Full Description
Why do owners wait until their dog becomes anxious when alone at home, before investing time in teaching him how to become comfortable alone? Owners often assume that their dog will sleep, yet many dogs suffer from anxiety and stress when left alone - and some owners only discover this when their dog becomes destructive, or a neighbour complains about his barking.
Home alone and happy! was born out of the need to educate pet owners before the problems of separation anxiety arise. Written for those who wish to maintain their dog's emotional wellbeing, and those who want to take action before a very mild issue grows into something more serious.
Kate Mallatratt shows you the problem through your dog's eyes when he is alone at home, and offers you valuable insight and advice to help make his time alone pleasant and stress-free. Beautifully illustrated, with worksheets to evaluate your dog's level of contentment and chart his progress, you'll learn how you can both spend quality time alone, despite being apart.
Contents
Acknowledgements and Dedication 4
Foreword by Nando Brown 5
Introduction 7
1: What is separation anxiety? 11
Signs to look out for 11
Why prevention is better than cure 13
Why punishment should never be used 21
2: Managing emotions 22
Exploring emotions 22
Analysing emotions, and how these may
outwardly display 32
Managing emotions on departure 32
Establishing solid foundations 38
Building anticipation 38
3: Building independence 40
Mealtime training: feed him and leave him! 40
Eating for pleasure 43
Food ingredients 48
Fussy eaters 50
Feeding raw bones and bone safety 50
Teaching `settle on bed' 52
Building independence 52
4: Managing the environment 59
Beds and sleep quality 59
Room temperature 62
Reducing arousal 63
Movement restriction 64
The crate: your dog's bedroom 64
Scent 69
The sound of music 66
5: Home alone and happy toolbox 72
Environmental cues 74
Key training reminder 74
KongsTM and other interactive toys 74
Toys 75
Should we feed our dog every time we
leave him? 75
Signs that our best friend is happy 83
6: Assessment and worksheets 84
Comfort evaluation worksheets 84
Appendix: Resources and further reading; references 87
Rogues' Gallery: the Cast 89
Index 96
