Help for Your Shy Dog: Turning Your Terrified Dog into a Terrific Pet [Paperback]

Deborah Wood (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 28, 1999 | Series: Howell reference books

Fifteen to twenty percent of dogs are born with a tendency towards introversion and fearfulness, leading to behaviors like uncontrolled submissive urination, fear-aggression, and inability to bond with humans. With understanding and the right training, fearful dogs need not be condemned as bad pets; rather, they can become some of the happiest and most deeply bonded dogs around—the epitome of great pets.

Editorial Reviews

Review

At last! Here is a book that gets serious about the myriad problems that come with owning a shy dog and offers sensible and knowledgeable solutions.***I can vouch for a lot of Wood's advice, some of which flies in the face of conventional wisdom. For example, I've noticed that many people respond to my dog's shyness by kneeling down. I suppose they think the timid dog will feel less threatened by a human with reduced stature. In fact, all my shy dogs have been terrified when confronted with a crouching stranger.***I've had to devote a lot of training time to this little understood fact, so I was sold on Wood's book the moment I came upon the heading, "Don't necessarily Squat."***This is a highly readable, useful, thorough and encouraging book. I'm grateful to have a book like this to recomment to every trainer and teacher, because shy dogs are everywhere. Get copies for yourself, your friends and for your students! -- Front and Finish, November 1999, book review by Sandy Mowery

I recently got a copy of [this] super new book by Deborah Wood which deserves some attention. *** This book is a breath of fresh air for anyone who has lived with a shy dog and been subjected to lots of questionable advice on how to "cure" their pet of its hangups. *** {Wood] makes some great points about handlers who are unknowingly "enablers" to their shy dogs and encourages reading canine body language, understanding pack structure and the benefits of basic training as ways to help your dog overcome its fears. ***This would be a beneficial addition to club libraries and should probably be required reading for anyone teaching classes for the public. How many of us are really comfortable dealing with the dog who spends the entire class trying to hide under a chair? -- Front and Finish, October 1999,

[This book] is a must for anyone instructing dog training classes and a valuable source of sound advice for all other trainers who may now, or some day, have a shy dog." Author Deborah Wood, with delightful illustrations by Amy Aitken, provides the experienced and inexperienced dog owner with advice on recognizing fear in a dog followed by step-by-step guide through training and socialization, which will lead to a dog an owner can enjoy. -- Front and Finish, October 1999,

From the Back Cover

The right advice is critically important to working with "special needs" dogs, and this is just the book to use.

"Deborah Wood does a wonderful job of making real-life scenarios meaningful. I applaud the fact that there are special people in the world willing to go the distance for fearful dogs. Thanks to Deborah Wood for writing the book that will see them through." —Susan Mentley, Operations Director, Oregon Humane Society

"Deborah's book expertly blends her professional background working with emotionally damaged people with her canine experience. She has clarified many misconceptions and presented solutions in a way we all can apply successfully." —Don Arner, Publisher and Editor Off-Lead, the international dog trainer's magazine.

Meet nine dogs—Goldie, Weazie, Nellie, Challenge, Tarah, Colter, Reno, Tess and Briggs. All were once fearful and shy, and skeptical owners and shelters alike feared that these dogs would never enjoy happy, active lives. Now, these canines are great companions, therapy dogs and obedience competition winners. What has helped transform these terrified dogs into such terrific pets? Sensitive, specific and practical training methods explained by dog trainer, Deborah Wood. An owner of a former "terrified" dog, Ms. Wood shares with readers the ways in which she brought her beloved pet out of her shell and right into the hearts of all who meet her.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Howell Book House; 1 edition (June 28, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0876050364
• ISBN-13: 978-0876050361
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #265,847 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rescue help, October 8, 2001

By 

Lori L. Wolstenholme (Milwaukee, WI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Help for Your Shy Dog: Turning Your Terrified Dog into a Terrific Pet (Paperback)

I recently rescued a shy, abused German Shepherd dog and wanted to read all I could before he came home. This book started me on the right track to make the transition smooth to his new home. The advise in this book also matches all the advice I have gotten from my training instructor that teaches me and my new dog in our Shy Dog Class. He has come a long way using the techniques and rewards found in this book. It is definately worth every penny towards having a happier, calmer, companion.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Help for Your Shy Dog, November 28, 1999

By 

J. Harrigan "RobinSong Poodles" (Phippsburg, Maine) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Help for Your Shy Dog: Turning Your Terrified Dog into a Terrific Pet (Paperback)

I wish that this had been available years ago when I owned a corgi with some of the problems covered in this book. Deborah Wood provides common sense solutions and practical techniques for dealing with shyness and its manifestations in dogs. I didn't pursue obedience beyond the basics, because I felt that my corgi would not enjoy it -- now I realize that continuing in a good training class would have been an excellent way to help her overcome her lack of confidence around strangers. I don't recall seeing another dog training book specifically geared toward these issues, and thought that the profiles of actual dogs and their owners who worked beyond the problems shyness can cause were especially helpful. I'd recommend this book to shelter workers, trainers, and anyone else who wants to add to their general knowledge of dogs. It will have a permanent place on my bookshelf!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shy pup., March 24, 2002

By 

Julie (Christchurch, New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Help for Your Shy Dog: Turning Your Terrified Dog into a Terrific Pet (Paperback)

When I first got my German Shephard Pup, she was 14 weeks old. She was skinny, malnourished, very timid of people and particually other dogs. She would shake uncontrolably outside our home, and she would submisively wee for every person she met on the street. This book helped me understand what my dog was feeling, and of course most importantly it helped me deal with her behavior. Highly recommended!