[.uk] The Dog Who Loved Too Much: Tales, Treatments and the ... (ISBN 0553375261)

insightful. canine behavioral problems by section.:
this book is easy to read, at times humourous, and provides some good knowledge to dog owners who are into the behavior science part of dogs. i will outline how the book is styled. the book breaks down behavioural problems into 3 main category: 1. aggression 2. fear 3. obsession 5 chapters under the aggressive probems deals with dominance (dog-owner aggression), rage syndrome, territorial aggression, dog on dog aggression, dog aggression to babies. for fear related problems, each chapter would deal with separation anxiety, fear of thunder, geriatric aeparation anxiety, phobias and fear of strangers. the obsessive section deals with tail chasing (esp in bull terriers), shadow chasing, persistent licking and incontinence. each chapter is written very much like watching an animal planet documentary. dr dobson would tell you a little bit about the kind of problem, then use real life examples to tell you how he treats the behaviours shown in these dogs. it is easy to read, sometimes humourous, and quite matter of factly written. at the end of each chapter, he would conclude the chapter with a "treatment for" summary. the summary notes down in point form treatment/s for each chapter's problems. i think this book covers all the usual behavioural problems in dogs that we face. some of the chapters was written is a fashion that is much like the tv series "house" (a persoanl favourite), so it's quite exciting and entertaining. the only downside to the treatments suggested is that i find dr dobman's like for using drugs for treatments. noting that he may be doing these for badly affected dogs seems like a good idea, especially when all courses of treatment has been done. this seems to be the case for the book as he dwells in only the worst cases. this might lead to the reader thinking that one MUST use drugs for treatments. well, if it comes tothe end, if drugs have to be used and it has little side effects, why not? they are increasing being used in treatine human psychological problems anywways. generally, a very good read and anyone interersted in canine behaviours should have the full repertoire of the more common canine behavioural problems being dealt with here.

New possibilities for old problems:
Showing a sense of humor, Dr Dodman describes his experiences with a variety of problem behaviors in a pleasant, fun read. At first I was extremely skeptical of using drugs to solve behavior problems, but I decided to give Dodman a chance. In each case he analyzes catalysts and contributing factors to the behavior being discussed as well as the biological background. I felt he used a very well-rounded approach, suggesting liefstyle changes (diet, exercise, management), behavior modification, training, and sometimes drugs. Not every case involved drugs, and those that did often were for short term use only. What I found most insightful, however, was Dodman's analysis of various aggressive behaviors, their basis, and how they're acted out. He very clearly differentiates between dominance aggression and fear aggression, providing precise and various examples of each. Overall I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has a problem dog. Even if you don't go the drug route you'll still learn a lot about your dog and his/her problem(s). The only reason I'm giving it 4 out of 5 stars is because it's a rather dated book (1996) and doesn't cover some newer therapies.

dogs:
EXCELLENT FOR PEOPLE DEALING WITH DOGS DAILY----VETS, GROOMERS, PET SITTERS AND OWNERS OF DIFFICULT DOGS

dog lover:
I found these cassette tapes both educational and entertaining. I wasn't aware of some of the hard decisions that pet owners have to make and how medication can help.

Excellent for those with problem dogs:
This was recommended by a friend and it has helped me turn around a very challenging dog. It's easy to read, entertaining, and invaluable for understanding and working with challenging dogs.