Book Description

Is your pet bored or destructive? Environmental enrichment is the answer. Environmental enrichment is a dynamic process that influences animal environments to enhance quality of life. For the past 30 years, researchers such as David Shepherdson and Hal Markowits have studied and proven that enrichment is essential to the health and well being of all animals, domestic and wild. Zoos and aquariums have been using environmental enrichment for decades and it is time that pet owners do the same. Unfortunately, they have limited resources and minimal understanding of environmental enrichment and how to use it effectively. In "Beyond Squeaky Toys", authors Nicole Nicassio-Hiskey and Cinthia Alia Mitchell explain the history of environmental enrichment, what it is, how it works and why it is essential for the health and well being of animals. They explain the relationship between boredom and problem behaviors and provide the reader with over 100 innovative, inexpensive and simple ideas to enrich their pet's life and help eliminate problem behaviors. With several ready to use enrichment schedules and enrichment prescriptions for problem behaviors, pet owners can quickly experience the benefits of enrichment, first hand, in their own homes. "Beyond Squeaky Toys" is for the pet owner who wants to live in harmony with their pet and is in search for options that do not take a lot of time, skill or in-depth understanding of advanced science and techniques. The ideas are inexpensive and most importantly work! They can instantly be implemented and produce immediate, positive behavior changes. Best of all, the reader will become more familiar with their pet's natural history and breed-specific behaviors to develop creative enrichment options of their own to help direct their pet's behavior into more appropriate outlets and build a stronger pet/owner bond.