Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog by Zazie Todd is the book (and the knowledge) I wish I had had before I brought fearful little Trooper into my home. I'm glad we have it now. If you've brought your first fearful pup home, you will find it packed with useful, helpful, and factual information about how to live better with a nervous pup and help them through their fears.
I love the stories of helping fearful dogs, the quotes from qualified and experienced trainers and behaviorists, the sections on helping dogs with specific fears, and the important tips for living with a fearful dog.
As I said, this book is packed with useful information. These were my three favorite takeaways:
I love the section "Naughtiness Can Be Good". Yes, sometimes that's how we know when a fearful dog is getting more comfortable, they start showing some of their natural doggy behaviors --what we love about dogs! And then, as dog trainer Maria Karunungan says, "...it's up to us to find a way that is acceptable (for example, by giving them chew toys or a place where they can dig). And some kinds of naught are fine to allow, like having fun shredding their toys. If it's not causing any harm, it's okay to let them do it."
When I brought home fearful Tish she wasn't showing a lot of behavior. By this time, I'd had a lot of experience with fearful dogs. I knew she was shut down. Later, when she started to bark loudly for attention and chase the cat, I felt some glee at her naughtiness. She was feeling more comfortable and confident! Woo hoo!
Fortunately, I also knew what to do about reducing those behaviors which were troublesome for me and Mary Shelley cat.
I also love the section in Bark! explaining the role of psychotropic medications and Dr. Claudia Richter of Pacific Veterinary Behavior Consulting's explanation of how they work to help ease anxiety, not change the dog's personality, "...the anxiety is just floating at the top and just drowning your dog's personality, and my goal is to turn that around...maybe we can get his or her personality to float to the top and suppress the anxiety, and then you can really see that personality shine."
I've worked with a lot of dogs who have been on behavioral medications under the guidance of a veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist, and I've seen this effect and seen training really take off after a dog's anxiety was reduced.
Finally, I love the reminder in Bark! about what a slow process it can be to overcome fear, and that we want to do everything we can to avoid instilling fear in dogs --absolutely!
Instead, let's help dogs and our families be more confident, at ease, playful, and safe.
I'm a big fan of Zazie Todd's two other excellent books: Wag! The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy as well as her blog Companion Animal Psychology. Go check them out!
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