cover image The Dog Who Would Be King

The Dog Who Would Be King

John C. Wright. Rodale Press, $18.95 (288pp) ISBN 978-1-57954-002-9

What would you do if your dog was terrified of your new lover? Or if she ate her way through your new kitchen cabinets to hide from a thunderstorm? Applied animal behaviorist Wright's (Is Your Cat Crazy?) latest book tells how he helps exasperated owners solve these and other shaggy dilemmas, including the dog who left ""voodoo"" drawings on his owners' white carpet while they were away at work and the family that couldn't eat at home because their German shepherd would swipe their food from the table. Wright also covers more ordinary cases of doggy phobias, separation anxieties and aggression. In between cases histories, Wright donates valuable advice on topics such as choosing and training puppies, merging pet households and reading your hound's body language (hint: not every wagging tail is friendly). Best of all, Wright demonstrates inspired, and sometimes humorous, insight into the motives of mischievous canines and their befuddled owners. Agent: Jim Frenkel. Author tour. (Feb.)