It's called "On Talking Terms With Dogs", by Turid Rugaas. Here's the link:
Amazon.com: On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming...
It's very short, but interesting. I've read a lot on basic behaviorism, which is mostly what modern training methods are based on. Now I'm getting more into dog-specific signals.
There's a controversy going on right now about whether dogs see themselves in the rigid hierarchy we generally believe them to. Most studies on wolves (and dogs) have been on large groups of unrelated individuals forced to live together. In the wild, wolves are actually quite shy, and live in families. There's a Mommy wolf, a Daddy wolf, baby wolves, and some number of older siblings. Status is determined by age. This author claims that while we tend to focus on dog's aggressive/submissive signals, there is a whole other mess of signals that are meant to reassure other canines as to your intentions.
It's not clear if the wolf stuff applies directly to dogs, one because obviously we've bred dogs, and often shyness is an undesirable trait that's been bred out. It's possible that other signals have been lost along the way. Also, it's not clear if dogs think they live in wolf families, or in these artificial packs, since most dogs who live together are not related. Personally, I believe the "wolf family" paradigm is more accurate.
When I think of Boston Terriers, I see a breed that's lost almost all deflective signals. They are very bold, and from what I've seen, ignore other dogs' "back off" signals.
ANYWAY, I've already been helped by this book in just one day. I've realized in particular that Thor licks his lips a lot, which is a sign he's trying to calm me. Also, apparently dogs move more slowly as a calming sign. Thor Sits soooooo slowly, and I've assumed he's deciding whether to obey me or not. However, I use a very firm voice for commands when I don't plan to treat. When I'm treat-training him, I use a softer, more relaxed voice. I thought Thor was just a treat ho, but it may actually be that my voice is making him nervous!
This would make more sense to me, because Thor knows he's tiny, and is generally a fearful and submissive dog. I didn't understand where this "stubborn" streak was coming from. I feel now that I am not getting all his signals.
End of novel!