The Dog Decoder: The Essential Guide to Understanding Your Dog's Behavior David Alderton

Last year, we welcomed a new addition to our family – a puppy. She’s much smaller than our other dogs, yet somehow, she’s managed to take the lead in the pack. We’re still adjusting to having her around, but it continues to be an exciting journey.

I came across this book that caught my attention, offering a wide range of topics that seemed perfect for our new pup. 

I was especially drawn to the pages that feature terriers and poodles as she is a mix of both breeds.

While the information is fairly basic, the photos in the book are fantastic, capturing typical canine body language that’s both informative and fun to study.

About the Author

David Alderton is an award-winning author, whose books on animals and nature subjects have sold over seven million copies worldwide and are available in 33 languages. His titles have been published by Harper Collins, Dorling Kindersley, Random House, Ladybird Books and other international publishing houses, including Alfred Knopf and Reader’s Digest in North America. He is currently working with Akara Heart on the book Mysterious Creatures: The Truth Behind the Legends (Rowman & Littlefield, 2025), as well as podcasts and filming. David trained as a veterinarian, but an allergy to soaps and scrubs led him into the field of media work, focusing both on pets and the broader natural world which has fascinated him from an early age.

David is a recipient of the Maxwell Medallion awarded by the Dog Writers’ Association of America, and his work has also been nominated for the Sir Peter Kent Conservation Book prize. David has participated in numerous television programmes, discussing animal-related subjects, for broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, Ch5 and National Geographic (with whom he has also worked on books). His television credits include the Crufts centenary show, Thank you, Mr. Cruft! and the top-rated BBC ancestry programme Who Do You Think You Are? He is also a regular on radio. David lives in Brighton, on England’s (sometimes sunny!) south coast, being regularly outpaced there by Gladys (who is a Whippet x Italian Greyhound) when walking up on the South Downs.