A slim volume, this is actually an English translation from the original German, published by Dogwise.com; subtitled Learn how dogs show stress and what you can do to help. Actually the title doesn’t point out that the book also discusses in some detail the biochemical mechanisms of stress and it’s physical affects, mind you, I did only skim that section, but it is there to refer back to later.
The layout wasn’t the best, in fact, I missed a paragraph, but the language is simple to read and understand.
I think I would like more emphasis on the early, low-keyed signs of stress and actions I could take to ‘reassure’ a dog in the really early stages of stress, the book was more at the what I would think was extreme levels of stress, although, that said, reading the book did help me to realize that the dog of a friend she had complained about not eating and having diarrhoea was actually just ‘screaming’ I can’t cope with that older dog he is constantly bullying me even just by glancing in my direction.
The authors have also included the results of a brief survey and when stress is likely to be expressed, which I found really interesting reading, they have also included the assessment questionnaire for the reader’s use. Key points for every owner to take away from the survey are:
~ The livestock guardian breeds are the most laid back shadowed closely by (interestingly) terriers, the most ‘stressed’ are the active guard/schutzhund style trained and worked dogs.
~ Those dogs with twenty or more hours rest per day are ‘calmest’, those with less than 10 are the most wired.
~ Being left alone isn’t an issue for up to 6 hours.
~ Walking or exercising your dog for up to two hours doesn’t change the stress level, but do so for more than three hours and the dog’s stress index rises markedly.
~ Dogs are more relaxed if allowed to run free and have contact with other dogs then those only exercised on lead.
So read the book to see what else stresses the average dog!
| Never let your puppy be treated too roughly by other dogs. Help him if he needs your protection and wants to get away. Intervene in situations where he is being put upon by helping him out of the situation. Never listen to a trainer who tries to make you believe it’s perfectly normal and that dogs sort it out among themselves! |
| from quote by Martina Scholz And Clarissa Von Reinhardt STRESS IN DOGS (2007) |
An interesting read, but not aimed at the owner picking up on early stress signs and looking for a way to relax their dog.