If Only They Could Speak: Understanding the Powerful Bond Between Dogs and Their Owners

Until recently, euthanasia was the only way to deal with a pet who was untrainable or unresponsive to human commands. Nicholas Dodman began studying the psychological maladies that afflict pets, believing that animal psychopharmacology could yield results as promising as those experienced by humans. In If Only They Could Speak , he presents true stories from his practice, revealing that the emotional problems of animals are often as complex, heartrending and treatable as those of humans. These poignant stories reveal the fruits of Dodman’s research. With humour, compassion and a profound understanding of the way animals think and feel, Dodman explores how separation anxiety, jealousy, fear and death affect animals. He evokes James Herriot with these stories of distressed pets and their (often) equally troubled owners.