BOOKS: In a Dog’s Heart

From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  October 2011:

In a Dog’s Heart
by Jennifer Arnold
Random House (1745 Broadway,  New York,  NY 10019),  2011.
256 pages,  hardcover.  $25.00.

Not another dog book, I said.  The market is flooded with dog books.  Send me cat,  horse,  or elephant books,  but not another book about dogs.  But In a Dog’s Heart, Jennifer Arnold’s latest, perked me up.

Arnold gets to the point and tells the reader,  from her experience as a trainer and founder of Canine Assistants,  what to expect when living with dogs.  She shares her talents to prepare dog owners for the challenges of puppyhood,  including what to expect from a veterinarian,  how to decipher dog food labels,  and coping with separation anxiety.

Arnold includes a helpful section on thunderstorm phobia. Many a fearful dog has ripped through screen doors or even crashed through windows to escape during thunderstorms.  This type of phobia can be harmful to the dog and Arnold suggests ways to make the fearful dog safe.  Arnold also discusses the options involved in seeking a responsible breeder or adopting a rescued dog.  Do your homework,  she says,  because the dog you bring home should be part of your family for the dog’s lifetime. –Debra J. White