Tender Paws: How Science-Based Parenting Can Transform Our Relationship with Dogs [Paperback]

Tender Pawstakes a deep dive into the practical benefits of applying therapeutic parenting best practices to dogs in our care.

ender Pawssheds fresh light on dog care, not found in other dog training and behavior books, by asking: What if you could parent your dog the way experts approach raising a vulnerable child?

When award-winning journalist Wendy Lyons Sunshine adopted her first puppy—rescued from behind a gas station, separated from the litter too soon, anemic, and overwhelmed—she struggled to cope with the chaos.

Standard training guides failed her, and in desperation she turned to an unlikely resource: a bestseller for adoptive families. Suddenly she saw the puppy not as a problem to correct, but as a young creature with invisible, unmet needs, and their relationship blossomed.

InTender Paws, Sunshine shares what she discovered about the essentials for supporting a dog's body, mind, emotions, and relationships—and ultimately why getting to the root of a dog's needs and behavior can make all the difference.

The book features dozens of fascinating cases and introduces the HEARTS framework—six practical, research-backed caregiving habits that help any dog flourish, whether you're living with an 8 week-old puppy who's all teeth or a 10 year-old adult rescue with a mysterious history.

You'll discover:

• Simple, gentle methods that support a dog's body and mind, based on research into neurobiology, attachment, child development, learning, and trauma
• Dozens of real cases—the spaniel pushed to the brink, the high-drama border collie, the adult rescue facing behavioral euthanasia—to show you what genuinely helps
• The unmet needs and nervous-system stress underneath many behaviors, and how to build the sense of safety a dog needs before training can take hold
• How to choose equipment and training methods that serve your dog best
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