In a Dog's Heart: A Compassionate Guide to Canine Care, from Adopting to Teaching to Bonding - Softcover

Arnold, Jennifer

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0812982452 ISBN 13: 9780812982459

Verlag: Random House, 2013

Inhaltsangabe

AN INDISPENSABLE GUIDE FOR ANY DOG OWNER—NEW OR SEASONED
 
Jennifer Arnold has come to a unique understanding of the human-dog bond over the two decades she has spent raising and training service dogs for Canine Assistants. She developed a methodology—Choice Teaching—that pairs scientific and behavioral knowledge about dogs with gentle incentive and encouragement to extraordinary effect. Here Arnold shares
 
• how to choose the puppy that’s destined for you and what to have on hand before you bring that puppy home
• best practices when it comes to teaching your dog essential and even lifesaving commands
• what to stock in your doggie first-aid kit
• how to keep your pet safe from dangers at home and in the outside world
• how to help your dog overcome anxious behavior, from separation anxiety to thunderstorm phobia
• the challenges and rewards of adopting an older dog
 
Throughout the book are captivating stories of the extraordinary ways in which dogs prove themselves worthy of our care and devotion—and how we can, and why we should, help them achieve what they so deserve.
 
“This guide is as practical as it is wise, a keeper book for ready reference.”—Susannah Charleson, author of Scent of the Missing: Love and Partnership with a Search-and-Rescue Dog
 
“An informative and entertaining book . . . [Arnold’s] insightful words provide knowledge every dog owner needs.”—Publishers Weekly

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Jennifer Arnold is the founder and executive director of Canine Assistants, a service-dog school based in Milton, Georgia. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Through a Dog’s Eyes, which was also the subject of a PBS documentary. She lives with her husband, veterinarian Kent Bruner, son Chase, three dogs, Bob the cat, eight horses, and a number of other animals.
 
Canine Assistants is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing service dogs for children and adults who have physical disabilities, epilepsy, or other special needs. Canine Assistants does not charge for the service it provides; rather, it relies on the generosity of those who recognize that helping one benefits us all.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

CHAPTER ONE

What Dogs Want

"He's just a baby," the woman told me. "But he seems so withdrawn." A rescue group had taken in the mixed-breed dog and requested that I evaluate his potential for rehabilitation and rehoming. The dog, Otter, had gotten himself into trouble by growling at the people who owned him. As Otter climbed out of a big SUV, I could see that he was young, and despite the fact that he was wearing a basket muzzle, he hardly looked aggressive. His paws and head were entirely too big for his bony body, and he seemed to have difficulty coordinating all four of his lanky legs. However, when I looked into his eyes, any resemblance to a puppy quickly disappeared. They belonged to a much older soul, one that was not so much angry as it was weary.

I knelt sideways in front of Otter, my gaze averted, allowing him to determine whether it was safe to approach me. We stayed motionless for several long minutes. Finally, he took two small steps toward me, lowering his head, resigned to whatever fate awaited him. I did not want Otter to approach in fear, so I slowly inched away.

"Maybe we can get Otter to follow another dog into the building," I suggested to the woman holding the puppy's long leash. I knew from the rescue group's intake form that his owners, an older couple, had used a trainer to help teach Otter his house manners. The trainer had advised the couple to squirt hot sauce in the dog's face when he jumped up to greet them. She also provided a remote shock collar, to be used when he did something they considered inappropriate. So it was clear that Otter was scared to death of people. As we stood in the driveway at Canine Assistants, the nonprofit I founded that provides service dogs to people with disabilities, I knew the only comfort I could offer him was the companionship of another dog.

A pretty female golden retriever quickly worked her magic on Otter. He followed her into our office, where he allowed me to unclip his muzzle and leash. The woman from the rescue program said her goodbyes and, without thinking, reached to give Otter a pat. The dog suddenly shied away, as if her hand were a hot iron.

"What on earth will you do with this poor dog?" the woman asked me, as she turned to leave.

"We'll start by getting him healthy and showing him that he is now safe. If we can, we will earn his trust and teach him some skills so he can gain a little confidence. As one of my friends says, we have to earn the right to be heard."

"That poor dog deserves a good life," the woman said. "I hope you can give it to him."

