group 179

9 Fierce and Lovable Lapdogs: The Toy Group 211

10 Charming Outliers: The Non-Sporting Group 245

Conclusion 263

Acknowledgments 267

Appendix A The 7 Common Commands 269

Appendix B Doggie DNA: A Test Is Better Than a Guess 273