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When I sat down to read Why We Love the Dogs We Do by Stanley Coren, I expected a “how-to” book on choosing the right dog. While that is certainly addressed in the book, what I discovered was a book more about people than about dogs. If you’re interested in psychology and enjoy reading biographies of famous people – as well as liking dogs – you’ll love it.
Human psychologist Stanley Coren explains the four different dimensions of human personality: extroversion, dominance, trust and warmth with a test you can take to see where you fit on each of the four scales.
Meanwhile, working with other dog behaviour experts, animal behaviourist Stanley Coren has regrouped dog breeds into seven categories based on personality traits: friendly, protective, independent, self-assured, consistent, steady and clever. He then shows which group of dog is most suitable for which human personality type – and which personality types shouldn’t have dogs at all.
What makes the book unique and particularly interesting is that Coren illustrates the matches with biographical sketches of famous people and their dogs. Several U.S. presidents, authors John Steinbeck, Eugene O’Neill, Lord Byron and Emily Bronte, and artists Picasso and Emily Carr are just some of the famous people included. Chapter 17 lists breeds of dogs from the seven groups and famous people who have owned them.
If you’re looking for a straight-forward, quick-fix “how-to” book, you’ll probably find Coren’s work a little long. But if you’re looking to expand your understanding of people and their relationships with dogs, don’t miss it. Along the way, you’ll find out which dogs you should have, and looking back on the dogs in your life, perhaps realize why one particular dog was the perfect companion or a constant challenge.
