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Animal testing is a controversy that has raged for hundreds of years. Some people view experiments on dogs as necessary for human medical progress, while others argue that the practice is barbaric. When the author adopted Marty--a beagle rescued from a research laboratory--she found herself rehabilitating a terrified dog with a traumatic past. She soon discovered the well-kept secret of painful and often fatal testing on dogs. This book details what the author has learned about the past and present of laboratory testing on dogs, life after laboratories and the hope for a future without animal testing. Interviews with rescue organizers and adoptive families reveal the struggles of removing dogs from laboratories and acclimating them to daily life. Scientists discuss the ethics of dog research and advocate for new biomedical technologies. Fundamental change is brewing, with the public, scientists and governments urging the use of new technologies that can replace testing on animals and yield better results.
For many of us, the only way we meet "dangerous" dogs is through news reports about vicious attacks, and films and TV shows that feature out-of-control versions of man's best friend. But there's more to the Bad Dog's story than sensational headlines and movie beasts. A deeper look at these representations reveals a villain much closer to home. This book takes the reader on a rich journey through depictions of violent dogs in popular media. It explores how press accounts and screen stories transform canines into bloodthirsty hunters, rabies-infested strays, ferocious fighters, rogue law enforcement partners and diabolical pets, all adding up to a frightening picture of our usually beloved companions. But, when media tells the dangerous dog's story, it is often with a deep connection to the person on the other end of the leash.
Rescue dogs provide above-and-beyond value to humans at our most vulnerable: when we experience deep depression and severe mental illness; searing trauma and gripping grief; debilitating drug addiction; and of course, strained relationships with our fellow humans. Alternating between memoir and rescue dog owner profiles, this book intimately binds together shelter dogs, mental health and human relationships, exploring the tangible benefits these damaged dogs bring to us damaged humans. The author offers firsthand experience with each of the mental health themes and relationship issues covered herein and discusses how his beloved rescue dog--a battered mutt with an odd name and a heartbreaking backstory--substantially helped him cope with these challenges. Throughout, we find rescue dogs compelling their humans to be better people--to push forward through headwinds, persist despite setbacks, and build self-esteem through the estimable acts of feeding, sheltering and loving an innocent, mistreated being.
Dog training methodology is an increasingly hotly contested topic. A number of vocal trainers insist that dogs should be instructed through exclusively positive reinforcement, and that training should be totally force-free. Popularized through social media, the force-free training movement has grown into a lucrative, billion-dollar industry, but the consequences may outweigh the positives. This book examines the current state of dog training and discusses ethical alternatives to force-free methods. Chapters cover the history of dog training, common myths, equipment, and the merits of balanced training methods that don't dogmatically avoid occasional force.
Sandy Kubillus faced a dilemma: whose needs should come first, those of her paralyzed dog or her healthy husband? After a tragic accident killed her first dog, her new puppy died from distemper ten days later. Her third dog, a springer spaniel named Kaylee, survived a fall off a 75-foot cliff at the age of nine months. These three tragedies compelled Sandy to prove that she was not a failure as a pet owner. Kaylee relied on Sandy for everything, and Sandy needed her dog. Kaylee and her eventual successor, Cassie, became Sandy's "heart dogs"--those once-in-a-lifetime pets that affected her soul, giving her the courage to stand up to her parents, obtain the job of her dreams, and become a better partner to her husband. This memoir examines the realities of helping a dog heal from a traumatic injury, including the stresses it can place on relationships. Filled with the joys of small accomplishments and advice on how to navigate through the rough patches, it offers a lifeline for readers experiencing difficulties with their pets or their lives.
When Champ, a German Shepherd, was adopted from a local breed rescue, his family hoped and expected to spend many fun-filled years with him. However, Champ suffered physically and mentally from neglect and trauma from his first years of life. Despite numerous treatments, Champ was never able to overcome that trauma to become a "normal" dog, and his family made the painful decision to give him peace through behavior euthanasia. This work serves not only as an account of Champ's life and his family's attempts to help him, but also as a resource on behavior euthanasia, which is a compassionate choice for unmanageable aggression, reactivity, bites or severe anxiety. Investigating the potential causes of these issues, chapters examine scientific research on dog behavior and emotions.
When a pet dog injures a human or another dog, the owner is left in a state of fear and confusion. If a dog wreaks havoc and destruction on a home, the owner is left feeling helpless. If an owner finds a dog uncontrollable, or if a dog becomes aggressive and a threat to the community, the dog becomes the one that is at risk for injury or death. Families living with these behaviorally challenged dogs may become isolated and wonder if there is help for their dog. The reality is there are thousands of families facing these issues. This book explains the process for helping dogs with behavior problems in plain language. Calling on her years of experience as a certified canine behavior consultant, the author highlights the journeys of past clients through a series of vignettes broken up by chapters that contain informative and researched guidance. While it is not meant to be a how-to training guide, the book lets people with reactive or anxious dogs know they are not alone. And for those that lose the battle, it walks with them through that final journey.
As one of 67 million Americans who serve as caretakers to their elderly parents, Susan Hartzler cared for her dad for three years, gaining profound insight into Parkinson's disease and the multifaceted challenges of caregiving. Throughout this period, Hartzler's rescue dog, Baldwin, a precious gift from her late mom, provided unwavering support. This memoir offers a personal roadmap for those facing similar caregiving decisions. Thoughtful, tragic, and funny, it shows that, while demanding, caregiving can be a fulfilling endeavor, especially with a dog by one's side. The author's story will better prepare others in similar situations and encourage them to consider the value of a canine companion on their caregiving journey.
What do dogs mean in America? How do Americans make meaning through their dogs? The United States has long expressed its cultural unconscious through canine iconography. Through our dogs, we figure out what we're thinking and who we are, representing by proxy the things that we don't quite want to recognize in ourselves. Often, it's a specific breed or type of dog that serves as an informal cultural mascot, embodying an era's needs, fears, desires, longings, aspirations, repressions, and hopeless contradictions. Combining cultural studies with personal narrative, this book creates a playful, speculative reading of American culture through its canine self-representations. Looking at seven different breeds or types over the last seven decades, readers will go on an intellectual dog walk through some of the mazes of American cultural mythology.
Service dogs play an important role in society, assisting their handlers in leading independent, fulfilling lives. These amazing dogs are trained to work with a wide range of disabilities, from visual impairments to PTSD, and come from a variety of breeds and backgrounds. Some service dogs are custom bred and trained by large charities, while others are rescue dogs of indeterminate breed, trained entirely by their owners. Disability knows no bounds and can strike anyone, at any time, leaving us alone, scared and confused, with many of us wondering how feasible it would be to integrate a service dog into our lives. This is a practical guide, written from the perspective of an ordinary dog owner turned service dog trainer, following her own need for a service dog. It covers everything from service dog breeding and selection, how to acquire a service dog, basic training, and public access work, to your dog's eventual retirement. Chapters also detail the day-to-day realities of living with and loving a service dog.