Remember Me?: Loving and Caring for a Dog with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

by Eileen B Anderson

Overview

Remember Me? is an award-winning guidebook for owners of dogs who are losing their mental faculties as they age, and the story of a dog and owner who retained their bond through this most difficult situation.

If you have an aging dog, Remember Me? will give you the information you need to weather the difficult condition and give their dogs the most fulfilling life possible.

In Remember Me?, you will learn about

• The symptoms of canine cognitive dysfunction
• Medications and other interventions that are showing promise in treating the condition
• How to adapt your home and habits to keep your dog safe
• The many products available to solve the problems of senior dogs
• How to make things easier on yourself, physically and emotionally
• The complex question of euthanasia and how to make your own decision about it

The story of Anderson's small terrier Cricket, who developed dementia, is threaded through the book. As Cricket's dementia worsened she paced, she circled, she stood in corners, she forgot what she was doing, and at times she lost and found her owner repeatedly. For the last weeks of her life she even forgot how to drink water. As Cricket's condition deteriorated and needs changed, Anderson learned about the disease and developed methods to care for her dog.

She shares these methods in Remember Me? and her calm, conversational tone is soothing to dog owners who are suffering--sometimes more than their dogs.

Remember Me? won the 2016 Maxwell Award from the Dog Writers Association of America for a book on health, behavior, or general care.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781943634019
Publisher:	Bright Friends Productions
Publication date:	04/18/2016
Pages:	158
Sales rank:	923,358
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.34(d)

Table of Contents

Introduction
1. Loving a Dog with Dementia: Cricket's Story
2. Does Your Dog Have Dementia?
3. Is There a Treatment?
4. How to Help Your Dog: Setting Up Spaces,
Routines, and Enrichment
5. How to Help Your Dog: Specific Challenges
6. Supplies
7. How to Help Yourself
8. Quality-of-Life Considerations
9. Is the End Near?
Index
About the Author
A Note from the Author

Editorial Reviews

"Meticulously researched, accurate information presented with real empathy. I hope owners and trainers read this and get their dogs help sooner rather than later should they be afflicted."
-Jean Donaldson, author of The Culture Clash, founder of the Academy for Dog Trainers

"Many families and all small-animal veterinarians will face the clinical signs of cognitive dysfunction eventually. And with the help of this book, they no longer have to deny its existence or pretend the clinical signs are the result of 'normal' aging. Eileen approaches this complex disease with a combination of scientific rigor and deep empathy for the animals and people who suffer from it. Her approach is clear, practical, open, and empathetic. Thank you, Eileen, for providing yet another excellent resource for animal lovers everywhere." -E'Lise Christensen, DVM DACVB (board certified veterinary behaviorist)

"While always conveying deep compassion and sensitivity for dogs with CCD, Eileen also recognizes the difficulties and stress that this disorder can place upon owners. ... In finishing this book, I realized that while Eileen had written it specifically to help senior dogs with CCD, the information found in its pages will also be of interest and help to all who live with senior dogs, as we strive to keep their lives happy, healthy, and enriched."
-Linda P. Case, author of Beware the Straw Man and owner of AutumnGold Consulting & Dog Training Center

"Personal, easy to read, and full of useful information, Remember Me? is a must-have for everyone living with a dog. Once you have read this book, and I recommend you read it now, you'll want to keep it accessible as a reference for when you need it most." -Lori Stevens, CPDT-KA, SAMP, owner, Seattle TTouch
"What a marvelous book this is! I have been fortunate to have shared my life with a rather large number of beloved dogs. Having so far outlived all of them, I can only look back and wish I had had the common sense and wisdom available in this book to help me through the hardest times-the times when it was left to me to figure out how best to help my friends as they started to fade away, and, eventually, to decide if and when their need to go on superseded my desire to hold on tight.
With ample references, case studies, and personal stories, Eileen has fleshed out the many problems and joys of caring for an old dog. This book is an invaluable tool which will be in my 'toolbox' for many years to come!" -Sue Ailsby, author of Training Levels: Steps to Success and instructor at Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

From the Publisher