The Canine Commandments guides children, and the adults they live with, to interact more safely with dogs and to minimise the risk of a bite.

The ‘commandments’ are simple to understand and relevant to all children, whether they already live with a dog or not.

This revised second edition of Kendal Shepherd’s well known book on dog behaviour includes her famous ladder of aggression and additional new features – quizzes, learning objectives and a glossary – to further engage children, and to support discussion and teaching in classroom settings.

Kendal Shepherd is a veterinary surgeon who has studied canine behaviour for many years. Her passion is the prevention of dog bite incidents in all ages, but particularly in children.

This new edition has been beautifully illustrated by acclaimed artist Anna Currey.

Kendal qualified as a veterinary surgeon from Bristol University in 1978, and is certified as a Clinical Animal Behaviourist by the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

Kendal is one of the UK's leading, independent veterinary and behavioural consultants in matters relating to animal welfare and canine behaviour assessment and modification. Kendal accepts legal instructions in both dangerous dog and animal welfare cases and offers online behaviour consultations. Kendal has written and published two books on canine behaviour; 'The Canine Commandments,' and 'Demystifying Dog Behaviour for the Veterinarian,' as well as an educational resource for primary schools regarding dog bite prevention

Contents

Introduction for children
Introduction for parents, guardians and teachers
Safety first
1 Being cross does not make you the boss
2 Any dog may bite if he feels in danger
3 Never hit or kick a dog
4 Do not touch a dog you don’t know
5 Do not tease or deliberately excite a dog
6 Dogs do not know the difference between right and wrong
7 Behaviours that dogs enjoy will be repeated
8 Dogs must be taught what you want them to do and they must choose to do it
9 Do not take anything away from a dog
10 When dogs are being ‘bad’, they need the most help, not the most punishment
11 Get your dog used to your life
12 Teach your dog to say ‘please’

The Ladder of Aggression
How to Help Dogs Avoid Going Up Ladders
The Human Ladder of Aggression
Learning objectives
Answers
Glossary
Further reading and resources