In 1943, Abraham Maslow, a psychology professor at Brandeis University, published a paper titled "A Theory of Human Motivation," in which he proposed a construct of human needs. Human needs, he believed, evolve sequentially from the most basic to the more advanced, forming a pyramid that culminates in a self-actualized individual when the needs at each successive level have been met. Since its publication, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, as his theory is known, has come under some criticism as, among other things, ethnocentric and exceedingly individualistic. This criticism aside, Maslow's hierarchy provides an excellent basis for describing the needs of dogs and how they rank and structure their most valued necessities. To better describe dogs' needs, I have adapted Maslow's work for my own use and named the pyramid Canine Construction, or C2 for short.



The principles are relatively simple. Initially, all efforts will (and must) be directed to meet the base requirement of canine existence, the first level: physical needs. A dog's primary instincts demand that if he is hungry or thirsty, he focus all of his energy on obtaining food and water. Subsequently, if he has no immediate shelter, the dog must concentrate on finding a way to keep his body temperature regulated. Likewise, if he is sick, his illness becomes his singular concern. Fundamentally, a dog must have a healthy body. Only after that has been addressed can the dog turn his full attention toward the next level: safety.

This second level of the pyramid is of critical importance in the life of any living being, and certainly dogs are no different. Our dogs have no way of understanding that the yard is safe but the street is dangerous. Nor do they understand that something isn't safe to swallow simply because they can fit it into their mouths. Dogs, like toddlers, must be protected from the dangers lurking in the outside world. Sometimes they must be protected from even their own instinctive responses to situations such as the presence of the mail carrier, a running child, or a cat dashing across a busy street. When we help our dogs stay safe and feel safe, we allow them to take the next step on the path to a good life.

As every dog lover knows, dogs are social beings. Most dogs want to be around others and be part of a family, even if that's a two-member family: the dog and his human. Dogs are social animals rather than pack animals. The prevailing theory that dogs are pack animals has recently been challenged by studies on feral dogs, which show that rather than forming stable packs, feral dogs form transient attachments to one another. Regardless of its specific structure, dogs do form and need the third level: attachment.

Contentment is the fourth level in the C2 pyramid. Dogs must live in predictable environments with a manageable level of stress in order to be content. Although occasional adventures are great for maintaining excitement in a dog's life, most dogs crave daily routine. And, whether it is assisting someone who uses a wheelchair, keeping the yard free of pesky squirrels, or just being your faithful companion, every dog needs a raison d'être. Having purpose allows dogs to develop self-confidence and garner the respect of those around them, important components in the life of a content dog.

Understanding what our dogs need is relatively simple; determining our role in meeting those needs is considerably more complex. This book addresses how to help your dog successfully negotiate the progressive levels of the C2 pyramid. It discusses the practical issues involved in meeting his physical needs, such as veterinary care, first aid, feeding schedules, and exercise protocols. It details how to keep him safe from both extrinsic dangers, such as becoming lost, and intrinsic dangers, such as biting. It outlines how to choose the right dog for your lifestyle and, by so doing, help him be successful and content.

This book was written because I love dogs. But I also believe in dogs, and I believe that when we are presented with the opportunity to have a relationship, based in mutual trust and understanding, with a dog, we are being offered a gift-one that offers both species myriad rewards. Throughout the book are stories of the extraordinary ways in which dogs prove themselves worthy of our care and devotion, and how we can, and why we should, help them achieve what they so deserve-a good life.

CHAPTER TWO

The Gift of Good Health

Amber is a beautiful, small golden retriever, placed with a little boy named Jack who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Although Amber had clearly given her heart to Jack, she adored the entire family. She responded to each member that came in with polite, if reserved, warmth. Jack's mom was perhaps most impressed by Amber's apparent recognition that Jack's grandmother, an almost daily visitor to their house, was older and somewhat fragile. For the first several months after the placement, Amber was quietly cautious around the grandmother, acknowledging her presence but keeping a distance. So it was a shock to everyone when one day the elderly woman walked into the house and Amber began frantically jumping all over her and whining loudly. Nothing seemed to appease Amber. Day after day the behavior continued...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Random House
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2013
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0812982452
• ISBN 13: 9780812982459
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 256
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: gpsr@libri.de; gpsr@libri.de; ; Friedensallee 273; Hamburg; 22763; Deutschland