From Fearful to Fear Free: A Positive Program to Free Your Dog From Anxiety, Fears, and Phobias

by Marty Becker, Lisa Radosta, Wailani Sung

Almost every dog owner has a pet who suffers from fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS). They are the underlying cause of many concerning behaviors such as excessive barking, aggression, destructive behaviors, and house-soiling. They are also the source for deterioration of the human-animal bond, and can make a trip to the veterinarian, pet groomer, or boarding facility miserable for pet and owner alike. Left untreated, these negative experiences can lead to devastating consequences and permanent damage. Unfortunately, many well-meaning owners misinterpret or overlook the often subtle signs of emotional injury and turmoil, or think that the pet will simply "outgrow" it. This leads to unnecessary trauma and suffering.Common FAS triggersFinally, there's help. From Fearful to Fear Free is based on the groundbreaking Fear Free program embraced by tens of thousands of veterinary healthcare professionals and hundreds of thousands of pet owners (fearfreepets.com and fearfreehappyhomes.com). This is the first and most authoritative book on the subject of reducing FAS and increasing "happy and calm" in dogs. Since pets communicate nonverbally, this book will help you recognize if your pet is suffering from FAS. By knowing your dog's body language, vocalizations, and changes in normal habits, you can make an accurate diagnosis and take action to prevent triggers or treat the fallout if they do happen.You'llThe three veterinary coauthors and one highly respected pet trainer have a combined 88 years of experience in the trenches of veterinary medicine, with specialties in behavior and training. By using their cutting-edge techniques, you'll have pets that are happier, healthier and live a longer, fuller life.

Genres: Dogs, Nonfiction, Animals, Self Help, Audiobook, Unfinished

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Sassafras Patterdale · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was sent this book by the author's publicist because I write a lot about dog training/behavior/life with dogs for dog magazines. The information in the book is good - i'm all bout fear free training, but I found this book really disjointed to read. My main critique is i'm not really sure who the primary audience for this book is - the information given is very surface level and basic so not for experienced dog people/dog professionals, but i feel like it also is likely too vague for the average pet parent reader. I appreciated the sidebars and stories from other trainers, but the layout in the book was extremely distracting.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative book though not in the ways I was hoping. It’s more geared towards new puppy owners who want to take the extra preventative step. Not for those of us who have older dogs who are fearful and wanting to help fix that

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book covers many topics related to fearful dogs or preventing fearful reactions from developing. I’d still recommend dog owners to consider reading this.

“We’re not trying to drum up business we promise!” Yeah right! You can play a drinking game for the number of times they say to “Consult a board certified veterinary behaviorist.”

[Magen - Inquiring Professional Dog Trainer · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I had read this book before all the other books and DVDs on this topic, it would definitely be a 4.5. I highly recommend this to dog parents, even if their dog doesn't appear fearful. And ideally, read it while you're looking for a puppy.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book for sharing ways to decrease fear, anxiety and stress in dogs. I'm moving from a small mountain town to a city next week and have been nervous about how my two beloved dogs will adjust. There are terrific tips in the "enrichment" and "separation anxiety" chapters, such as playing classical music to drown out street noise...and to give them treats and play with them while listening to classical music before leaving them alone so they have positive associations with the music. I'll definitely be putting a sandbox for digging in the new yard, too. Plus, the idea of making ice cubes out of broth is brilliant. I feel much better about how they'll do!

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book - but it's more of help if you have a young dog to keep it from being fearful -- I was hoping for more help with my new rescue that was not socialized at all and we got her at six months afraid of everything except me and my other two dogs. Well written and I learned a few things here and there -- but I was hoping for more to help me with her.

[Orazie Slayton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I selected this book to assist me in preparing my dog to fly with me thinking it would provide me helpful tips. It only provided me tips in one of the last chapters. Most of the book is an advertisement for board-certified behavior veterinarians which according to the authors there are less than 100.

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Listed all the common fears of dogs but gave no advice except to ask a VET.

[Jane Snell-Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book but think it’s more for people who have their first dog rather than an experienced owner.

[Pavlína · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dobré se četlo. Pokud má majitel psa nějaký konkrétní problém, kniha ho "přesvědčí", že odměnami lze problém napravit. Výcvik, péče, láska. Důslednost.
Takže nic moc nového pro mne.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this would be a helpful book for people who don't maybe know a whole lot about dogs. I didn't really learn a whole lot that I didn't already know and I also think they don't give balanced trainers enough credit. Balanced trainers help dogs that the positive only/force free community refuse to work with and will advise owners to put down. Because a leash pop is worse than death I guess???I've been working with dogs for a long time but I'm new in my *official* training journey and finding my footing and what methods I want to use and what resonates. I've been trying to be open to force-free/positive only but have yet to find advice on how to work with pushy/aggressive dogs whereas balanced trainers have an abundance of information and psychological approaches that make sense to me and that actually work in practice?? Guess I'll keep researching!!

[David Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook

We adopted an older shelter dog who we think had been in many shelters, and as time has gone on more and more, fear , anxiety, and stress related habits have come out. I found this book quite helpful in seeing and recognizing these traits.

If really recommend this to puppy owners, this way you can head off many learned fear, anxiety, and stress behaviors.

I like that the authors are not shy or recommending medicating your dog, I think so many trainers and YouTubers think you can do this all natural.

