The whole “alpha dog” thing is a mistake: dogs aren't wolves, and we should really just forget that whole pack/dominance thing. (Side note: even wolves aren't wolves. The pack model is based on observations in old-time zoos; not necessarily the most natural and stress-free environment). Reward training works better than punishment. And pedigree breeding is harmful.

That's pretty much it. Bradshaw covers the latest knowledge about dog evolution and behavior, entertainingly and with helpful endnotes ... but then sort of continues on and on because books can't just be 150 pages, y'know. (Come on, publishers. Yes they can. The world is changing.) 5-star book if it were half the length. It would've been more memorable, had more of an impact. Instead, the second half felt like it dragged.

Content: useful, and important. I still recommend this and will pass it along to friends.