I is for In a Dog's Heart

Pawing through the Alphabet

I is for In a Dog's Heart

This book by Jennifer Arnold is subtitled "What our dogs need, want and deserve--and the gifts we can expect in return." Really, is there much else you want to know about dogs?

I absolutely love this book, and I wish everyone could read it! So mush so, that I'm giving away a free copy at the end of the blog post today. So keep reading for your chance to win!

Jennifer Arnold is founder and executive director of Canine Assistants, a service-dog school in Georgia. In order to run such a successful organization, Jennifer really understands dogs and the relationship between pet and pet parent. She sees herself as "a relataionship expert who improves communication between humans and dogs in the process, betters the quality of life for both." 

One thing In a Dog's Heart helps us to understand is the very destructive nature of negative training methods some people use. Jennifer's organization never teaches using fear or force. She's developed a positive training methodology called Choice Teaching, which "lends to calm, well-mannered dogs who respect their human partners and enjoy doing as asked."

The book advocates building a strong bond with your pet which will give you the patience to "guide your dog through life on Planet Human, when he doesn't speak the language or understand the customs." Some of the steps the author explains are:
* Try to see the world through your dog's eyes
*Understand that your dog's perspective is quite different from your own
*Listen to your dog
*Be your dog's advocate


There is a wealth of information in this book about how to keep your dog safe and healthy, and how to deal with various behavioral problems. 

So what do dogs want? According to Jennifer, "dogs simply want to be happy, and they want us to be happy with them." And what does a pet parent want? This book!

In a Dog's Heart is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your favorite bookstore! Also available is NYTimes bestseller, Through a Dog's Eyes.


Contest:
Enter to win one copy of In a Dog's Heart by Jennifer Arnold
To enter: Leave a comment below saying why you'd like to win a copy of "In a Dog's Heart." For an extra entry, tweet a link to this contest, or share about the contest on your FB page, and leave another comment here telling me that you did so. 
One winner will be chosen at random. Please be sure to leave a way to contact you.
Contest limited to the U.S. and Canada. (Canadian winners may have to answer a knowledge-based question.)
Good luck!

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Blog the Change- Canine Assistants

Photo courtesy of Canine Assistants

Pulling a wheelchair, turning on a light switch, retrieving a dropped object...these are just a few of the tasks dogs can perform to help the disabled and increase independence. Some dogs even offer support that people--and even medical science--can't provide.


Recently I was researching an article and had the pleasure of speaking with Jennifer Arnold, bestselling author of Through a Dog's Eyes, and In a Dog's Heart, and founder of Canine Assistants. Instantly I knew that Canine Assistants was the cause I would highlight for Blog the Change.

Jennifer Arnold

Located in Georgia, Canine Assistants is a non-profit organization which trains and provides service dogs, seizure response dogs, and companion dogs for children and adults with physical disabilities and other special needs. About 1,000 dogs, mainly golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers and goldendoodles, have been placed since the organization began in 1991. 

In addition to physical assistance, the dogs can provide emotional support. Often a dog is able to get through to a person in a way that no other human can.

Seizure response dogs provide assistance after a person has a seizure by laying next to the person, retrieving a cordless phone, or even pressing a medic alert button.

Another type of service dog, seizure alert dogs, sense an oncoming seizure and can alert a person before it happens. Because at this point no one really understands what the dogs are sensing, that behavior can't be trained. But Jennifer explained that after a strong bond is developed, 87% of her seizure response dogs were able to alert their partners in this way.

Photo courtesy of Canine Assistants

Choice Teaching
Jennifer uses only positive training methods. The methodology she developed is called Choice Teaching, and involves rewards for positive behavior. This leads to "calm, well-mannered dogs who respect their human partner and enjoy doing as asked."  Throughout our conversation, I could easily sense Jennifer's dedication, respect and love for the dogs she works with.

There is no charge for a dog through Canine Assistants. Recipients attend a two week training class in Georgia to learn how to work with their dog, and for the dog to learn about them. The waiting list for Canine Assistants dogs is from 1 to 5 years.

I wanted to tell you all about this inspiring organization and hope if you might check out their website, or Facebook, and if you know anyone who could benefit from their wonderful work, you might spread the word.

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