[Diana]

I haven't read it back to back, i skimmed thru some parts because I wanted to know if it offered real solutions and how-tos, and it does, but it's kinda basic and also full of "if it doesn't work or your dog has this problem, go visit a vet or a professional to help you out", leaving many things without conclusion

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you are ready to get a puppy, I would highly recommend this book. But having an older dog, I felt a lot of it did not pertain to me. I did appreciate some of the physiological aspects shared about how dog's bodies deal with stress. That was very interesting!! But overall, this was a little disappointing! 2 stars

[Christoffer Schön · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decent book for general knowledge, but unfortunately plagued by biased positive only propaganda. We only use positive operant conditioning and counter conditioning with our dog, but he is fearful, not reactive. I sincerely believe it can be beneficial and even necessary to use all four quadrants of operant conditioning for training/treatment of reactive dogs.

According to this book, we should absolutely not use a slip lead on our dog. I'm wondering how the authors would use a flat collar or harness to stop our 90 pound dog from running away when he gets scared.

[ᛚᚨᚱᚲᚨ × ᚠᛖᚾᚱᛁᚱ (Semi hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

About time!
-Juri

As a mom of a furry anxious baby hyper-reactive to the leash, I can't do anything but to recommend this book for any furry parent that is having trouble with their precious kids. It's not just a help for us, but most importantly for them. The book covers first the meaning of what our babies are experiencing (mentally and biologically), then goes into detail of how to handle more specific situations.
Granted that this is NOT meant to be in sostitution of a behaviouralist, especially in some cases, I still think it's a powerful and useful tool for making our lives better, and having happier dogs.

[Denise Liu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book just wasn't so helpful. Perhaps it's more suitable for owners of fearful puppies who just need a bit of confidence building - not really for owners who have adopted adult rescue dogs with more serious issues. I got a bit tired of hearing "consult a board certified vetinerary behaviourist". I would if I could, but I don't think there's a single certified behaviourist in my entire country!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The information was broad and basic. This book would be great for people who are thinking about getting a dog, new dog owners, and dog owners just beginning to navigate some of these issues or just wanting an overview as a launching point for more in-depth research.

[Karin Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good ideas in here to work with your dog. However, the writing is not the best. It jumps around without full explanation and then will return to the idea at a different portion of the book. More editing could have made this a better book for use. Still good ideas.

[Patrycja · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for every dog owner - even if you think your dog is not particularly fearful. Basics that will show the reader how to understand your dog and go beyond your projections on his or hers behaviour.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

(+) Love the message and the fear-free advice

(-) I didn't learn much new information from this book. It is a good introduction if you haven't looked into fear-free, force-free methods but if you are familiar with techniques already it may be a little surface level.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good fundamental philosophy - obviously! But for some reason I was disappointed in its given examples.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who has a dog or getting one- this one is for your dog book shelf!

[Cristy Emmnm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple. Invaluable. Will consult regularly. Full disclosure I am working with a behaviorist for my adult rescue dog who shares a practice with one of the co-authors. Excellent supplemental resource.

[Ula · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books on the topic!

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great guide - lots of puppy sections that weren't relevant to a rescue but lots of good tips and understanding of the psephology of fear.

[Degenerate Chemist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic, well researched account of how to help our canine family members deal with fear. I definitely learned some things I plan to incorporate when working with my fosters.

[Chrissy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Vague

[Juna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read non-EN version of this book, but i believe the main content is the same (except some extra words from translators that are explaining differences between countries and law). That book is okeish for people that never had a dog in their life, and they are thinking about a small dog such as Shih tzu etc. A lot of advertisement there, some good but empty advices e.g. if your dog is afraid because of (here, write whatever you want) go to the behaviorist and if that will not help then to the vet to get some medicines... No comment... Another advice - to have fearless dog or properly behaving dog just... teach your dog some commands and tricks... No sh*t Sherlock... Unfortunately, except a couple poorly explained commands there is no information on how to solve the problem... This book is definitely NOT for people that have some experience already, NOT for the owners of bigger dogs (such as German Shepards, Hounds, Pointers etc).... One of many reasons is that at some point you will need to use / have a prong collar. There are some dogs that do listen the "parent"/"owner" or do not pull the leash only if the prong collar is installed. The dog can be very well trained but you can't cheat the nature... BTW it is also very clear that the book is for the US reader, not e.g. EU reader. And thank God that our dogs do not live in the US (speaking about ridiculous law like the case from 2015 from Oregon where the court said to cut the dogs vocal cords just because dogs were barking... The hell? We speak, dogs bark. Especially dogs like Mastiff... or many other cases also mentioned in that book. That is not possible in the EU. Actually, it would be illegal.)... PS the layout is really poor (because of the text in yellow boxes) and the pages are too shiny, so it is hard to read the text by artificial light.

[Brandi Kern · Rating 3 out of 5]

As many have already said, this is a wonderful overview of how fear develops and what we can do about it. This book would be a wonderful entry point for dog owners to learn about fear, or an entry point for people interested in dog training.

For professional dog trainers, this book would be boring or somewhat annoying. As many have said, the "consult a board certified veterinary behaviorist" chant gets a little old and the information is very surface level and basic. Although different treatment approaches are glossed over, this book is mostly about prevention and does not have how-to's or exercises that would be useful to most people. The bookjacket advertises exercises and so on, but the only exercises that are covered are basic obedience things such as targeting way back in the appendix, and those exercises gloss over the nuances of training especially once you factor in the difficulty of training fearful dogs (who may be avoidant, "stubborn," or have acquired learned helplessness). The book was not what I expected because the blurbs and description on the jacket were misleading in my opinion. One thing that was mentioned by others was that the organization of the book was annoying. I did not agree with this at all. I felt like the organization and layout was just fine and very clear, but the fact that multiple authors contributed to the book did result in some variation of voice (this was not unexpected, since the book is multi-author).