Do Dogs Need Shrinks?

by Peter Neville; Sidgwick & Jackson, 1991; $24.95

Reviewed by Vicki Hyde

My first reaction on seeing this was "it has to be American", but the British are apparently just as loony when it comes to pet psychology. Neville is a BBC pet therapist and does house-calls "to treat the most disturbed cases".

It seems a little under-handed for a self-confessed dog shrink to use anti-male hormone injections to establish a dominance relationship between sparring canines in the same household. Not much psychology involved there. Nor is there much psychology — or sense — in recommending homeopathic remedies for dogs "needing" sedatives.

Much of this book is restatement of simple, basic common-sense rules. Train a dog using reward, rather than punishment. Mock sexual behaviour is pretty common in the average male dog and not something to get into heavy guilt trips about. You could find shorter, cheaper guides to dog behaviour.

Neville's writing is not particularly good, although the many case histories themselves can be entertaining. Most of them, however, shed more light on the human condition, rather than the canine. I don't think I'd worry about my dog if she howled through "Neighbours" — I'd probably join in. But then, perhaps we'd both need shrinks...

NZ Science Monthly, May 1990