Book excerpt: Why do you need this book? Excellent communication is relevant to interaction between all individuals whether sharing information within or outside our own species. Communication is paramount to excellent relationships. As humans, we already have an entire range of listening blocks with each other, so with dogs with a completely different language. So, how do we even manage to communicate at all? Thankfully dogs know our limits, so have spent hundreds of years perfecting their own communication skills to cope with the self-imposed boundaries of ours. The dogs in our homes are signalling, passing messages and displaying obvious requests most of the time. The humble house dog is a master communicator. Everyone who lives or spends time with any dog should repay the favour of putting effort in to learn dog language. It's essential that we can tell whether our dogs are relaxed, coping, scared, stressed or trying to escape. In addition, it's wonderful for them if we read their small cut-off gestures and adhere to them with respect. Packed with illustrations, photographs and explanations this book is a great way to learn canine communication and includes: Why dogs are all individuals and how their communication can vary. Telling how a dog feels from his stance and movement. Signs that your dog is suffering emotional discomfort. Early signs that your dog is feeling stressed. How to recognise severe stress and fear. How to manage and understand what dogs are saying to each other on greeting. Warning signs when dogs meet. The difference between play and conflict. The three types of distance that your dog uses to maintain his feelings of security. Why and how play is rooted in ancient rituals. How dogs self-inhibit and negotiate to maintain the game. What aggression looks like. How to tell a dog's intention from their body language and communication signals. This book will help you to understand not only your own dogs but also the communication attempts of every dog that you meet. When you start to properly and skilfully communicate with dogs it's a fascinating and heartening journey that's fair on them and an amazing experience for us