Tails of Salem: The Untold History of Dogs in the Witch City uncovers nearly 400 years of Salem history through the dogs who lived, worked, traveled, and made their mark here.

From the strange role dogs played in the 1692 witch trials to maritime companions, beloved local dogs, and Salem’s modern dog-friendly culture, this richly researched book tells a side of the Witch City’s story that has largely gone untold.

But what might someone interested in dog training find particularly compelling about this history? Here are seven things trainers may find especially fascinating about Tails of Salem.

1. A 400-year view of the changing human-dog relationship
   Salem offers an unusually vivid case study of just how dramatically our relationship with dogs has evolved—from animals that could be feared, persecuted, and even executed to companions considered members of the family. For trainers, that history provides fascinating context for the relationships we have with dogs today.
2. How dogs’ changing jobs changed their place in our lives
   Throughout Salem’s history, dogs have worked alongside people in many different ways. As their roles shifted from primarily practical and working relationships toward pets/companionship, our expectations of dogs—and the ways we interacted and communicated with them--changed as well.
3. The evolution of how we understand dog behavior
   Historical accounts reveal how differently people once interpreted canine behavior, often through the beliefs and knowledge of their own time. The book follows the gradual shift toward seeing behavior through a more informed lens and understanding dogs as individuals rather than simply judging their actions by human standards. For example, in 17th-century Salem, ordinary or unexplained canine behavior could be interpreted through the lens of witchcraft and the supernatural. Dogs were accused of being familiars, associated with the devil, and even killed. For modern trainers accustomed to looking at behavior through observation and the science of learning, these stories offer a striking reminder of just how profoundly our understanding of dogs has changed.
4. What the history of dog training tells us about the human-dog bond
   Training appears in the book as part of a much larger story. Changes in training methods and philosophy reflect changes in the relationship itself -- from an emphasis on control and obedience toward communication, cooperation, and a better understanding of how dogs learn. By the late 19th century, there was a growing interest in methods that relied less on harsh correction and more on repetition, reward, and consistency. "Training was no longer something done to a dog--it had become a shared process."
5. Karen Pryor and the positive-reinforcement revolution
   The book explores Karen Pryor’s role in bringing the science of learning and positive reinforcement to a much wider audience and helping transform the way people train and communicate with companion dogs--an especially meaningful chapter in the centuries-long evolution the book traces.
6. The surprising ways laws reveal what society thought dogs were worth
   Salem’s dog history includes laws, licensing, restrictions, and debates over how dogs should be treated and controlled. Following those changes offers another window into dogs’ evolving status--from useful property and potential public nuisance to valued companions and family members.
7. A dog trainer’s perspective behind the history
   Author Julie Gordon spent 15 years with Karen Pryor Clicker Training, working closely with Karen Pryor and writing and editing articles and books about behavior, training, and the human-animal bond. That background informed the questions she brought to Salem’s history and her interest in what the changing treatment of dogs tells us about the relationship between the two species.

Learn more about Tails of Salem: The Untold History of Dogs in the Witch City and get your copy today!