Summary Of Decoding Your Dog

There are multiple contributing authors of Decoding Your Dog. Their qualifications are stellar and although most practice or have practiced Veterinary Medicine in the United States, two are Canadian, Gary Landsberg of Thornhill, Ontario and Mary P. Klinck of Montreal, Quebec. All of the authors have extensive training in behaviour and have all earned the designation DACVB (Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists) in addition to their DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine). Some of the authors have published textbooks, most have at least contributed to chapters in textbooks focussed on animal behaviour. The list of designations and degrees for each individual contributing author gives confidence that they know what they …show more content…
The book is a comprehensive study of the behaviour of dogs, including a layman’s explanation of many of the most common behavioural problems facing dog owners today. This book offered a variety of chapters, including, Learning to Speak Dog, How Dogs Learn, Housetraining, Common Problems That Can Drive an Owner to Howl, How to Keep Your Dog Happy and Mentally Healthy, Aggression, Dogs Who Are Phobic About Sound, Compulsive Behaviors and Old Dogs Should Learn New Tricks. In addition, the book also provides a chapter on Choosing Your New Best Friend, a very useful tool for those looking to add to their family. The editors of Decoding Your Dog have compiled an excellent choice of topics for any dog owner, from puppyhood, through the adult years and into the dog’s senior years. It is a great book for dog owners searching for ways to change or understand their dog’s behavior or people that are thinking they may want to purchase or adopt a …show more content…
No dog should be a couch potato, they need physical and mental stimulation to help them stay out of trouble. Make your dog think, buy toys that stimulate his/her brain, alternate the toys. Kong toys are a great way to make them hunt for food and use their brain to figure out how to get the treats out of the Kong. Make a play date with other dogs or take your dog for multiple walks using different routes, throw a ball in your backyard, hide favourite toys. In addition, this chapter offers solutions and methods to help owners clip their dog’s nails as well as brushing the dog’s teeth using multi-step solutions. These will be baby steps as you can’t change a dog fearful of nail clipping overnight. Patience is a Virtue. The final chapter, Dogs with an AARF Card: Growing Old with Grace, is authored by Gary Landsberg. This chapter focuses on the aging dog and the behaviour issues brought on by aging. Behaviour issues in aging dogs is related to CDS, Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome which is a condition similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans. Signs of CDS are known by the acronym DISHA, Disorientation, changes in social Interaction, changes in Sleep – wake cycles, House soiling and changes in Activity levels. Additionally, symptoms could also include anxiety or