Embracing the Wild in Your Dog, An understanding of the authors of our dog's behavior-nature and the wolf

by Bryan Bailey

Overview

The ontogeny of anthropomorphism, where we attach our human traits to our pets, is the most damaging and paralytic problem associated with dog ownership today. Believing in a fairy tale world where dogs possess the same moral consciousness and a sense of altruism as attributed to humans has led to consequences that include a drastic increase in leash laws, dogs being outlawed in a rising number of city and national parks, some breeds being banned in several states, an alarming escalation of aggression to humans, a rising cost in homeowner and business insurance, and a record number of clinically maladaptive dogs.

This book is not a dog obedience book. Rather, it is about developing a deep understanding of the authors of your dog's behavior; nature and the wolf. For all that man has done to carve the wolf from the wild to create a biological doll, today's dog is still a wolf at heart and the accompanying instincts borne from such ancestry defines how the dog approaches its world.

In this book, you will come to know the wolf in your dog and the tools that nature gave it to survive and coexist in both the mountains and in your home. You will learn how activating and deactivating the natural wolf impulses and mechanisms in your dog will lead to the harmonious existence and the control you always dreamed of. Most of all, you will come to embrace the wild in your dog and the grace and the peace that is breathed into its acceptance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781619334717
Publisher:	Taming the Wild, LLC
Publication date:	10/06/2015
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.41(d)

About the Author

Raised in Fairbanks, Alaska, Bryan Bailey grew to appreciate the wildness of the land and its abundant wildlife. In particular, he developed a fondness for the gray wolves that roamed the vast mountain ranges and forests near his home. Under the guidance of a Special Forces Survival Instructor, he spent years studying the social interactions of wolves in their packs and discovered that, beyond obvious physical similarities, there were also behavioral similarities between the wolves and the sled dogs that were his family's pets.

Bryan has traveled to over thirty countries in Europe, Africa, the jungles of southeast Asia and the remote regions above the arctic circle in his pursuit of learning the behaviors of hyenas, lions, tigers and the gray wolf, with an emphasis on how instinct, passed from the gray wolf, has affected the behavior of our domestic dogs.

Bryan is currently busy writing his second book, "The Hammer - Understanding Canine Aggression." He hopes the book will educate readers about the most dominant tool in the wolf and dog's bag of survival equipment - Aggression (The Hammer). This tool has allowed for ingestion, digestion, reproduction and survival by wolves for thousands of years in a very hostile and competitive world and it was passed to our dogs. Its use by our dogs is often misinterpreted and misunderstood and this has led to an increase in avoidable attacks to dog owners and their children.

Bryan and his wife, Kira, reside in Memphis, TN, with their children, dogs, and cats. Together, they own ProTrain Memphis and Taming the Wild.

Editorial Reviews

2015-11-03
A convincing guide for dog owners as well as a memoir of instructive adventures set in nature. As the title of this debut work suggests, the central figure here is the wolf. Bailey insists that the tendency to anthropomorphize pets doesn't serve them well: "The dog is a modified wolf, not a human." The author bases his arguments on decades of experience as a licensed dog trainer, police canine officer, and dog sled racer. Several passages, taken out of context, may strike some readers as harsh. In actuality, Bailey goes to great lengths to explain the economic and psychological influences that cause dog owners to make regrettable decisions, whether due to the machinations of the massively profitable pet industry or the very real human need for affection and companionship. Nevertheless, this book represents much more than a simple training guide. There is an undeniable power and beauty to the author's musings as he weaves into the text vital lessons learned from his mentor during intense survival training in the Alaskan wilderness. His rugged prose effectively conveys the physically and emotionally grueling nature of these exercises from his youth, to say the least. At one point, he literally stares into the eyes of the alpha male of the wolf pack. He also embraces spiritual elements, carefully constructing each chapter to begin with an appropriate epigraph, often quoting indigenous leaders or peoples. (He throws Jack London, John M. Campbell, and Henry David Thoreau into the mix, too.) As Bailey summarizes, "We are not adequately educated in regard to wolves and their behavior, and what little we do know, we are afraid of." He successfully rectifies this situation in a bold and refreshing manner. For instance, such knowledge can help consumers choose which portable kennels are most appropriate for puppies based on animal behavior in the wild. Throughout the text, he repeats a mantra derived from the social relations displayed in wolf packs: " ‘Obey today, eat today, live today' is the reality. Obedience is required." A firm response to currently accepted dog-training methods.

Kirkus Reviews